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Special Education

Walking Into an IEP Meeting With Confidence

March 4, 20268 min read

An IEP meeting is not a performance review of your child. It is a planning session, and you are an equal member of the team. Walking in with that mindset changes everything about how the meeting unfolds.

Before the meeting, write a one-page parent input statement. Include your child's strengths, what's working, what isn't, and the three outcomes that matter most to your family this year. Bring printed copies for every attendee.

Ask for the draft IEP and any evaluations in advance — you are entitled to them. Read with a pencil in hand. Flag goals that are vague ("will improve behavior") and request goals that are measurable ("will use a coping strategy in 4 of 5 observed transitions").

In the meeting itself, slow things down. "Can you help me understand what that means in my child's day?" is a powerful sentence. You are not being difficult — you are being thorough. That is exactly what your child needs you to be.

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