I hate the dreaded IEP's!!! Well I guess your son went through Early Intervention right? I know in NJ that after EI ends the child gets a case manager through them and there are advocates there that will go to the IEP with you to make sure that you get everything you need. I think that if you start your relationship with the district like that you will get more respect from them. Sometimes they try and come off as your,"Friends". Just make sure you stand your ground and get everything you know he needs. PS.: You don't have to sign the IEP that day either they try and make you but I believe you have 2 weeks to read it through and address changes that you want made. Good Luck. Denise

What do you need for your child? write an agenda that you want them to follow and get it to the ARD committee before the meeting. Get ALL copies of evaluations and recommendations etc from ALL persons before the meeting. If you have your ECI person able to attend great. Get to know Writeslaw and know that you have the right and authority to not accept less than appropriate education. You may need to debate the school persons because it is their "job" to get you to accept less than enough, regardless. It is your job to get it all. So in a nutshell get ready to negotiate, but pick your battles. You may need to have many ARDS the first semester especially if the district is not willing to step to the plate right away. You can accept what they offer and try it, then document it is not appropriate then go to ARD again and again until they get it right. The best thing is to let them know that you know your rights and they can't do you bad and get away with it. You don't need to get out of line, but come to the meeting with an attitude that they will see you again and again or we can do THIS! So go in with a written explaination of your child, both weakness and strength and like I said go over all evaluations the school will present. If they insist that you will get the papers at the ARD, don't sign off until you are really REALLY sure. If they promise it make sure it is in the written notes. People get burned when the verbal discussions are not recorded and then the school is off the hook to provide service. You may want to tape record the session especially for your own personal reference.
Future Horizons has a great manual
WIN-WIN IEP by Beth Fouse Ph.D
There are others books, but you will get the hang of it after a few times, so don't feel shy to have another ARD if things aren't going as you wish. Make sure you have all the evaluations completed. What have you done so far?

My son's EI specialist, I think, is going to be at his IEP meeting. She already mentioned the Future Horizons manual and is getting me a copy. She has been great thus far and isn't connected with the school district!

Hi Jordanc
anything u dont understand make sure u ask. Dont worry about the time frame of things either; sometimes these meetings take a long time.
Reading above taping an IEP is an idea i never of seen or thought of. but i guess it depends oh how u feel suported from the school.
If u dont feel good about something, it doesnt have to be done. Your in charge of what happeneds w. ur childs education.
I think its great that his EI teacher is going with u.
Dont be nervous cuz. these people are there to help not harm.

thats my experiance anyways!~

One of my son's EI teachers went to the meeting with me. She owns the agency that provided his EI services and is also a social worker. I wanted someone there who "knows the language". Luckily, the district is a good one and gave me a variety of services in addition to what the pre-school provides.
However...since June when the IEP was started, we have moved-only 6 miles away-but it's a different school district and I have to meet with the new school district this coming Friday. I'm hoping that there won't be any shake ups, but I'm nervous all the same.

UGH Moving, We considered and were seriously looking into moving out where the schools are Exemplary , that's texan for top knotch. I went to visit the program that Oliver would attend and it was a 3 hour PPCD and his age would meet in the morning. The one in our city is a full day PPCD. I considered the "autism" classes but everyone says that Oli is too functioning, and he would not be good there, so when I insisted he needed general ed with supports, but the district does not offer that for 3 year olds, they are trying to mainstream him into a class that is a LOT bigger than him. Not to mention his disability is DEVELOPMENT DELAY, so that means he is above his head even with 3 year old pre school. At the last ARD I offered on the weakness list PDD, and the facilitator was confused "Isn't that the diagnosis", well yeah, but he is pervasively developmentally delayed, so he has the maturity of a 2 year old in many ways. I need to go have a talk with the head of the special ed for our district, downtown in the school administration building, and go back to ARD if the current situation at school is not resolved within the next week. So anyway, I decided that for me to have to go through now 5 ARDs that are total 20 hours and still not have appropriate education, expecting to go into another ARD to get them to place him into another school out side the public school, but at the school's expense. I have had the leaders of the school departments attend Oliver's ARDs, so for me to call another meeting is not what they want, but I have to until they offer appropriate education.

do not go to your first meeting without a parent adovate someone from the autism society in your area or a friend who understands your sons needs and your needs for his educational. In Jacksonville fl we have CARD center for autism and related diorders. 904 633 0760 call them and see if they have any idea of who to contact in your state. Do you have a pediatric hospital near you ask them social service agency might know of someone

Don't believe they will do what it takes to give your son what he may need, they have to make decisions that help the majority. It's important for you to fight for him. Check out this list of top 10 IEP mistakes at autistichealth.com.
http://autistichealth.com/story.php?title=10_common_IEP_mistakes