The 3 P's of attending your child's IEP meeting: Participation

One of the questions I am asked most often from parents is, "What can I do to set my child up for success?"

There are a lot of ways to answer that question, but my first advice is always to be involved. Your child watches your actions and attitudes and is quick to emulate. If you show a dislike for a certain food, it is doubtful your child tries this food. It is your actions towards others that makes your child treat them the same way. Similarly, if you want your child to advocate for themselves and the services that are mandated for them, you must do the same. Be involved. Attend all meetings, particularly during IEP planning.

Remember: the IEP is collaborative, and participation is an important way to be involved in the process. It's also mandated by law: parents have an opportunity to participate in meetings with respect to the identification, evaluation, and educational placement of their child, and the prevision of FAPE to the child (including the IEP meetings (Secs 300.501(b), 300.344(a)(1), 300.517)). IEP meetings bring together your child's teachers, school administration, other agencies (if necessary), and the parent(s) to discuss the educational needs and set goals for the school year. By attending and participating in IEP meetings, you have the opportunity to voice your concerns in the decision-making process.

As a parent of a special education student, your participation at the IEP meeting is critical to your child's success because you were your child's first teacher and know them better than any other individual. In any society, the most important and impacting leaders are found inside the family home. 

Take a moment and think of “all” the time spent working with your child. This includes: holding them and showing them love, compassion, and kindness. Teaching them to say “Momma” and “Dada,", taking those “first steps," potty- training—the list goes on and on. Your participation in your child's IEP meetings allows you to provide valuable insight into your child's strengths, weaknesses, and out-of-school experiences. This information can be critical in creating a comprehensive and effective education plan. By sharing this information about your child's home life, health, and other factors (which may not be displayed openly at school), you can help ensure that your child's IEP accurately reflects their needs and provides the appropriate support(s) that they need to succeed.

You know your child better and have spent more time with them than anyone else at that meeting. This is your opportunity to provide their educators with insight into your child that some of them may never get to see.