IEP Negativity Recently there was a lively discussion in our Facebook group. A teacher said something inappropriate to a student. Not sexual or anything like that, just unprofessional. But I took a lot of grief from members because I presented the teacher’s side. After all, she had been criticized on social media by the parents….
What to Expect at an IEP Meeting My first IEP meeting did not go well. Well, wait. Kevin has been receiving services since he was 6 months old. So I had IFSP meetings and then preschool meetings. The whole time period, honestly, is foggy. But I definitely remember that my first IEP meeting with my…
IEP Meetings This is a really old post that I have been meaning to update for ages. I see the image show up on Pinterest and I just cringe because I know that the information that is on this site now is just so much better than it was in 2013. The old post didn’t…
Parent Request for IEP Meeting Timeline IDEA does not define this. Some state special education regulations have set a time limit on how long the school has to respond to your request. You can read more on how to request an IEP meeting and what to do if it’s an emergency below. How often can…
How to Request an IEP Meeting This one should be filed under “blog posts I never thought I’d have to do.” I never realized how much misinformation there is surrounding asking for an IEP meeting. Who can request an IEP meeting? How do you request an IEP meeting? Can a parent request an IEP meeting…
Should I bring donuts to the IEP meeting? I understand you want to be nice. You want to be the “cool parent.” But I still think bringing donuts to an IEP meeting is a bad idea. Here’s why. A reader recently asked me: I was talking with a coworker and she said I should never…
Gaslighting at School I remember the first time I was gaslighted at an IEP meeting. It probably wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time that I remember. I was working in a local district, and I had been there a lot. This particular district had a horrible reputation as far as discipline…
Does it matter what you wear to an IEP meeting? Yes. “I have an IEP meeting tomorrow, should I dress as a Storm Trooper?” Uh, no. No, you should not. One of my friends asked that on Facebook a while back. Not to a Parent Teacher Conference either! It matters. I wish it didn’t, but…
What does LEA stand for? LEA is one of those special education acronyms that is more complex than it needs to be. The LEA is a largely misunderstood position or role at IEP meetings. Many times, parents want to exclude the LEA from their IEP meeting! In my professional opinion, that is not a good…