The Individualized Education Program Team is required by law and is one of the most important teams in your school. This is a special team formed to review the needs of your child. Its job is to make sure that your child’s learning program is individualized to meet your child’s particular needs. As a parent, you are a very important member of this team.
A meeting must be held to determine whether or not a student needs special education services. This meeting is convened after a student has been evaluated. The initial meeting in determining whether or not a child qualifies for special education services is called the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team, or MET, meeting. This meeting is followed by the Individualized Education Program team meeting to develop a student’s IEP, for every student receiving special education services. This meeting determines the eligibility of a student, and the appropriateness of programs and or services to be provided. The IEP team reviews the information and recommendations provided by the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team. In short, the MET decides on appropriate special education placement, goals, objectives and services for your child by reviewing the information and recommendations provided by the MET. The IEP team meets annually to review and revise the student’s IEP.
There are several people who should participate in the IEP meeting. One is a representative of the school district other than the student’s teacher, who is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of special education. This person is sometimes the director of special education for the district and he or she is:
- qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities;
- knowledgeable about the general education curriculum; and
- knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency.
The student’s general education teacher should also attend the meeting as well as a member of the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team, or MET. You, as a parent, should be in attendance and are a member of the IEP team. If the IEP meeting time and place is inconvenient, you have the right to request a more agreeable time and place. The student may also attend the IEP meeting. You can also invite other people, such as an advocate, that can help explain the information being presented.
An IEP meeting is held after the MET evaluation of your child. The IEP team must meet once a year to review your child’s IEP, however you can always request a meeting if a change is needed for your child and his or her IEP.
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