What do I do now? Consider the following: 2. Did you review the IEP in order? You can't just jump to services. The PPT should first determine the student's needs ("present levels of performance"), then develop goals (based on needs), and THEN make decisions about what services are needed to meet the goals. Why would services need to increase? Sometimes they increase because the child's needs have changed, maybe the child is not making adequate progress on existing goals, or perhaps there are additional goals added to the IEP. Just a few examples. 3. Did you put your request in writing? "If it's not in writing, it never happened." If the PPT has met to consider changes to the IEP, follow up with a polite letter to the director of special education (or principal or other administrator at the meeting) to thank them for the PPT and to document important areas of agreement and disagreement. What did you request? How did the district respond? Sending a letter helps to minimize miscommunication and also provides a "paper trail" to document what you discussed. Yes, the school is supposed to document all requests and refusals, but sometimes this doesn't happen. 4. If you have done 1-3 and still have a "no" about something important, consider filing for a hearing, requesting mediation, and/or filing a state complaint. These are formal and informal dispute resolution processes, which are reasonable ways to resolve disagreements between families and school teams. Some information about dispute resolution processes is included in the state's Parents' Guide to Special Education in Connecticut. More detailed information about the state complaint process is here. And if this seems confusing, don't worry; almost everyone feels that way in the beginning. If you have any questions, just let me know! |
Blog >