Effective IEP Team Meetings

1
Effective IEP Team Meetings

• Exceptional Children Division
• NC Department of Public Instruction

2
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.

3
Effective IEP Team Meetings

• Provide all IEP team members evaluation
  results in advance so they can review them.

4
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.).

5
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.

6
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.).

7
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).

8
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.

9
Effective IEP Team Meetings

• Restate the outcome at the end of the meeting for
  clarity and any necessary corrections.
• Check for parents understanding throughout the
  meeting.
• Develop an action plan for
• who is doing what when.

10
Effective IEP Team Meetings

• End the meeting on a positive note thank
  participants for their time and contributions.

11
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
12
Position v. Interests

• Position

Values
Needs
Relationships
Feelings
Interests
13
Consultants for Dispute Resolution

• Kate Neale, 919.807.3979 or
• kate.neale_at_dpi.nc.gov
• Lynn Smith, 919.807.3978 or lynn.smith_at_dpi.nc.gov
• Pollye Pruitt, 919.807.4024 or pollye.pruitt_at_dpi.n
  c.gov
• Gay Lytton, 919.807.4059 or gay.lytton_at_dpi.nc.gov
• http//ec.ncpublicschools.gov/parent-resources/dis
  pute-resolution