Effective IEP Team Meetings

Prepared and Presented by:

Michelle HammDiane Davis

Melissa McFatter Teresa Smith

Rhonda Wiggins

January 2014

Purposes of the IEP

COMMUNICATION vehicle between parents and school personnel. Equal participants in deciding:

Student’s needs Services to be provided Anticipated outcome

An opportunity for resolving differences and coming to MUTUAL AGREEMENT.

Written COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES necessary to provide special education and related services.

Purposes of the IEP cont.,

MANAGEMENT TOOL to ensure that agreed upon services are implemented.

MONITORING instrument to determining whether agreed upon special needs are being met as evidenced by student’s progress toward goals.

EVALUATION DEVICE to determining whether the student’s special needs are being met as evidenced by student progress toward goals.

The IEP has three phases.

Implementation

Development

Collaborative Planning

A team is a group of people with many personalities, many skills, and many personal objectives.

Teams come together as a diverse group of individuals with one purpose – to reach a collective goal.

What is a Team?

Coming together is a beginningKeeping together is progress

Working together is success!

- Henry Ford

(B) Individualized education program team

(a) General. The LEA must ensure that the IEP Team for each child with a disability includes- -

1) The parent(s) of the child;2) Not less than one regular education teacher of the

child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment);

3) Not less than one special education teacher, or where appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child;

4) A representative of the local education agency who – i. Is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of,

specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities;

ii. Is knowledgeable about general curriculum; andiii. Is knowledgeable about the availability of resources

of the public agency;

(5) An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, who may be a member of the team described in paragraphs (a)(2) through (a)(6) of this section;

(6) At the discretion of the parent(s) or the LEA, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and

(7) Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability.

Verbatim Text of IDEIA ’04NC 1503-4.2

Team Members Areas of Expertise

PARENT: Expert on the Child’s background, strengths and needs

GENERAL EDUCATOR: Expert on the Standard Course of Study

SPECIAL EDUCATOR: Expert on disability area and specialized instruction

LEA REPRESENTATIVE: Expert on local district resources

EVALUATION TEAM MEMBER: Expert on assessment interpretation

STUDENT: Expert on preferences, interests, and quality of experiences and services received

OTHER INDIVIDUAL(S): Expert(s) regarding the student and/or as

related to area(s) of expertise

Helping to Prepare Students to Participate in their IEPs:

Begin instruction as early as possible.

Be prepared to support students with sensitive issues.

Ensure that students understand what their disability means. Make sure you feel comfortable with the process.

Schedule time for students to develop skills related to IEP participation on a regular basis.

Teach IEP participation skills as a semester course.

Use motivational techniques to interest students.

Communicate with families.

Encouraging Student Participation

Talking to the student rather than about the student.

Maintaining frequent eye contact with the student.

Using questions, probing reminders, and clarifying statements to encourage student input.

Allowing the student sufficient response time to answer questions and provide information.

Refraining from the use of professional jargon.

Looking to the student for confirmation when giving information to the team about him or her.

Methods to Involve Students with Severe Disabilities in the Transition Planning Process

Involve several people that know the student really well, in addition to the parent and the teacher in the transition planning process.

Do an environmental assessment of the student in several environments.

Stay focused on increased independence.

Remember quality of life issues, not just for students but for families, too.

Ensure that all technology needs are met.

Since students with severe/profound disabilities may not be able to effectively self-advocate, their primary caregivers must be trained to assume the role of an advocate.

Family’s Role in Teaming

Families are the most important members of the team.

Families should be given opportunities to express their perspectives, priorities, and goals first.

Meeting language should be friendly.

Families should be empowered.

Family strengths should be emphasized.

Family culture should be the basis of all decisions and recommendations.

Professionals need to treat families as equal partners.

What do Parents Want from Professionals?

Respect and dignity

Information and choices

Practical skills

Support and services

Benefits of Teaming

Collaboration Communication Commitment Efficient use of

Resources Efficient use of

Strengths

Keys to Collaboration

Recognize honorable intentions

Listen

Establish positive communication

Keep home/school consequences separate

Plan meetings at times convenient to parent

Model appropriate behaviors

Offer parent education classes

Aspire to cultural competence

Be honest

Convey Always

10 Characteristics of Effective Teams

1. Open and honest information flows freely.2. Every member actively participates.3. Relationships are trusting, respectful, collaborative, and

supportive. 4. Goals are understood and accepted by all.5. The atmosphere is open, non-threatening, and

noncompetitive.6. Decisions are made by consensus.7. Creativity provides options and is solution oriented.8. The power base is shared by all.9. Conflict is regarded as natural and centers on issues, not

people.10. Motivation is provided by a commitment to the team goals,

a sense of belonging to the team, and the realization that there is more chance for goal achievement through the team.

Potential Barriers to Working Together

Professional attitudes about parents Communication differences Cultural beliefs Parents “not qualified” Unequal balance of power Stigma and isolation Past frustrations

At least two parties are involved. Opposing needs, values, intents, or roles

are perceived. Behavior designed to defeat, reduce, or

suppress in order to win. Attempt to gain a forward position or

power.

Positive Effects Produces the need to search for new

approaches Repressed problems surface and are dealt

with Forces clarification of points of view Often produces better ideas A sign of the need to grow

Negative Effects

Can produce feelings of defeat

May distance individuals from each other

May create distrust, anxiety, and suspicion

May cause some good people to leave

May put focus on narrow issues

May cause resistance

Points to Remember1. All team members have views that are reasonable and

legitimate.

2. All team members should be listened to.

3. Other team members may be just as uncomfortable about conflict as you are.

4. Others are usually willing to accept solutions to conflicts.

5. It is safer and wiser to keep to the issues in a conflict situation and avoid personal arguments.

6. Instead of dwelling on the past (what caused the conflict, etc.) look to the future alternatives as a more constructive place from which to build.

Strategies for Difficult Situations

Anger • Listen actively• Take notes• Ask for clarification• Ask for suggestions/solutions

Excessive Demands• Listen actively• Be sensitive to demands already on the family• Be flexible in scheduling meetings• Gather information about other service sources

that may be of assistance to the family

Lack of Active Parent Involvement

• Keep the door to involvement open

• Continue communication attempts

• Send information about student successes, school events, etc.

• Ask for suggestions of ways to share and receive information other than through meetings

Strategies for Difficult Situations

Privacy – Limit distractions during the meeting

Adequate Meeting Space Size – not too big but not too crowded Ventilation Lighting Temperature

Equipment and Supplies Chalkboard or flip chart available Pens Note paper Copies of forms needed Copies of information to be shared

Content Eliciting critical information Staying on topic Summarizing discussion Summarizing decisionsMember Interactions Ensure participation of all Model supportive behavior Model cooperative behavior Facilitate conflict resolution Facilitate Feedback

Structure Clearly state purpose and agenda Start on time Use problem solving strategies Clarify roles, responsibilities, and ground rules

Questions

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