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How to Have a Successful IEP Meeting: Before, During & After

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Before the Meeting:

Before your child’s IEP meeting, it’s helpful to take a little time to prepare. This video will help you feel more confident and ready to participate. Always remember: You are an important member of the IEP team!

💡 Tips to Prepare:

-Write down any questions/concerns you may have.

-Need an interpreter? Ask ahead of time.

-Bring someone with you for support (family member, advocate).

During the Meeting:

During the IEP meeting, the team will talk about your child’s strengths, needs, and how they are doing in school. Together, you will review goals, services, and any supports your child may need. This is your chance to ask questions and help make decisions about your child’s education.

💬 Helpful Reminders:

-It is OK to say, "I don't understand, can you explain that again?"

-You can take notes, ask for breaks, or ask to reschedule if needed.

-You do not have to agree to everything on the spot.

-You can request for changes to the IEP (You do not have to wait a full year to make changes).

After the Meeting:

Once the IEP meeting is over, your participation is still important. This is the time to review what was decided and follow up if you have questions or concerns.

📌 What to Do After the Meeting:

-Review the final copy when it is sent home; make sure everything you discussed is included.

-Keep a copy of the IEP in a safe place for your records.

-Talk to your child about the supports he/she/they will be receiving.

📞Who do you contact if you have questions?

-The case manager (listed on the IEP)

-Your child's special education teacher

-The school psychologist or social worker

Remember: You are an equal part of the IEP team! Your voice matters even after the meeting ends! ❤️

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As a parent/guardian, you have the right to...

Participate in ALL IEP meetings

Receive IEP documents in your preferred language

Ask questions/request clarification

Bring someone with you (advocate, family, friend)

Request changes or an IEP meeting at any time

Receive written notice if the school wants to make changes or refuses something you’ve asked for.

Your child has the right to...

A Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that meets their unique needs.

Learn in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) with their peers as much as possible

Get supports and services listed in the IEP

Be included in the IEP process (especially in high school for transition planning)

Have their progress monitored and reported regularly

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It is important to request an interpreter ahead of time. Need help?

Call the case manager, special education teacher, or the main office, and state the following...

🗣️ "I would like to request an interpreter for the upcoming IEP meeting for my child, [Child’s Name]. Please confirm that an interpreter will be available."

Email the case manager, special education teacher, or the main office. Below is a template you can follow:

"📧Subject: Request for Interpreter at IEP Meeting

Dear [Teacher’s or Case Manager’s Name],

I am writing to request an interpreter for my child’s upcoming IEP meeting.
Please confirm that an interpreter will be available.
Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
[Parent’s Full Name]
[Child’s Full Name]
[Date of Meeting, if known]"

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Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD – Chicago) helps Chicago families understand IEP rights and get support through free workshops and guidance.

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Providing Parents of Children with Disabilities with Information, Training, and Assistance

Main menu

Family Resource Center on Disabilities

11 E. Adams St. Suite 1002
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: 312-939-3513
Fax: 312-854-8980
Email: info@frcd.org

Date: Sat, August 14 2021
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: WEBINAR (Link to actual webinar will be emailed to you.)

Preparing your child to transition to adulthood can be a daunting task. This webinar will focus on the initial steps ... Continue reading

Date: Tue, August 17 2021
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00PM
Location: Webinar: Link will be emailed to you.

This training is an overview of IDEA (Individual with Disabilities Education Act) which is the law that protects the rights ... Continue reading

Date: Wed, August 18 2021
Time: 6 PM-8 PM
Location: Webinar (Link will be emailed to you.)

Abogacía Eficaz Estas cansado de dar vueltas al rededor de una sopa de alfabeto y siglas y no estas suguro ... Continue reading

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Providing Parents of Children with Disabilities with Information, Training, and Assistance Main menu Family Resource Center on Disabilities 11 E. Adams St. Suite 1002 Chicago, IL 60603 Phone: 312-939-3513 Fax: 312-854-8980 Email: info@frcd.org Date: Sat, August 14 2021 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location: WEBINAR (Link to actual webinar will be emailed to you.)

