The Wrightslaw Way

When parents build an effective team with the school, what does it look like? What happens at IEP meetings when staff and parents come together to develop an effective plan for a child with disabilities? It is basically the same set of people.  What is different about an effective team? 1.   Parents will get more […]

I am having difficulty finding who is required to attend the initial Evaluation Team Report (ETR) meeting to determine eligibility.  Are special education teachers required to attend or is it just “best practice” to invite one? There is no federal “list” of required people who attend eligibility meetings. Under Determination of Eligibility and Educational Need”  […]

Sometimes the best way to approach an IEP team is through the heart. One of our readers, Nan, offered some interesting ideas about how to approach the IEP team to help them better understand your child. Appeal to IEP team members’ better instincts by presenting persuasive evidence. Can you invite the IEP team to your […]

The IEP team, including the parents, agreed that a student would receive homebased instruction for  part of the day for instruction in academic  subjects.  He would attend vocational courses at the school the rest of the day.  The school division superintendent decided to override the IEP team placement. Can he do that? The Individuals with […]

When it comes to special education, Becky McGee and her 19-year-old son, Kyle, feel as if they’ve seen it all. Ms. McGee hopes her hard-won lessons might benefit other parents. Kyle was born with orthopedic and neurological problems. In elementary school he was found to have several learning disabilities that included severe dyslexia and attention-deficit […]

It’s IEP Season! Are you toting the right stuff to IEP meetings? When you take The Wright Tote to your next IEP meeting, you’ll know the power of getting organized! Check out our three new tote options in the Advocate’s Store. See all advocacy supplies and accessories in the Advocate’s Store Special Introductory Offer is […]

I’m a special education teacher. At a meeting today, our sped director told us that “parents are not a part of the IEP Team.” The director indicated that implementing an IEP requires the parents’ consent although they are not members of the IEP team. Can you clarify this? Parents are and always have been members […]