Effective IEP Team Meetings Exceptional Children Division NC Department of Public Instruction

Effective IEP Team Meetings Coordinate with school personnel to ensure adequate preparation by all participants. Pre-conference with parents when difficult issues will be discussed.

Effective IEP Team Meetings Provide all IEP team members evaluation results in advance so they can review them.

Effective IEP Team Meetings Meet informally with parents before the formal meeting (to welcome, review evaluation data, answer questions about procedural safeguards, eligibility analysis, ESY analysis, etc.).

Effective IEP Team Meetings Introduce participants to each other. Create an atmosphere of mutual respect. Coordinate seating that lends to collaboration (not “us vs. them”). Be sensitive to parents’ feelings of intimidation and being out numbered at IEP Team meetings.

Effective IEP Team Meetings Post or provide a written agenda to document the purpose, intended outcome & steps to get there. Agree on ground rules (re: civility, interrupting, cell phones, mandatory members staying for entire meeting, etc.).

Effective IEP Team Meetings Provide a clear purpose for the meeting. Ensure roles & responsibilities are clear for tasks occurring before, during, and after the meeting. Encourage participants to share in and contribute to a common purpose (everyone should have a role and be prepared to contribute to the discussion).

Effective IEP Team Meetings Establish a written “parking lot” for issues to be addressed at a later date, rather than letting them get lost, e.g. issues off topic to the purpose of the meeting or non- IDEA issues.

Effective IEP Team Meetings Restate the outcome at the end of the meeting for clarity and any necessary corrections. Check for parent’s understanding throughout the meeting. Develop an action plan for who is doing what & when.

Effective IEP Team Meetings End the meeting on a positive note; thank participants for their time and contributions.

Effective Communication Listening Non-verbal (body language) Reflective (restate facts & feelings of the speaker) Speaking I-message: I feel (emotion) when (situation) because (why) and I need _____. Tell me more about ______. Let me make sure I understand your position. Clarifying Questions Ask open-ended questions Summarize

Position v. Interests Position

Consultants for Dispute Resolution Kate Neale, or Lynn Smith, or Pollye Pruitt, or Gay Lytton, or ec.ncpublicschools.gov/parent-resources/dispute-resolution