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Social Security Benefits (SSI) for Children with Disabilities provides monthly financial help to families of children with qualifying disabilities.

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We provide free interpreter services to help you conduct your Social Security business, including helping you complete the SSI application and answering your questions. NOTE: the Child Disability Report is only available in English.

Call our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. If you need service in Spanish, press 7 and wait for a Spanish-speaking representative to help you. For all other languages, stay on the line and remain silent during our English voice automation prompts until a representative answers. The representative will contact an interpreter to help with your call. You may access the information on this page in Spanish.

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Apply For A Child (Under Age 18) | Disability Benefits | SSA

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This page explains how to apply for disability benefits for a child.

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Chicago Public Schools Diverse Learner Services (CPS) offers information about special education services and support in Chicago Public Schools.

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Special Education | Chicago Public Schools

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ISBE Special Education Resources for Parents explains Illinois parents’ rights and provides guides for navigating special education.

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Content

All parents can positively impact their children's learning and healthy development, and when families, schools and communities partner together, schools thrive and students benefit. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to navigate the educational system and know how to best work with district and school personnel. Often times, parents of students with disabilities face additional challenges. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has developed some web pages and resources specifically for parents of students with disabilities.

A good starting place for parents of students with disabilities

A Parent's Guide - Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois.
This document is available in English and Spanish. The appendices also include quick references, a glossary of terms, and sample letters.

The Illinois Student Records Keeper: For Parents of Students Who Receive Special Education Services .​
This booklet is for parents to use to keep important information about their child and his/her special education and related services. It is a companion to A Parent's Guide - Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois.​​​​​​​

Records play an important role as you plan your child's education. Dates, people, meetings and reports are important throughout your child's educational career. The records keeper was developed to assist parents in preparing for Individualized Education Program (IEP) and transition meetings; getting ready for evaluations and reevaluations; and keeping track of paperwork and other materials.

This booklet cross-references the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) publication, A Parent's Guide - Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois. At the bottom of each page, locate the page number(s) that references a section or pages in the guide. The guide offers information to increase your knowledge and understanding about the topic or issue.​

Need Additional Information or Support?

If you have a child with a disability, you may decide to hire a paraprofessional or a "lay advocate" to assist you in ensuring that your child's educational needs are met. These advocates, who are not attorneys, may be able to assist with consultation, letter writing, or meetings with schools.

​

For certain circumstances, a parent may prefer to hire an attorney for assistance.

The Community and Residential Services Authority (CRSA) is an interagency group created by the General Assembly in 1985. The CRSA is responsible for identifying and addressing barriers facing parents, professionals, and providers when they try to get needed services and programs for individuals with a behavior disorder or a severe emotional disturbance and their family.

The CRSA staff provide technical assistance to families, service providers, educators, and other professionals to help plan for and implement appropriate, effective services for children with severe emotional disturbances and behavior disorders (SED/BD) in Illinois. A brochure of additional information is presently available in CRSA brochure in English and CRSA brochure in Spanish .

CRSA may be contacted by telephone toll-free at (877) 541-2772 or via the web at crsa.illinois.gov.​​​​

​

Early resolution is an informal means for districts and parents to resolve complaints at the local level. It is not uncommon for disagreements to occur between parents and school districts regarding a child's special education services.

Those disagreements can often be resolved at the local level with open communication between the parties. The process of resolving disagreements at the local level can be a quick alternative to using a state-sponsored dispute resolution system, and can have the added benefit of improving communication between both parties in the future.

If an individual believes that a school district has not complied with the law or that a child's educational rights as been violated, the individual should try to resolve the issues with the local school district, through the following steps:

Communicating directly with the school staff, principal, superintendent, or director of the special education cooperative.

Requesting an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting to discuss the issues with the IEP team.

Utilizing the state-sponsored mediation system to resolve the areas of concern. Additional information about mediation may be found on the mediation page.

Parents seeking guidance on how to resolve disputes at the local level may contact the Special Education Services Department ​of the Illinois State Board of Education at 217/782-5589, or through the agency's toll-free parent line at 866/262-6663 and ask to speak to a consultant

Directors of Special Education

Mediation Services
Illinois' mediation service is designed as a means of resolving disagreements regarding special education services, placement and related services to children enrolled in Illinois public schools.

