Starting the IEP Process
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Educating parents on commonly used jargon and acronyms -
What questions to ask and data to collect -
What information to include in letters to the school -
How to formally initiate the IEP evaluation process -
Including timelines for moving forward -
Helpful resources and information on parent and student rights, known as Procedural Safeguards -
Common pitfalls to avoid
Document Review
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The IEP or 504 document -
IEP report card -
Work samples from class -
School based evaluation reports -
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) reports -
Communication between school and parents
Prep for IEP or 504 Meetings
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Prep for initial or annual IEP and 504 meetings, triennial domain and team meetings, and all informal team meetings -
Guidance on what information and data to request ahead of the meeting -
Information on appropriate timelines for receiving documents -
Working with parents to clarify what they believe is needed for their child to continue to make progress -
Help parents identify their primary concerns -
Help develop language to best convey parent’s perspective to school teams
IEP Meeting Attendance
Bringing an advocate to an IEP meeting ensures that families have a trusted third party whose priority is the family and child's needs. In addition to the services describe in document review and meeting prep above, IEP meeting attendance might include:
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Recording notes and observations throughout the meeting -
Pausing meeting to check for understanding and clarity - Help convey to the team what supports parents believe their child needs in order to make progress
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Explain to parents how Least Restrictive Environment requirement applies to their child's case -
Ask for and review baseline data -
Provide input on goals with a focus on SMART goals that are appropriate and appropriately challenging -
Post-meeting download to reflect on meeting and plan next steps -
Educate and coach parents pre- and post- meeting, helping parents gain confidence in their own advocacy skills
Behavioral Management Consultation
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Review relevant documents -
Help understand when a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is appropriate -
Provide input into the resulting Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) -
Classroom observations -
Work with parents and school team to identify appropriate behavior supports and suggest adjustments based on data
Free Consultation
C Squared offers a free consultation up to 30 minutes to learn more about each family's individual needs and explore how C Squared can best support them. Send a message using our contact form or call (773) 649-6022 to schedule a consult