Oh My! The IEP Meeting and Advice for Parents - Part 2 of 3

Show Notes: "Oh My! The IEP Meeting and Advice for Parents" – Part 2

Hosts & Guests:

• Meredith (Host)
• Tashia White (Co-host/Parent)
• Dr. Stephanie Crawford (Director of Mental Health)
• Dr. Bernadette Pigeon (Mental Health Coordinator)
• Ellen Kerkoff (Mental Health Lead)

Topics Covered:

• What to expect at an IEP meeting: structure, annual reviews, and the three-year reevaluation process.
• Navigating school transitions (elementary to middle, middle to high school) and how to support your child.
• The importance of collaboration and communication between current and future IEP teams.
• Translating clinical terms into parent-friendly, educational language.
• How IEP goals are set, measured, and scaffolded for student growth.
• The role of parents and students in goal-setting and advocacy.
• Addressing concerns about grade-level expectations, graduation, and individualized student outcomes.
• Advice for parents: preparing questions, advocating for your child, and building collaborative relationships with the IEP team.
• Strategies for handling challenging meetings, seeking support, and giving yourself grace as a parent.
• Reducing stigma around special education and celebrating neurodiversity and student strengths.

Practical Tips for Parents:

• Be proactive: attend parent-teacher conferences, communicate openly, and empower your child to self-advocate.
• Prepare questions and observations ahead of the IEP meeting.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification or request a pause if the meeting becomes overwhelming.
• Build at least one strong relationship with a team member for support.
• Remember, you are the expert on your child and a key member of the IEP team.
• Bring any support person you wish to the meeting.

Resources Mentioned:

• DCSEAC website: DCSEAC.org
• Contact: [email protected]
• Social media links for DCSEAC (see website for details)
• Additional resources referenced in the episode will be listed in the show notes.
• DCSD Mental Health Site and within that site when a person clicks on resources are the following:
• Colorado Resources
• Douglas County Youth and Family Resource Guide
• Douglas County Youth & Family Resource Guide for Multilingual Resources
• Metro Mental Health Community Resources Guide
• Colorado Resources below:
• Parents Encouraging Parents (PEP) - https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/spedparents/pep
• Peak Parent Center - https://www.peakparent.org/

Next Episode:

• Part 3: Functional behavior assessments and exciting district news.

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