Complaints
A complaint investigation is a formal process where a person submits a signed, written complaint alleging that the school district has violated one or more of the special education rules and regulations

​Chapter 11: Conflict Resolution​

​Capítulo 11: Resolución de conflictos​

Webinar for Parents: Special Education Dispute Resolution Options
​

​Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) are authorized in Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and are funded by the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Each PTI is mandated to assist parents to:

1. better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and their educational and developmental needs;

2. communicate effectively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention, and related services;

3. participate in decision making processes and the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) under Part B and individualized family service plans under Part C;

4. obtain appropriate information about the range of options, programs, services, and resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families;

5. understand the provision of IDEA for the education of, and the provision of early intervention services to, children with disabilities; and

6. participate in school reform activities.

Illinois is divided into two regions:

Region 1 includes the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will

Family Resource Center on Disabilities
11 E. Adams St. , Suite 1002
Chicago, IL 60603
312-939-3513 voice / 312-939-3519 TTY & TDY
312-939-7297 FAX
800-952-4199 IL only
E​mail: info@frcd.org
Website: www.frcd.org

Region 2 includes the remainder of the state

Family Matters
1901 S. 4th Street, Suite 209
Effingham, IL 62401
217-347-5428 voice
217-347-5119 FAX
866-436-7842 Toll-Free
E​mail: info@fmptic.org or deinhorn@arc-css.org​
Website: www.fmptic.org​​​

​

​Chapter 8: Secondary Transition​

​Capítulo 8: Transición de la secundaria​

Understanding PUNS: A Guide to Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services
The Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, develops and array of supports for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Possible services include in-home supports, respite care, training programs, job coaches, residential living arrangements, adaptive equipment, etc. Funding is limited and prioritized based on need for services. It is critically important for families to register their son/daughter for PUNS (the 'doorway' for these services) well before he/she transitions from school to adult life.

Comprensión de PUNS: una guía para priorizar la urgencia de la necesidad de servicios
La División Discapacidades del Desarrollo del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Illinois proporciona liderazgo para la administración efectiva del diseño y la prestación de los servicios basados en los resultados de calidad, centrados en la persona y apoyos para los que tienen discapacidades del desarrollo. Estos servicios y apoyos se acomodarán a sus necesidades, dones, talentos y fortalezas; serán accesibles, abarcarán toda la vida; estarán basados en una selección informada y serán monitoreados para asegurar el progreso individual, la calidad de vida y seguridad.​

The Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project (ATTA) develops resources that assist individuals with Autism in their transition from secondary education to postsecondary education or employment. The ATTA also seeks to provide training and support to important stakeholders, as they work to provide an equitable experience for individuals with autism. The website and the resources it contains are developed pursuant to and funded 100% through a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. The website is maintained and updated by the Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support.​​​​

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Content All parents can positively impact their children's learning and healthy development, and when families, schools and communities partner together, schools thrive and students benefit. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to navigate the educational system and know how to best work with district and school personnel.

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IDEA Resources for Parents and Families covers federal special education law and parents’ rights under IDEA.

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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Parents and families want the best for their family members. The Parents and Families Resource page brings together U.S. Department of Education-funded centers, department programs, and additional information of interest for parents and families.

Visit the IDEA Statute and Regulations and Policy Support pages for more specific, searchable IDEA law and policy information.

IDEA-Related Centers

The Department's Office of Special Education Programs ( OSEP) supports projects that provide information and technical assistance to families of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

These projects also support families whose children are suspected of having a disability or developmental delay or who may be inappropriately identified as needing special education and related services.

Information and assistance from these OSEP-funded projects are available free of charge. Families can find information about IDEA-specific topics through these centers.

The Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI) provide services in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Pacific entities. PTIs are a rich source of information and training especially for parents, including parents whose primary language is not English or themselves have special training needs.

In addition, Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC) throughout the country serve targeted, underserved communities.

To find the PTI or CPRC that serves your community or to locate additional informational materials for families, visit the Center on Parent Information and Resources.

