Facilitating Special Education Meetings

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September 2025

Learning Objectives

Participants will understand:

• Learn best practices for preparing and facilitating effective special education meetings.
• Strengthen collaboration with families and team members.
• Identify common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
• Develop confidence in ensuring meetings are compliant and student-centered.

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Disclaimer

These materials constitute the Oregon Department of Education’s interpretation of various state laws and are provided to support public education programs’ understanding of their obligations under these laws. The information in these materials is subject to change based on future legal and policy changes. These materials are intended for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.

Oregon Department of Education

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Getting Started

Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings are crucial for students with disabilities, bringing together a team of individuals dedicated to developing and implementing a plan tailored to the student's unique needs. Effective facilitation is key to a productive and collaborative IEP meeting.

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This presentation is intended to provide you with a breakdown of the process and key tips for effective IEP meeting facilitation.

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Understanding Different Kinds of Meetings

IEP Meetings

• IEP meetings are legally mandated annual meetings to develop and review a student's Individualized Education Program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Placement Meetings

• The placement meeting, which can be a component of an IEP meeting or a separate session, focuses on determining the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) where the student's IEP can be implemented effectively.

Eligibility Meetings

• A special education eligibility meeting, also known as an IEP eligibility determination meeting, is a formal meeting convened to determine whether a student qualifies for special education and related services under the IDEA.

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Link to ODE Special Education Publications, including eligibility forms and other supportive documents.

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Additional Types of Special Education Meetings

• Three-Year Reevaluation - Reevaluation of eligibility must occur at least every three years.
• Transition Planning Meetings
• Manifestation Determination Meetings
• Amendment Meetings
• Initial and Annual IEP Meetings

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Procedural Safeguards are required at all of these meeting with parents.

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Legal Requirements for an IEP Meeting

• Provide all documents in a timely manner
• Offer interpreter services if needed
• Ensure meaningful parent participation
• Document decisions, services, and placement
• Provide Prior Written Notice for any proposed or refused actions

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Required IEP Team Membership

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Required IEP Team Members

• the district representative;
• a regular education teacher of the student;
• a special education teacher or where appropriate a provider of the student;
• a person qualified to interpret evaluation results;
• the parent;
• the student, if measurable postsecondary goals are being considered or whenever appropriate

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Can you think of anyone else that “should” part of an IEP meeting?

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Oregon IEP Standards

Additional IEP Meeting Considerations

The main goal of an IEP meeting is to develop or review an IEP that outlines the student's strengths, needs, goals, services, accommodations, and placement in the least restrictive environment. The IEP is a legally binding document that guides the student's educational experience.

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Case managers (often special education teachers themselves) ensure that IEPs include proper accommodations and modifications, so that students are provided with a conducive learning environment to fit their needs and goals in all areas of functioning (i.e academic, behavioral, etc.).

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The best IEPs are organized, transparent, and collaborative.

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Pre-Meeting Preparation

• Schedule thoughtfully: Choose a mutually agreed-upon time and place, and notify parents well in advance.
• Gather and distribute information: Collect and share relevant student data, assessments, progress reports, and draft IEP documents with all team members beforehand.
• Encourage parent input: Ask parents to share their concerns, questions, goals, and insights about their child's strengths and needs.
• Prepare the student: If appropriate, talk to the student about the meeting, their strengths and challenges, and encourage their input.
• Develop an agenda: A clear agenda helps keep the meeting focused and ensures all necessary components are addressed.

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Pre-Meeting Preparation Continued

Additional Pre-meeting Tips

• Build relationships: At the beginning of the school year, reach out to parents and introduce yourself. Solid relationships with parents and guardians are just as important as our relationships with students.
• Design communication plans: Begin planning an IEP meeting roughly two months out from possible meeting days. Around the same time, reach out to the student’s teacher(s) and Related Service personnel that serve the student. This process helps you gather information and make a solid step towards developing and planning the IEP meeting and contents.
• Send an IEP meeting reminder: A few days before the scheduled meeting, send a reminder email to the student’s family and the rest of the team members.

Best Practice Tip: Complete a DRAFT IEP at least 2 weeks prior to an IEP meeting, and make it available to parents/guardians. This help to flush out concerns in the IEP, get parent input, and leads to a smooth running IEP meeting.

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During the Meeting

• Welcome and introductions: Start by making everyone feel welcome and comfortable, including introducing each team member and their role.
• Review the agenda and purpose: Ensure everyone understands the meeting's goals and planned topics of discussion.
• Maintain focus: Keep the discussion centered on the student's strengths, needs, goals, and progress, using a structured agenda as a guide.

