Teaching Your Child to Advocate for Themselves: A Guide to IEP Meetings

"Do I have to go to this meeting?"

Almost every parent of a student with a mild disability such as ADHD or ASD has heard this uttered from their teenage child in the anticipation of an IEP meeting. I hear it as an special education teacher, and it seems like a fair question at first blush. Most teachers throughout elementary school are not going to invite the child to their IEP meeting, and this pattern can continue into their secondary years of education. To a child in middle school or high school, an IEP meeting can sound like any old adult meeting where adults get together to show off and talk about things that seem important to them.

A secondary school student prepares for their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting, engaging proactively with their educational materials.

When students enter their secondary education, this needs to shift. Starting in middle school, students should be invited to their own meeting IEP meetings. An individual educational plan (IEP) is a legal document designed to advocate for your child's educational needs. The tricky thing about the document is that it does not advocate for your child unless the individuals in the IEP team enacts it's special qualities. This includes your child. There are many inputs your child can have when in the IEP meeting, and to reduce anxiety in the lead up to the actual meeting, here are some opportunities your child will have to contribute to the meeting:

1. Communicating with a general education teacher: A general education teacher is legally required to be at an IEP meeting unless you as the parent have given them permission to miss the meeting. Towards the beginning of the meeting, the general education teacher will be given the opportunity to discuss your child's current performance in the classroom. Regardless of the report given by the teacher, your child has a golden opportunity to communicate directly with their teacher to tell them exactly what they like and do not like about the way their lessons are progressing in class. The inputs your child gives during this meeting will ideally be brought back to the teaching team in the school. As teachers meet in their grade level teams or their subject area teams (i.e. math, language arts, etc.), they will reflect on some of the input given by your child. This might result in a change in the classroom dynamic or it will result in a special accommodation in the IEP that will be implemented in all of your child's classes. Here are some questions to review with your child in the lead up to the meeting:

   • Does the teacher need to slow down? Is the homework too hard?

   • Is there too much homework?

   • Is the teacher communicating in a way that the student (your child) can understand?

   • Are their other dynamics in classroom that are distracting or frustrating for the student?

     
     

2. Service Minutes Designated in the IEP: All IEP's should have service minutes that indicate how the school intends on meeting the needs of the student within the school's service model. For example, say your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, and they need help staying organized and they need help with their basic calculations in Algebra. These service minutes will be transparent in how special education services intend to assist your child in their Algebra course. This could look like a co-taught class, or it could look like a "check-in" from their special education teacher. It is a written agreement of when and where your child will receive their special education services in their school school day.

   
   

   During the IEP meeting, your child's special education case manager will present the service minutes, and they will look for parent approval on the amount of services your child is getting. Your child has an opportunity at this time to express their opinions about classes they do or do not want to have in their school schedule. They also have the opportunity to express the desire for autonomy in their school day.

   
   

   

   Preferential seating is a key accomodation for students in a general education classroom.

   
   
   
   

   In the lead up to the IEP meeting, encourage your child to think about their experience at school. Ask them to think about accepting more responsibility at school. Do they feel like they need more support? Or, do they feel like they can try to perform in Algebra class with less support from their special education teacher? In the IEP meeting, these agreements usually come with an "IF, THEN" compromise from the teacher that would sound something like this: "If we do remove your services from your Algebra class, then you have to have at least 90% of assignments submitted on time." These agreements can be very motivating from your child, and I have seen these shifts in the IEP pay major dividends in the student's performance at school. Parents know when their child is ready for more independence, and this can be a time to encourage your child to negotiate for an opportunity to show their readiness to take on more responsibility in their school day.

   
   

   Here are some questions to review with your child in the lead up to the meeting:

   • What kind of help do you think you need most right now, especially in [specific class]?"

   • "Do you feel like the amount of support you're getting right now is enough, too much, or not enough?"

   • What does independence look like to you in school?

   • Are there any areas where you'd like to have more independence, and what are some ways you can show that you're ready for more responsibility?"

   
   

3. Know Your Accommodations: Out of all the language written in the IEP, the accommodations are the most directly experienced within the classroom. Accommodations are changes in how a student learns or demonstrates their learning without fundamentally altering the instructional level or the content being learned. For example, a student with dyslexia may receive accommodations such as:

   • Extended time: Extra time to complete assignments and assessments.

   • Text-to-speech software: Software that reads text aloud, helping students with reading difficulties.

   • Scribe: A scribe can assist the student with writing tasks, such as taking notes or writing essays.

   • Preferential seating: Allowing the student to sit in a location that minimizes distractions and maximizes their ability to focus.

   • Assistive technology: Providing access to tools such as graphic organizers, spell checkers, and calculators.

These accommodations are not meant to "make things easier" for the student. Instead, they provide students with the necessary tools and supports to access the curriculum and demonstrate their learning potential.

It is crucial for students to understand their accommodations and how to effectively use them. This knowledge empowers them to advocate for their needs in the classroom and take ownership of their learning.

Conclusion

The IEP meeting is more than just a bureaucratic exercise; it's an opportunity to empower students to become active participants in their own education. By involving students in the IEP process from an early age, we cultivate essential life skills such as self-advocacy, communication, and problem-solving.

When students understand their strengths, weaknesses, and learning needs, they are better equipped to navigate academic challenges and advocate for themselves in various settings. The ability to articulate their needs, negotiate for appropriate support, and set realistic goals translates beyond the classroom. It empowers them to become independent learners, confident individuals, and successful members of society.

By prioritizing student voice and actively encouraging their participation in the IEP process, we not only ensure that their educational needs are met but also equip them with the tools they need to thrive in all aspects of their lives.