1. Facilitated Individualized Education Program Process (FIEP)
Karen Allan
Office of Special Education, Director, Compliance
Cheryl Thompson
Office of Special Education, Supervisor, Compliance
Welcome to our session. Today we will be providing information to school district leaders relating to the Facilitated Individualized Education Program process as it is initiated state-wide in Missouri. Your presenters today are Karen Allan, Director of Special Education Compliance and Cheryl Thompson, a special education compliance supervisor. As a note, you may want to have copies of the Facilitated Individualized Education Program brochure and the Request for Facilitated IEP available from the DESE website at as we will be referring to these forms during the session.
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
September 19, 2016

2. Purpose of the Session
Familiarize Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams with the Facilitated Individualized Education Program (FIEP) meeting process including:
Benefits of facilitation
Situations in which facilitation could be useful
Requesting a Facilitated IEP meeting
Roles and Responsibilities of Participants
Cost of Facilitated IEP meeting
Data collected before and after the facilitation
The purpose of our session is to familiarize special education leaders with the process of an IEP Facilitation. We will list the benefits of IEP Facilitation, identify situations in which an IEP facilitation could be practical; access forms to request IEP Facilitation and other print materials; describe the advance preparation needed from parents and schools by the facilitator; discuss the roles and responsibilities of the IEP team members and the facilitator; and discuss results of nation-wide facilitation as well as results of the Missouri Facilitated IEP pilot.

3. Outcomes Know the benefits of an IEP Facilitation
Recognize situations in which an IEP facilitation would be appropriate
Access resources and locate information related to IEP Facilitation for students with disabilities
List the steps to request an IEP Facilitation and where to access forms
After participating in this session, participants will be able to:
Understand how a facilitated IEP can offer the student and school a neutral party to enhance the IEP meeting.
Discuss various settings where a neutral facilitator’s presence might enhance the outcomes of the team meeting.
Access various online and print media related to IEP Facilitation for students with disabilities.
Understand the steps to request an IEP Facilitation, and how to access complete, and submit request forms.
Know where to get answers to any questions related to IEP Facilitation.

4. What is a Facilitated IEP Meeting?
IEP facilitation is a process in which a neutral third party facilitates communication and the successful drafting of the student's IEP. In this voluntary process, student and district representatives must agree to the usage of the neutral facilitator.

5. Purpose of IEP Facilitation – Prevent and Reduce Conflict
Facilitation supports IEP team to:
Build and improve strong relationships among team members;
Reach true consensus;
Focus the IEP content and process on needs of the student;
Exercise an efficient, guided process where effective communication and reflective listening are practices.
Include discussion to include information on preventing and reducing conflict and the shared responsibility issues.

6. What does a Facilitated IEP Meeting Look Like?

7. The Benefits of IEP Facilitation are:
Costs less than more formal proceedings such as due process hearings.
Insures the IEP meeting is focused on the student.
Models effective communication and listening.
Clarifies points of agreement and disagreement.
Provides opportunities for team members to reach consensus if disagreements arise.
Encourages participants to identify new options to address unresolved problems.
Is typically less stressful than formal proceedings.
Supports follow through and follow-up as responsibilities are discussed and planned.
Supports all parties in participating fully.
Builds and improves relationships between parents and schools.

8. Prevention Strategies used in IEP Facilitation
Process Agreements
Process Suggestions
Group Education
Judgment Reservation
Communication Skills
Discuss definitions of each.

9. Visual Tools used in IEP Facilitation
Agendas
Group Norms
Outcomes
Group Memory
Action Plan
Parking Lot
Post flip charts on walls.

10. Roles and Responsibilities of IEP Meeting Participants
Student Parent Special Education Teacher General Education Teacher LEA Representative Neutral Facilitator
To bring information about themselves To be the child’s voice and bring information about the child’s strengths and challenges To provide data in relation to the student’s educational plan To provide information related to the general education curriculum and state standards To answer district wide questions and allocate resources To assist the team in moving the group through the IEP process

11. The Role of the Neutral IEP Meeting Facilitator
An IEP facilitator focuses on guiding the meeting process and supporting all parties’ full participation. The neutral facilitator is not a member of the IEP team or an advocate for any person on the team. The neutral facilitator does not make decisions for the group. The neutral facilitator keeps the IEP team on task, clarifies points of agreement and disagreement, encourages team members to consider alternative solutions and keeps the meeting focused on the needs of the student.

12. FIEP on the DESE Website
Let’s start with resources. It is important to know where you can find and obtain information related to transfer procedures for students with disabilities when you have questions. We will now take a few minutes to explore your resources.

13. On the DESE.mo.gov home page, click on Department

17. Add video or role play.

18. The FIEP Meeting Request Process
IEP Meeting Facilitation is a service offered at no cost to districts and parents of student with disabilities. A parent or a district representative may initiate the request, with both agreeing to participate in the process. The request form and additional information can be found at
education-program-fiep
For more information or to request an IEP Meeting Facilitation, please contact Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Special Education
Phone: Fax:
Mail: MO Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO

20. Facilitated IEP Meeting Regions
1/6/2011
Facilitated IEP Meeting Regions
Region facilitators
Region facilitators
Region facilitators
Region facilitators
Region facilitators
Region facilitators
Region facilitators
Region facilitators
Region facilitators

21. Measuring Successes and Identifying Areas for Improvement
Facilitator, Participant, Parents, Teachers, Reporting Forms use a Likert scale, entered in database
Comments recorded in Word

22. Missouri FIEP Pilot Data

23. Anecdotal Comments
“I didn’t know the student because he won’t be in my building until next year, but I feel like your involvement in the meeting allowed it to move forward much more successfully than it would have had you not been there.”
“Facilitator was extremely knowledgeable and established a "best practice model" for how we should conduct IEP meetings from now on. We were able to debrief at the end of the meeting and create a plan for how we could go forward from here.” 
“We received really good feedback from the parent, who was impressed with the meeting and commented that she wished all of her previous IEP meetings could've been like this.”   
“As a principal trying to improve our processes,  the FIEP model helped me know how to prepare/plan for the future IEPs. Our students will benefit the process. I'm excited about where we're headed now, we will be so much better for the knowledge we've gained from all of you!!”

24. Frequently Asked Questions?
How much does it cost?
How many facilitators are there?
How much notice is needed?
Can parents or districts refuse the request?
Are dispute resolution options eliminated?
Who leads the meeting?

25. Questions

26. Thank you for joining us!
1/6/2011
Thank you for joining us!
Thank you for participating in our webinar today. We hope that the information presented has helped to provide guidance and clarification on the IEP Meeting Facilitation process for students with disabilities here in Missouri. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions, comments or concerns regarding special education. Each of us play an important role in making a difference in the lives of students. Remember, the IEP Meeting Facilitation Process can be a useful tool in assisting IEP teams in reaching consensus and focusing on student needs.
Karen Allan, Director Special Education Compliance
Cheryl Thompson, Supervisor Special Education Compliance
Facilitated IEP Information or individualized-education-program-fiep