Who Participates In An IEP

Who Participates In An IEP?

The school must make sure that the following people attend the IEP meeting:

a representative of the school district, other than the child’s teacher, who is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of special education;
the child’s teacher;
one or both of the child’s parents;
the child, where appropriate; and
other individuals at the discretion of the parent or agency. (The school must tell the parents who is attending the IEP meeting for the school. The parents do not need to tell the school who is attending the meeting with them.)
For a child with a disability who has been evaluated for the first time, the school district shall ensure a person is present at the meeting who is knowledgeable about the evaluation procedures used with the child and is familiar with the results of the evaluation.

Parents At The IEP Meeting:

School districts must take steps to ensure or at least offer parent participation at the IEP meeting. The district must notify parents in writing of the meeting early enough that they have the opportunity to attend. The district must also schedule the meeting at a mutually agreed upon time and place. The school’s notice must be written in a language the parent understands and must indicate the purpose, time and location of the meeting, and who will be in attendance. If the parent is unable to attend, the school must offer other options to allow for parent participation, such as conference or individual phone calls. If the parent requests an interpreter, the school must provide one at no charge to the parent.

An IEP meeting can take place without the parent if the parent is unable or unwilling to attend, but the school must have a detailed record of all correspondence, telephone calls and visits made to home or employment and the results of those attempts to contact the parents.

The school may select an appropriate surrogate parent, someone who would act as a parent, if no parent can be identified, no parent can be located, or if the student is a ward of the state.

Version 10-3-01