District info prior to IEP meeting

Make a request, in writing, for all information they plan to present at the meeting. If they don’t give you enough time to review the information before the meeting… when you get to the meeting explain that you will need to reschedule after you have had enough time to review the information so that you can make informed decisions regarding your child’s education. Follow up with a letter describing why the meeting had to be rescheduled.

Thanks, Rose. I have put it in writing but they are saying that they are not required to give the information. Do you know the law? Thanks.

Check out the Wrightslaw site wrightslaw.com I think. Very comprehensive on special ed law.

They cannot by law tell you what decisions have been made regarding your child’s placement before the IEP meeting because no decisions are supposed to be made until the entire IEP team has met, including you. They are required to tell you what the purpose of the meeting is and who else will be attending the meeting. You might try asking your child’s teacher what recommendations s/he has for your child’s education so you can look into all of your options. You have a right to all of your child’s records including any recent evaluations but they can take up to 45 days to produce them. If they don’t give you copies of IEP goals and recent evaluations before the meeting… get the information at the meeting, say thank you very much and let’s reschedule so I can review this information. You may want to stick around long enough to hear what they have to say, ask lots of question but don’t bother responding until the next meeting. They can try to intimidate you by being uncooperative but if you respond professionally you take the power back. You have a right to ask for an IEP meeting anytime and the meeting that is now scheduled will mean nothing if you don’t sign anything. DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING! Never sign anything until you have had time to read every word that has been written at the meeting several times. Often you will find “mistakes” in what has been written that totally change the meaning of what you were told was being agreed upon. After the meeting, write a thank you note that states what you understood to have been said at the meeting. The best way to stay out of court is to prepare for trial. Make a paper trail. They will know what you are doing and be more likely to behave themselves. You may also write a letter before the meeting stating that you have been told that they are not required to provide the information you requested and ask them to please explain in writing if there is a legal reason they cannot provide the information, if so could they tell you what the relevant law is and if not why don’t they wish to cooperate with you so you can better participate as a member of the IEP team? Just some thoughts, I hope they help you.

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Why do you need a law. Go to the school and request a copy of the “draft” IEP, if this is a re-evaluation - request a copy in advance. If you have any problems with getting the information, tell them you won’t sign anything until you have had sufficient time to review the materials. They probably won’t want additional meetings.