Last week, we discussed the required members of your child’s IEP team. But, there are additional members who often should also be in attendance. This includes service providers like the speech language pathologist or occupational therapist, health providers like the district nurse, specialists like an itinerant teacher for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and more. If your child requires a certain service or support on his or her IEP, that provider should be considered another “required” member of the team.
Sometimes, one or more of these “additional” team members may ask to be excused for part or all of an IEP meeting. This team member excusal can make parents feel like they are in an awkward position, but excusals really are entirely up to you. If you feel that team member’s input is necessary for the discussion, or if you feel that it’s important for them to hear what others have to say, it is within your rights to refuse their excusal request. This may mean, however, that the meeting needs to be rescheduled for another time.
In addition to district employees, parents also have the right to invite to the meeting anyone else who they think could provide valuable information or expertise about their child and his or her needs. This can include an advocate, home service providers like ABA therapists or speech therapists, family friends, childcare providers, your Regional Center case manager, etc. I typically advise letting the district know ahead of time who will join you at the meeting. This promotes a collaborative atmosphere, and it also prevents the district from cancelling the meeting upon your arrival if they feel unprepared to meet with your additional participant present.
Stay tuned for our final post in this series, where we discuss what to look for and how to respond on a meeting notice. And, as always, feel free to reach out with any questions!
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