Michelle: Does anyone know who determines when it is appropriate to include the child with the disability in the writing of their IEP and who decides this? Can the school discuss the IEP with the child without the parent’s knowledge or consent?
IEPs: STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN WRITING IEP
We have an elementary student whose parent wants them in the entire IEP meeting. We typically interview our students during the IEP development, and include their input in the IEP. Are we required to invite a student to the entire meeting, if the parent requests it?
A parent, (& the school) can invite anyone they feel is appropriate to have there. If a parent brought an adult with them, a school should not listen to them, & then ask them to leave. So if the child is not disruptive or asking to leave, it seems that there would be no basis for them not to stay.
I’m in Florida, and we were instructed that we are required to invite the student to the meeting once they turn 14 and if it’s not appropriate for them to attend (for whatever reason) then we should at least attempt to get their input ahead of the meeting. This can be done through conversations or interest surveys or planning notes, etc. and be very basic (for example, a conversation about their preferences or what they may want to do after school graduation) or much more detailed (which accommodations help you most, etc..) usually depending upon the student and their insight into their disability (severe cognitive disabilities may need a simpler explanation about the disability and it’s potential impact). But usually it’s helpful for the student to know about the disability/IEP process.
IMHO, it depends on the child. Our son is high functioning ASD with ADHD, now age 16 as a sophomore in high school. He has been in regular ed classes all through his school career.
We started having our son participate in IEP meetings during his middle school years so he could understand the process and advocate for himself. In 7th/8th grade, he advocated for himself to remove an aide in middle school classes and also remove extended test time during tests. In high school, he comes to each CST meeting so he hears the same things we do that the teachers and CST say. There is a value there because he owns the process and has to abide by the “rules” in the IEP.