Preparing for IEP Meetings

Preparing for IEP Meetings l Miss Rae's Room Special Education Teaching Blog

Going to your first IEP meeting can instantly make those butterflies emerge in your stomach.  

And I’m going to be honest.  Those butterflies can come back sometimes, no matter how many years you have under your belt.

But that’s okay!  There is nothing wrong with a few butterflies!  They are just reminders that should excite you to go dazzle families and co-workers with your amazing Special Educator self!

So how do you do that exactly?

You fake it til you make it! But know your stuff and have the data!

Data collection is one of the most critical skills a Special Education teacher can possess.  

You MUST progress monitor your students throughout the year, assessing progress towards their annual goals.  If you do not collect the data, the rest of this is meaningless to you...

IEP Data Collectiong Progress Monitoring Forms l Miss Rae's Room l Special Education Center

IEP Data Collectiong Progress Monitoring Forms l Miss Rae's Room l Special Education Center

Progress monitoring data (evidence) is what you will need to complete the IEP and support assertions towards current performance.  So, if you state that a student is able to read 200 high frequency words, your progress monitoring data should support this statement.  Student work samples can also support evidence.

Be confident in how you present yourself!  You can confidently make statements because the data has your back.  

Now, you are ready!  Here’s what you will need to bring with you:

• IEP Binder​
• Documentation of Student Progress
  • IEP Goal Tracker(s)
  • Progress Reports
  • Report Cards
  • Testing Reports
  • Progress Monitoring Data
  • Performance Logs
    • Behavioral
    • Social Emotional
    • Academic
      
• Student Work Samples (illustrating progress)
• Attendance Records
• Accommodation Logs
• Home/School Communication Log
• Current IEP
• Draft IEP
  
• List of Questions
• Notepad/Laptop for Notes
• Water
• A Collaborative Mindset!

And remember…

You are qualified to do this job!  You are a great teacher! You have the data to support you!  

Breathe.  You got this.

~ By Miss Rae

Preparing for IEP Meetings l Miss Rae's Room l Special Education Center

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