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During the Meeting

• Encourage active participation: Ask open-ended questions and ensure everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and insights, especially parents and the student.
• Use clear language: Avoid jargon and acronyms, and clarify any terms that might be unfamiliar to parents or other participants.
• Foster collaboration and consensus building: Encourage and model respectful dialogue, identify areas of agreement, and work towards solutions that all team members can support. Use strategies like paraphrasing and summarizing to ensure shared understanding.

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During the Meeting Continued

• Address disagreements constructively: If conflicts arise, guide the team to explore and clarify interests, reframe negatives into neutrals, and focus on the common goal – the student's well-being.
• Document accurately: Designate a Notetaker ahead of time and ensure all discussions, decisions, concerns, and action items are recorded clearly and accurately in the meeting notes and the IEP document itself.
• Manage time effectively: Help the team stay on track with the agenda and allotted time for each section.

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During the Meeting Continued

• Establish a positive environment: Welcome everyone, introduce team members, and remind everyone of the common goal: the student's success.
• Set the agenda and norms: Review the agenda and establish clear ground rules for participation (e.g., raising hands, avoiding interruptions).
• Discuss Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP): Use specific examples and data to describe the student's strengths and challenges.

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During the IEP Meeting Continued

• Discuss proposed IEP goals: Explain the goals clearly, focusing on how they will be achieved, measured, and the timeline involved.
• Determine accommodations and modifications: Work collaboratively to identify the specific supports needed to help the student succeed.
• Discuss related services and placement: Outline the services the student will receive and where those services will take place.
• Document decisions and progress monitoring: Clearly document decisions made and explain how progress will be tracked and reported.

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Additional Tips for Facilitating the Meeting

• Consider Meeting Participant Placement: During the meeting, try to have the team dispersed around a table and not having everyone directly across from parents or other external participants. This is important for a culture of teaming, in which parents are an integral part of the team.

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• Arrive early and Set Up: As mentioned earlier, planning and preparation is the key to a smooth running meeting, that happens in the allotted amount of time. If you set up the room, print important documents to be shared, and set up any technology that could be used; you will feel more confident and run a more effective meeting.

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• DRAFT IEP: If you have sent a draft IEP ahead of time, you will know what parent concerns are for their child, make changes as needed, and be closer to the final IEP version.

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After the Meeting

• Finalize and distribute the IEP: Ensure the final IEP document is completed and shared with all team members within the required timeframe.
• Communicate and implement: Ensure all relevant school staff are aware of the IEP goals, accommodations, and services and that they are being implemented as planned.
• Schedule follow-up meetings: Regular check-ins (e.g., quarterly) are essential to monitor progress, evaluate effectiveness, and make necessary adjustments to the IEP.

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Prior Written Notice (PWN)

The Prior Written Notice:

• Is a formal written notice that an LEA must provide to parents or adult students before implementing or refusing to implement certain actions related to their child’s or their own special education.
• Provides a clear, compelling explanation of the decisions the LEA made about a child or student’s provision of FAPE.
• Plays a central role in ensuring that parents and adult students are informed and can participate meaningfully in decisions about their child’s or their own education.
• Helps ensure transparency and accountability in the IEP and IFSP processes.
• Promotes collaboration between LEAs and families, making the educational decision-making process clearer and more inclusive.

ODE Guidance on Prior Written Notice

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After the Meeting

• Maintain open communication: Continue to foster open communication between parents, teachers, and other team members through various channels (e.g., communication logs, email, conferences).
• Celebrate achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate the student's progress and the team's collaborative efforts to reinforce positive behavior and commitment to student success.

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Documentation and Paperwork

• Procedural Safeguards - Current Procedural Safeguards Guidance
• Meeting Notices
• Prior Written Notice (PWN) - Current PWN Guidance
• Meeting Notes - are required in Oregon. They are a crucial part of the IEP process and documentation of the team's discussions and decisions. These notes serve as a written record of what transpired during the meeting.

Please Note: when the ODE reviews special education practices in districts, these components are intentionally reviewed as part of that process.

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Common Challenges in IEP Meetings

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Resources for Facilitating Special Education Meetings

Reliable Tools & Websites:

• Policies and Procedure for Special Education ODE
• Oregon Department of Education IDEA Practices
• IRIS Center (Vanderbilt University) iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu - Search IEP Facilitation
• OSEP (Office of Special Education Programs) sites.ed.gov/idea - Search IEP Facilitation

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ODE.SpecialEducationQuestions@ode.oregon.gov (general support)

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Feedback Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey using the following link or QR Code.

Survey Link

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Oregon Department of Education

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