Spectrum Arch, Inc.A CSE meeting can feel like walking into a room where everyone else already knows the script. A bit of preparation evens that out. You are a full member of the committee, and you know your child better than anyone at the table.
Two weeks before
- Ask for copies of any new evaluations, progress reports, and the draft IEP if there is one. Reading them at the table is too late.
- Ask who will attend. You can invite people too: a relative, a private therapist, an advocate, or a friend who takes notes.
- If your child is 15 or older, transition planning is part of the IEP. Invite your child to attend if they can.
Write a one-page summary
Bring copies for everyone:
- What's going well, and your child's strengths
- Your top two or three concerns, with examples
- What you want to see in the IEP: services, supports, goals
- What you see at home that the school may not
Questions worth asking
- How is my child doing on last year's goals? How do you measure it?
- What does the data show, and can I see it?
- How often will I get progress reports?
- Who will deliver each service, how often, and in what group size?
- What accommodations will be used on tests?
- If a service is being reduced or removed, why?
During the meeting
- It's fine to ask people to explain terms, or to slow down.
- Take notes, or bring someone who can.
- You don't have to agree on the spot. You can ask for time to think.
Afterward
- Read the final IEP carefully when it arrives, and compare it with what was agreed.
- Put any disagreement in writing.
- If you can't resolve it, New York offers mediation and other options. See resolving special education disagreements.
Sources: NYSED, Section 200.4; NYSED, Transition Planning and Services.