AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR:

• Call or email and introduce yourself to your child's teachers to establish good communication and a good relationship with them.

BEFORE THE ARD/IEP MEETING:

• NEVER request an ARD/IEP meeting over the phone. The request MUST be in writing.

• Take note of anything you've noticed about your child's academics.

• Take note of anything you've noticed about your child's functionality. 

  • • E.g., The ability to hold a pencil, social skills, being able to count change, etc.

• Request any new additions to your child's school records.

• Request copies of any evaluation reports completed before the meeting.

• Take note of any of your child's new behaviors (both positive and negative) and any new concerns you have.

  • • Collect all new medical documents regarding these behaviors, if any.

• Talk to your child's teacher, coordinator, or special education teacher about any new concerns you have.

• Prepare to ask the ARD/IEP committee at the beginning of the meeting to remember to provide positive feedback regarding your child.

Write EVERYTHING down and bring these notes to the ARD meeting. It is easy to get overwhelmed and forget what you want to bring up, so writing these things down beforehand can be a helpful tool.

• Each school district has different ARD/IEP meeting requirements, so be sure to do some research into your specific school district.

• An ARD/IEP committee meeting is typically divided into three parts:

  • 1. Review of the student's current educational situation

  • 2. Student goal discussion

  • 3. Creation or editing/revision of the IEP

• Here are a few things to be aware of:

• • • You and your child have legal protections during the IEP process under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), called the Procedural Safeguards. Learn more about the Procedural Safeguards here.

• • • The committee will decide if your child has an educational need that lets them get special education and related/instructional services, if appropriate.

• • • You may ask questions at any time during the ARD meeting. There are no dumb questions and you have the right to know and be informed of exactly what is being discussed regarding your child. You may also ask for copies and notes of reports from the professionals in the room.

• • • The committee will look at your child's latest measures of academic performance, including statewide testing, like the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) and others.

• • • The committee will look at your child's level of functioning and performance in the classroom. 

• • • The committee will decide what type of special education services your child will need, including accommodations, modifications, and educational placement.

• • • At the end of the meeting, you should be clear about the goals being recommended for every part of your child's school day. If you are not, ask for further explanation.

• • • When the ARD/IEP meeting is done, and the IEP is created, it will be passed around for everyone to sign. If you agree and are comfortable with the IEP, you can sign that you agree. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN AN IEP IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH IT. You have the option to sign it and write down what areas you disagree with on the document. You can also ask for another meeting to further discuss the areas where you disagree.

• • • You can ask for a new meeting at any time.

• There are ARD Assurances that must be read to the parent at the end of each meeting. These contain some technical/legal terms and can be overwhelming. The assurances differ slightly by each district, but will look similar to the following:

  • •  "The ARD committee assures that removal of students with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily."

    • "The ARD committee assures that each student with a disability participates in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities including meals, and recess periods, with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the student."

    • "The ARD committee assures that, to the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities, including students in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with students who are nondisabled." 

• Facilitated IEP

  • • If parents and educators cannot reach an agreement on any part of the IEP, then you may consider a facilitated ARD committee meeting. A facilitated ARD/IEP committee meeting includes having a person trained in getting people to reach an agreement to come in to help with the ARD/IEP meeting. You can ask for an independent ARD facilitator from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to help you come to an agreement.

    • If you still cannot come to an agreement, you may decide to request mediation. This is where another person with expertise comes in and tries to settle the disagreement.   

• Transition and ARDs

  • • In Texas, when your child turns 14, their ARD/IEP meetings start to include a focus on the transition to adulthood. Your child might be invited to the meeting and may even lead it at times. The school is obligated to ensure that the child's interests and preferences are considered.