For additional information about OSEP discretionary grant recipients, visit the Resource Centers' page or view OSEP IDEAs That Work.

IDEA Topic Areas

OSEP, along with other Department offices, Federal agencies, and OSEP discretionary grant recipients, provides numerous IDEA-topic area resources.

For Federal resources for IDEA stakeholders on college- and career-readiness standards, tool kits, topic issues in education, intervention IDEA briefs, and a resource library, visit OSEP IDEAs That Work.

For more specific resources on a variety of IDEA topics, visit the Topic Areas resource page. This resource page includes information and resources from the Department, other Federal agencies, and federally-funded technical assistance centers.

Early Learning

The Department has prioritized early learning in an effort to support our nation's youngest learners. A variety of resources and links to early learning-specific resources can be found on the Department's Early Learning Website.

Military Families

The Military-Connected Children with Disabilities page highlights resources to support states, parents, families, and others to meet the unique needs of military-connected children with disabilities and ensure the timely provision of required early intervention and special education and related services.

Disability Specific Groups

Numerous national, state, and local disability-specific groups exist in support of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

The Department does not endorse particular groups and organizations; however, parents and families are encouraged to contact their Parent Training and Information Center. Parents and families may also find it helpful to connect with research groups and organizations that provide information and support for their child's disability.

Other Resources

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Parents and Families - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Parents and families want the best for their family members. The Parents and Families Resource page brings together U.S. Department of Education-funded centers, department programs, and additional information of interest for parents and families. Visit the IDEA Statute and Regulations and Policy Support pages for more specific, searchable IDEA law and policy information.

# data[].attributes.body
ISBE Special Education Resources for Parents explains Illinois parents’ rights and provides guides for navigating special education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Content

All parents can positively impact their children's learning and healthy development, and when families, schools and communities partner together, schools thrive and students benefit. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to navigate the educational system and know how to best work with district and school personnel. Often times, parents of students with disabilities face additional challenges. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has developed some web pages and resources specifically for parents of students with disabilities.

A good starting place for parents of students with disabilities

A Parent's Guide - Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois.
This document is available in English and Spanish. The appendices also include quick references, a glossary of terms, and sample letters.

The Illinois Student Records Keeper: For Parents of Students Who Receive Special Education Services .​
This booklet is for parents to use to keep important information about their child and his/her special education and related services. It is a companion to A Parent's Guide - Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois.​​​​​​​

Records play an important role as you plan your child's education. Dates, people, meetings and reports are important throughout your child's educational career. The records keeper was developed to assist parents in preparing for Individualized Education Program (IEP) and transition meetings; getting ready for evaluations and reevaluations; and keeping track of paperwork and other materials.

This booklet cross-references the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) publication, A Parent's Guide - Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois. At the bottom of each page, locate the page number(s) that references a section or pages in the guide. The guide offers information to increase your knowledge and understanding about the topic or issue.​

Need Additional Information or Support?

If you have a child with a disability, you may decide to hire a paraprofessional or a "lay advocate" to assist you in ensuring that your child's educational needs are met. These advocates, who are not attorneys, may be able to assist with consultation, letter writing, or meetings with schools.

​

For certain circumstances, a parent may prefer to hire an attorney for assistance.

The Community and Residential Services Authority (CRSA) is an interagency group created by the General Assembly in 1985. The CRSA is responsible for identifying and addressing barriers facing parents, professionals, and providers when they try to get needed services and programs for individuals with a behavior disorder or a severe emotional disturbance and their family.

The CRSA staff provide technical assistance to families, service providers, educators, and other professionals to help plan for and implement appropriate, effective services for children with severe emotional disturbances and behavior disorders (SED/BD) in Illinois. A brochure of additional information is presently available in CRSA brochure in English and CRSA brochure in Spanish .

CRSA may be contacted by telephone toll-free at (877) 541-2772 or via the web at crsa.illinois.gov.​​​​

​

Early resolution is an informal means for districts and parents to resolve complaints at the local level. It is not uncommon for disagreements to occur between parents and school districts regarding a child's special education services.

