Q: “Can We Request Another IEP Meeting If Accommodations Aren’t Working?”
“Annual IEP meetings are a minimum, and you have the right to convene an IEP meeting at any time.”
Q: “It’s a few months into the school year, and it is clear that my third grader’s IEP isn’t working. I’ve spoken to the school, and they agree that changes would be beneficial. However, we just had her annual IEP meeting last May. Do we have to wait for her next IEP meeting to make changes?”
A: Annual IEP meetings are a minimum, and you have the right to convene an IEP meeting at any time, not just once a year. That said, it is not always necessary to hold a meeting to make changes to an IEP. If you and the school agree that changes are needed, these can be made in writing without a meeting.
The school should add these changes to the existing IEP and share a copy of the updated IEP with you. This process is generally used for minor adjustments, such as adding or reducing the frequency of services like speech or occupational therapy.
For more substantial changes, like changing a classroom setting or adding completely new services, you likely will need a meeting. Start by communicating with the IEP team to see if the changes you want to make can be done without a meeting.
IEP Meeting Requests: Next Steps
- Read: IEP Meeting Advice — How to Get the ADHD Accommodations Your Child Needs
- Q: What Is Your IEP Meeting Agenda?
- Download: How to Create a IEP/504 Plan for Your Child with ADHD
Susan Yellin, Esq., is the director of Advocacy and Transition Services at The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education in New York City.
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