When a student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), their IEP team is required to meet and review the program at least every year. The annual review date is listed on the cover page of the IEP document. Family caregivers can request additional meetings, and this article includes a sample letter families can use to formally request an IEP meeting.
Keep in mind that parents have the right to participate in meetings where decisions are made about eligibility or changes to a student’s special education services. A court decision in 2013 further affirmed those rights. More information about that case, Doug C. Versus Hawaii, is included in an article from PAVE: Parent Participation in Special Education Process is a Priority Under Federal Law.
An IEP meeting request letter can be submitted to school staff and to district staff. Family participants have the right to invite guests to the meeting for support and to provide additional expertise about the student.
Best practice is for the school and parents to communicate about who will attend the meeting. If required school staff are unable to attend a meeting, parents must sign consent for their absence. Under state law (WAC 392-172A-03095), a school district must ensure that each IEP team includes:
- Parent/legal guardian
- At least one general education teacher
- At least one special education teacher of the student
- District staff qualified in the provision of specially designed instruction (SDI), knowledgeable about the district’s general education curriculum, and knowledgeable about the district’s available resources
- Someone (usually a school psychologist) qualified to interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results
- At the discretion of the parent or the school district, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the student, including related services personnel
- Whenever appropriate, the student (required to be invited once a transition plan is added, by age 16 or earlier)
The school’s meeting invitation lists attendees and can clarify when the meeting will start and end and the purpose or agenda for the meeting. PAVE provides an article about how families can prepare for a meeting by creating a handout for the team.
Note that in the above list, in accordance with state laws, the IEP team includes an individual who is knowledgeable about district resources. Sometimes a school principal or other staff member fulfills that role. Families or school staff can request attendance by someone who works in the district’s special education department. If the family is asking for something that might cost additional money or require a change in placement to another location inside or outside the district, it can be critical to have a district special education representative involved in decision-making.
TIP: If a school administrator in a meeting indicates that “we’ll have to check with district and get back with you on that,” the IEP team is probably incomplete. Parents can request another meeting with all required attendees.
Parents can request to meet with the IEP team any time of year if they have questions or concerns. Here are a few examples of reasons parents might request an IEP meeting:
- New diagnosis or information about a student’s disability
- Frequent disciplinary actions
- Student is refusing to go to school
- Academic struggles
- Lack of meaningful progress toward IEP goals (PAVE provides an article with a handout about SMART goals and progress monitoring)
- Behavior plan isn’t working
- Placement isn’t working
- Parent wants to discuss further evaluation by the school or an independent agency
Below is a sample letter families can use when writing a request for an IEP meeting. If sending through email, the format can be adjusted to exclude street addresses:
Your Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Date
Name (if known, otherwise use title only)
Title/Director of Special Education/Program Coordinator
School District
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Name (if known, otherwise use title only):
I am requesting an IEP meeting regarding the program for my student, NAME, (BD: 00-00-0000). I have some concerns that I believe need to be addressed by the entire team. I understand that I will be involved in scheduling so I can participate fully as an equal member of the IEP team and that I will be notified in writing when a meeting is arranged.
My hope is that this meeting will provide an opportunity for collaborative problem solving. I want to make sure (NAME’s) IEP provides enough support for improvement and learning within their capabilities. I look forward to discussing my specific concerns about: (add specific concerns here).
- Use bullet points if the list becomes long.
- Use bullet points if the list becomes long.
- Use bullet points if the list becomes long.
I have attached documentation from (list any outside providers who provided letters or reports and highlight any specific recommendations from those attached documents).
I would like a copy of the most recent IEP (or amended Draft IEP) with enough time to review it so I can prepare for our team meeting.
I’m also requesting copies of (any other documents you wish to review before the meeting: evaluation reports, teacher progress notes, state curricula…).
I appreciate your help in behalf of my student. If you have any questions please call me at (telephone number) or email me at (email address, optional).
Sincerely,
Your Name
CC: (Names and titles of anyone else you give copies to)
You can email this letter or send it by certified mail (keep your receipt), or hand carry it to the district office and get a date/time receipt. Remember to keep a copy of this letter and all school-related correspondence for your records. Get organized with a binder or a filing system that will help you keep track of all letters, meetings, conversations, etc. These documents will be important for you and your child for many years to come, including when your child transitions out of school.
Please Note: It is the policy of PAVE to provide support, information, and training for families, professionals, and interested others on a number of topics. In no way do these activities constitute providing legal advice. PAVE is not a legal firm or a legal services agency. This message and accompanying documents are covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521, and contain information intended for the specified individual(s) only.
The contents of this document were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education. The contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
PAVE has a sample template to help you keep track of who is who on the IEP Team