All schools are mandated here in Ohio to provide individualized special education plans for children with disabilities. No two plans should be alike because what is appropriate for one child with special needs may not be appropriate for another child with special needs.
First off, parents need to see what the classroom will look like to get an idea how the child will fit in. Is it the kind of environment in which the student will succeed? Is it accessible and does it have room for all the neccessary adaptions? Who will be assisting the student in the classroom? How are the assistive technologies integrated?
Secondly, the one question parent tend to forget is how the school accounts for the time while student is in the classroom. How will the IEP show how the day is structured if the student needs assistance all the time? What about when they are receiving special instruction? Will they be sharing this time with other students who also have IEPs? What if they see regression while implementing the IEP? Will they wait until the next IEP? How long is it before any changes or concerns will be addressed?
The parents should be asking at the IEP meetings what options or alternatives they have if no progress is being made before the next IEP meeting. What changes can the school make without notifying parents? What changes require notifying parents? Or what happens IF the school environment shows it is impeding the individual progress of a student? How will the school district respond?
These are issues that need to be discussed while the IEP is taking shape, before anyone signs off on any paperwork. Once these questions are addressed and noted, then the team can begin developing a plan designed for the student.
