MID-YEAR IEP CHECK UP: 7 HELPFUL STEPS
The second marking period is over around the end of January; which means your child has two quarters of the year under their belts. Ensure the school sends home an IEP progress report and report card. School calendars should say when they go out. Then:
STEP 1: COMPARE 1ST QUARTER PROGRESS REPORT WITH 2ND QUARTER. Make sure the data is measurable. It should measure the same things in the same way from quarter to quarter. If not, ask the school to provide data in the same manner so you can measure progress over time.
STEP 2: DOES THE GRADE REPORT SHOW YOUR CHILD IS MEETING CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS? A grade report measures how well your child is doing on grade level standards. If they are not meeting those standards or they are doing worse in any area, including behavior, then you may want to call a meeting to address areas of weakness.
STEP 3: FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS AND USE COMMON SENSE! There is no rule on how much progress should be made each quarter. The question is, does the data suggest that your child will achieve the goal and objectives before the IEP expires?
STEP 4: OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. Look at your district and state standards and see what expectations are for each grade. In Maryland, you can go to https://mdk12.msde.maryland.gov/INSTRUCTION/StandardsandFrameworks/Pages/index.aspx
STEP 5: CALL A MEETING: If you conclude that there has not been sufficient progress, call an IEP meeting to discuss what changes are needed. If the IEP report says, “Not making sufficient progress to meet the goal,” the school is obligated to hold an IEP meeting.
STEP 6: PREPARE FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR NOW. If you think your child may need a change in services or placement, the school (or you) may need to do additional assessments and the school has 90 days to do that. It’s also harder to conduct good assessments over the summer.
- Most school systems will have a list of the programs available in the public schools. Your state dep’t of ed will have a list of nonpublic special ed schools. Go to the schools’ websites and, if possible, visit different programs and schools. Look on your state websites https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DEE/NPSA/13A-09-09.aspx or industry groups such as https://mansef.org/locate-a-school.phpome. Remember, those nonpublic schools require applications and can fill up!
STEP 7: DON’T GO IT ALONE– What your doing is hard, but others have done it before you. Seek out assistance from other families, groups, and professionals. Consider attending the annual COPAA Conference March 4-8, 2020 to learn, face-to-face, effective strategies. https://www.copaa.org/page/2020Conference