Resource: What to do if a parent/guardian asks for their child to have an IEP

1. Communicate with the parent/guardian what an IEP is and the process for evaluating students for special education. 

Feel free to use this script: 

"Thanks so much for your inquiry into a special education evaluation. If you can help me understand the concerns you have for your student, I might be able to suggest additional resources and/or interventions we have available that are less restrictive than a referral for a special education evaluation."

2. Explain what (if any) pre-referral interventions have been implemented and what progress monitoring data shows about the students’ growth in the targeted skill areas. If no pre-referral interventions have yet been implemented, determine if any interventions would be a good fit for the student.

3. If you have heard the parent's concerns and they are still determined that the student needs a special education evaluation, you could then follow up with this response. "If you strongly feel that a special education evaluation is needed for your student, I can take your contact information and forward it to our Director of Special Services or Special Education Supervisors and they will be in contact with you." 

4. If a parent or guardian has requested an IEP specifically and this information has been communicated to the family, share the intervention plan with the school psychologist within a few weeks so that the school psychologist can provide the family with Prior Written Notice (PWN)

If there are questions about this process or if you would like more support with matching students to intervention services, please contact the MTSS Specialist (Maddy Wieneke - mwieneke@isd200.org)