Why Would the Principle Attend an IEP Meeting?

I'm a high school teacher and I know that in my school it is standard for the principal or assistant principal to attend IEPs. By law an administrator must be there (usually the special ed director is enough) and I think it isn't too unusual to have a principal there. However, remember, you can definitely bring someone else to support you, including a lawyer!

It is my experience as a teacher that an administrator always attends IEP meetings. I feel uneasy if one isn't there. It doesn't mean anything is out of the ordinary or they're going to give you some tough news. It probably means they're having administrators attend like they should be doing.

Well, if they did not attend, you could sue them because you would have a procedural violation of IDEA that you could then point to as a reason that they did not provide FAPE (no administrator at the meeting to see to it that her program was provided.) My guess would be that they got dinged by someone who filed a complaint. IDEA is a procedural statute, in order to have a case in Due Process, you must first prove that they violated the procedure, and then prove that the procedural violation caused the substantive denial of FAPE.

If you feel like you need help, do some reading on www.wrightslaw.com about advocacy, you will find it very helpful. If you feel like something is going to happen at this meeting and you need help, check out the wrightslaw yellow pages and find an advocate, they can attend the meeting with you, and you will not be alone.

If she failed the state assessment, you can request more services, and that is what I would suggest that you do. You have your proof that she did not make progress, and my guess is, they are crossing all the t's and dotting all the i's on your daughter's IEP, espeically if they just got dinged by another complaint. You can do a serach on the MA Department of Education web site and see what your districts record is. Wrightslaw probably has a link too.

If you hold a private evaluation, use this to get her the targeted services that she needs, and if you do not own one, get one. You need it, especially now that you know that the school has been ineffective. You want to be putting the blame squarely where it belongs, on them, not your daughter. She obviously did not get what she should have, or her IEP was not designed to provide her with one year of progress, and either way, they have not provided her a Free and Appropriate Education, so you hold the Ace in the hole at this meeitng, and if you negotiate well, you could get some compensatory services, and more direct internvention for her to be successful.

Let me know if I can give you any more direction, I am an advocate in Ohio.

M.

I have three friends whos sons have IEPs and the principals always attend (in Southern California). Don't worry Mama :)

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It is standard practice. Mine attends my son's GIEP meetings.

A previous poster asked what an IEP was. It is an individual education plan. don't feel ambushed the more people in on making a plan for your child to succeed the better. My son is in 9th grade i have been attending IEP meetings since he was in preschool. He is severe ADHD. although now he is pretty much outgrown a lot of it. he still receves some services. In the IEP meetings there is usually a lot of people there. principal, nurse, social worker , teacher councilor if there is a separate one, special ed coordinator for the district and mom and dad. when the kid is older they are also brought into the meeting towards the end. when they are graduating from one school to the next the meeting gets really full as you have all of the above names from both grade school and junior high or highschool if your child needs any special stuff like speech therapy or physical help then those people will be in also. they will make up a plan for the year with goals. let them help you to make her school as successful as possible. the teachers will give a report on what they have observed and what they feel will be the best help to her. my son gets a study hall each day to help with the homework he cant seem to keep up with. good luck

My son has an IEP and the principal sat in on the meeting , it's normal procedure. At the end of the day he/she is in charge of the school and needs to know what is going on , our principal was also able to answer any Q's straight away of anything the team needed or required and answer on.

In NY you can request a parent advocate, usually an individual who has undergone training for this role and often is a parent with a child of their own with an IEP.

If you are uncomfortable going along, take someone with you. It would like taking someone to the dr with you to make sure you don't miss anything. Do go in there with total confidence - you are your child's strongest advocate.

It has been my experience that this is typical, I have an IEP for two of my children and have attended several meetings and my sister has an IEP for her oldest and has been through about two meetings a year for the past 4 years that have all had them in attendance. It will be ok, no reason to worry, your daughter should Not be in attendance at the IEP, and if you are uncomfortable or worried then have someone go with you. I always write down my questions and concerns...good luck!

For my school district, it's standard protocol for the principal or assistant vice principal attend IEP meetings. That's probably the case for your district as well.

I think its required by the school board

My daughter had her 1st IEP meeting last year and the Asst principal attended because she is in charge of all the IEPs. Good luck!

Please don't feel intimidated or ambushed because there may be many people at the meeting. The goal is to build a support team for your daughter so that she gets the services she needs and the individualized attention in order for her to succeed. Principals or special education department chairpersons are typically notified of these meetings and definitely attend. As a teacher and advisor, I've sat in on meeting when they have directly involved a student or my class. Why? Because I have significant contact with the student during the day and can do a few things: A) give my input about how a student tests (do they take the average amount of time or do they tend to take longer, do they have problems with a scantron, do they need someone to read the questions), about how a student's homework is completed, if they are successful at taking notes in class (do they need a copy of my notes, do they need access to a computer), would preferential seating (due to vision, hearing, or to minimize distraction) be helpful, etc. AND B) I can talk about how they have used various accommodations in my class. The IEP is about recognizing a student's academic/social/emotional needs in the classroom, writing out a (legal) plan to help the student succeed in areas that may be perceived as weaknesses, and getting everyone on the same page in order to be the best advocate for the student.

The assistant principal won't be there to bust your student for misbehavior. The AP will likely be there as another member of a team put in place to help your daughter negotiate through some of her difficulties and hopefully find great success.

Then word to the wise, LET THE START THE CONVERSATION/DISCUSSION. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PUT YOUR FOOT IN THE WATER FIRST. LET THEM SET THE TONE AND stay calm, and positive even if you strongly disagree.

But, there is something you need to press them on: Is your daughter receiving her services? What evidence? Ask the teachers servicing her, not the principal. He/She is not in the position to know unless he observes that teachers teaching every single day.
Google questions you should ask during an IEP, or think about what really matters to you concerning your child's academics.

Do you think she was misdiagnosed during her IEP evaluation?

You can modify her IEP/accomodations, etc.

You're in the driver's seat whether you know it or not. Don't be intimidated. You can do it as long as you walk in confident, smile time to time, but stay firm and in charge of your daughter's future.

Good luck!

P.S. Don't forget to take notes!!!!!

Hi K.,
Call the team chairperson and ask him/her why the assistant principal is attending this year's meeting. The answer may be that the assistant principal: is learning more about the process, is becoming more involved with many meetings, or has some helpful ideas about additional services. But there is no reason for you to worry about this in silence. So please pick up the phone and call.

This is maybe the third or fourth question today about IEPs. At the risk of sounding dumb, exactly what does IEP stand for?! Thanks!