Those disagreements can often be resolved at the local level with open communication between the parties. The process of resolving disagreements at the local level can be a quick alternative to using a state-sponsored dispute resolution system, and can have the added benefit of improving communication between both parties in the future.

If an individual believes that a school district has not complied with the law or that a child's educational rights as been violated, the individual should try to resolve the issues with the local school district, through the following steps:

Communicating directly with the school staff, principal, superintendent, or director of the special education cooperative.

Requesting an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting to discuss the issues with the IEP team.

Utilizing the state-sponsored mediation system to resolve the areas of concern. Additional information about mediation may be found on the mediation page.

Parents seeking guidance on how to resolve disputes at the local level may contact the Special Education Services Department ​of the Illinois State Board of Education at 217/782-5589, or through the agency's toll-free parent line at 866/262-6663 and ask to speak to a consultant

Directors of Special Education

Mediation Services
Illinois' mediation service is designed as a means of resolving disagreements regarding special education services, placement and related services to children enrolled in Illinois public schools.

Complaints
A complaint investigation is a formal process where a person submits a signed, written complaint alleging that the school district has violated one or more of the special education rules and regulations

​Chapter 11: Conflict Resolution​

​Capítulo 11: Resolución de conflictos​

Webinar for Parents: Special Education Dispute Resolution Options
​

​Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) are authorized in Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and are funded by the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Each PTI is mandated to assist parents to:

1. better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and their educational and developmental needs;

2. communicate effectively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention, and related services;

3. participate in decision making processes and the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) under Part B and individualized family service plans under Part C;

4. obtain appropriate information about the range of options, programs, services, and resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families;

5. understand the provision of IDEA for the education of, and the provision of early intervention services to, children with disabilities; and

6. participate in school reform activities.

Illinois is divided into two regions:

Region 1 includes the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will

Family Resource Center on Disabilities
11 E. Adams St. , Suite 1002
Chicago, IL 60603
312-939-3513 voice / 312-939-3519 TTY & TDY
312-939-7297 FAX
800-952-4199 IL only
E​mail: info@frcd.org
Website: www.frcd.org

Region 2 includes the remainder of the state

Family Matters
1901 S. 4th Street, Suite 209
Effingham, IL 62401
217-347-5428 voice
217-347-5119 FAX
866-436-7842 Toll-Free
E​mail: info@fmptic.org or deinhorn@arc-css.org​
Website: www.fmptic.org​​​

​

​Chapter 8: Secondary Transition​

​Capítulo 8: Transición de la secundaria​

Understanding PUNS: A Guide to Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services
The Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, develops and array of supports for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Possible services include in-home supports, respite care, training programs, job coaches, residential living arrangements, adaptive equipment, etc. Funding is limited and prioritized based on need for services. It is critically important for families to register their son/daughter for PUNS (the 'doorway' for these services) well before he/she transitions from school to adult life.

Comprensión de PUNS: una guía para priorizar la urgencia de la necesidad de servicios
La División Discapacidades del Desarrollo del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Illinois proporciona liderazgo para la administración efectiva del diseño y la prestación de los servicios basados en los resultados de calidad, centrados en la persona y apoyos para los que tienen discapacidades del desarrollo. Estos servicios y apoyos se acomodarán a sus necesidades, dones, talentos y fortalezas; serán accesibles, abarcarán toda la vida; estarán basados en una selección informada y serán monitoreados para asegurar el progreso individual, la calidad de vida y seguridad.​

The Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project (ATTA) develops resources that assist individuals with Autism in their transition from secondary education to postsecondary education or employment. The ATTA also seeks to provide training and support to important stakeholders, as they work to provide an equitable experience for individuals with autism. The website and the resources it contains are developed pursuant to and funded 100% through a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. The website is maintained and updated by the Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support.​​​​

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Content All parents can positively impact their children's learning and healthy development, and when families, schools and communities partner together, schools thrive and students benefit. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to navigate the educational system and know how to best work with district and school personnel.

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Please let us know if this resource was helpful or if there’s anything we can improve.

You can share your thoughts by talking to your child’s teacher or by filling out this short form:

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This section answers common questions families have about IEPs, services, meetings, and your rights.