1. Effective IEP Team Meetings
Prepared and Presented by:
Michelle Hamm
Diane Davis
Melissa McFatter
Teresa Smith
Rhonda Wiggins
January 2014
Michelle

2. Purposes of the IEP
COMMUNICATION vehicle between parents and school personnel.
Equal participants in deciding:
Student’s needs
Services to be provided
Anticipated outcome
An opportunity for resolving differences and coming to MUTUAL AGREEMENT.
Written COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES necessary to provide special education and related services.
Michelle

3. Purposes of the IEP cont.,
MANAGEMENT TOOL to ensure that agreed upon services are implemented.
MONITORING instrument to determining whether agreed upon special needs are being met as evidenced by student’s progress toward goals.
EVALUATION DEVICE to determining whether the student’s special needs are being met as evidenced by student progress toward goals.
Michelle

4. Collaborative Planning
Development
Implementation
Michelle
Collaborative Planning

5. What is a Team?
A team is a group of people with many personalities, many skills, and many personal objectives.
Teams come together as a diverse group of individuals with one purpose – to reach a collective goal.
Michelle

6. Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress
Coming together is a beginning Keeping together is progress Working together is success! Henry Ford
Michelle

7. (B) Individualized education program team
(a) General. The LEA must ensure that the IEP Team for each child with a disability includes- -
The parent(s) of the child;
Not less than one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment);
Not less than one special education teacher, or where appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child;
A representative of the local education agency who –
Is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities;
Is knowledgeable about general curriculum; and
Is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency;
Diane

8. (7) Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability.
(5) An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, who may be a member of the team described in paragraphs (a)(2) through (a)(6) of this section;
(6) At the discretion of the parent(s) or the LEA, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and
(7) Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability.
Verbatim Text of IDEIA ’04 NC
Diane

9. Team Members Areas of Expertise
PARENT: Expert on the Child’s background, strengths and needs
GENERAL EDUCATOR: Expert on the Standard Course of Study
SPECIAL EDUCATOR: Expert on disability area and specialized instruction
LEA REPRESENTATIVE: Expert on local district resources
EVALUATION TEAM MEMBER: Expert on assessment interpretation
STUDENT: Expert on preferences, interests, and quality of experiences and services received
OTHER INDIVIDUAL(S): Expert(s) regarding the student and/or as related to area(s) of expertise
Diane

10. Helping to Prepare Students to Participate in their IEPs:
Begin instruction as early as possible.
Be prepared to support students with sensitive issues.
Ensure that students understand what their disability means. Make sure you feel comfortable with the process.
Schedule time for students to develop skills related to IEP participation on a regular basis.
Teach IEP participation skills as a semester course.
Use motivational techniques to interest students.
Communicate with families.
Teresa

11. Encouraging Student Participation
Talking to the student rather than about the student.
Maintaining frequent eye contact with the student.
Using questions, probing reminders, and clarifying statements to encourage student input.
Allowing the student sufficient response time to answer questions and provide information.
Refraining from the use of professional jargon.
Looking to the student for confirmation when giving information to the team about him or her.
Teresa

12. Methods to Involve Students with Severe Disabilities in the Transition Planning Process
Involve several people that know the student really well, in addition to the parent and the teacher in the transition planning process.
Do an environmental assessment of the student in several environments.
Stay focused on increased independence.
Remember quality of life issues, not just for students but for families, too.
Ensure that all technology needs are met.
Since students with severe/profound disabilities may not be able to effectively self-advocate, their primary caregivers must be trained to assume the role of an advocate.
Teresa

13. Family’s Role in Teaming
Families are the most important members of the team.
Families should be given opportunities to express their perspectives, priorities, and goals first.
Meeting language should be friendly.
Families should be empowered.
Family strengths should be emphasized.
Family culture should be the basis of all decisions and recommendations.
Professionals need to treat families as equal partners.
Rhonda

14. What do Parents Want from Professionals?
Respect and dignity
Information and choices
Practical skills
Support and services
Rhonda

15. Benefits of Teaming Collaboration Communication Commitment
Efficient use of Resources
Efficient use of Strengths
Diane

16. Keys to Collaboration Recognize honorable intentions Listen
Establish positive communication
Keep home/school consequences separate
Plan meetings at times convenient to parent
Model appropriate behaviors
Offer parent education classes
Aspire to cultural competence
Be honest
Convey Always
Diane

17. 10 Characteristics of Effective Teams
Open and honest information flows freely.
Every member actively participates.
Relationships are trusting, respectful, collaborative, and supportive.
Goals are understood and accepted by all.
The atmosphere is open, non-threatening, and noncompetitive.
Decisions are made by consensus.
Creativity provides options and is solution oriented.
The power base is shared by all.
Conflict is regarded as natural and centers on issues, not people.
Motivation is provided by a commitment to the team goals, a sense of belonging to the team, and the realization that there is more chance for goal achievement through the team.
Diane

18. Potential Barriers to Working Together
Professional attitudes about parents
Communication differences
Cultural beliefs
Parents “not qualified”
Unequal balance of power
Stigma and isolation
Past frustrations
Missy

19. CONFLICT At least two parties are involved.
Opposing needs, values, intents, or roles are perceived.
Behavior designed to defeat, reduce, or suppress in order to win.
Attempt to gain a forward position or power.
Missy

20. Effects of Conflict Positive Effects
Produces the need to search for new approaches
Repressed problems surface and are dealt with
Forces clarification of points of view
Often produces better ideas
A sign of the need to grow
Missy

21. Can produce feelings of defeat
Negative Effects
Can produce feelings of defeat
May distance individuals from each other
May create distrust, anxiety, and suspicion
May cause some good people to leave
May put focus on narrow issues
May cause resistance
Missy

22. Dealing with Conflict in a Team
Points to Remember
All team members have views that are reasonable and legitimate.
All team members should be listened to.
Other team members may be just as uncomfortable about conflict as you are.
Others are usually willing to accept solutions to conflicts.
It is safer and wiser to keep to the issues in a conflict situation and avoid personal arguments.
Instead of dwelling on the past (what caused the conflict, etc.) look to the future alternatives as a more constructive place from which to build.
Missy

23. Strategies for Difficult Situations
Anger
Listen actively
Take notes
Ask for clarification
Ask for suggestions/solutions
Excessive Demands
Be sensitive to demands already on the family
Be flexible in scheduling meetings
Gather information about other service sources that may be of assistance to the family
Rhonda

24. Strategies for Difficult Situations
Lack of Active Parent Involvement
Keep the door to involvement open
Continue communication attempts
Send information about student successes, school events, etc.
Ask for suggestions of ways to share and receive information other than through meetings
Rhonda

25. Environment for Effective Meetings
Privacy – Limit distractions during the meeting
Adequate Meeting Space
Size – not too big but not too crowded
Ventilation
Lighting
Temperature
Equipment and Supplies
Chalkboard or flip chart available
Pens
Note paper
Copies of forms needed
Copies of information to be shared
Cindy

26. Effective Meetings Content Eliciting critical information
Staying on topic
Summarizing discussion
Summarizing decisions
Member Interactions
Ensure participation of all
Model supportive behavior
Model cooperative behavior
Facilitate conflict resolution
Facilitate Feedback
Cindy

27. Effective Meetings Structure Clearly state purpose and agenda
Start on time
Use problem solving strategies
Clarify roles, responsibilities, and ground rules
Cindy

28. Questions ?????