School / Child Conference Questions - Worksheet

(IEP, 504, CPSE, Educational Plan)

Following are several questions that you may wish to go over when you are meeting with the school regarding services and programs for your child. It is easy to forget to ask some important questions during these meetings so use this form to write down answers, make notes of what else you may want to know, and to keep track of what was discussed.

Most meetings are time-based and you are generally allotted a certain amount of time in order for the staff and providers to see and review all of the children / parents on their schedule. Ask before the meeting if there is a set time allotted for you and your child – some districts allow 20 minutes, others allow 1-2 hours – it is good to be prepared for the time you are allowed.

Having a list of questions, you may wish to ask will help you get most of the answers you want and need within your meeting time frame.

Remember to bring: This list, a pen, notebook, any plan from a previous year if this is not your first meeting, your child (if able), a friend or partner for a second set of eyes and ears, and an open mind!

o   Date and Place of Meeting: ____________________________________________

o   Who is present at the meeting and what is their position? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   How do the people at the meeting know your child? Have they done the testing? Have they met your child? Have they observed your child? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   Do you have a copy of the IEP / 504 / or other plan you are going to talk about today so that I can follow along? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   May I have a copy of my child’s OT/ PT/ ST/ Educational / Psychological testing reports? (ask for what has been done) ___________________________

o   How does my child’s behavior different or the same from other children in the classroom? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   How often will the goals and plan be looked at to check for progress or need to make changes? _________________________________________________________

o   How often will OT / PT / ST / Special Ed be provided every week? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   Is the evaluating therapist providing the therapy sessions? If not, who will be working with my child? ___________________________________________________

o   Will the therapy sessions be individual or in a group? _________________________

o   How many minutes of therapy will be received each week? ____________________

o   Will the therapy sessions be in the classroom or in a different room? ______________________________________________________________________

o   What happens if my child does not get along with a therapist? ______________________________________________________________________

o   Why are the goals being worked on considered to be top priority? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   What accommodations are being made for my child in the classroom? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   For those with behavior issues – How will outbursts, aggressive behaviors, & concerns with ___________ be handled? Who will handle them? How? What is the plan? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   Does the school allow special accommodation for sensory issues such as special seating, fidgets / spinners, reduced distractions, headphones, or _________________, which your child needs?

o   What can I do at home to help support the plan? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   What are my child’s strengths? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   What are the areas my child needs support with?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   What are the biggest academic, social, or behavioral concerns with my child? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   Who can I contact to talk about my child’s progress, any concerns, and questions I may have? Can I have the phone number of who I can call or the e-mail? What is the best way to get in touch with the teacher?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   When is our next meeting? Can we meet sooner if I have concerns or want a reassessment? Ask if a 60-day follow up meeting (informal or formal) is possible? ______________________________________________________________________

o   If the goals or plan do not make sense to you, ask for a better description so that you have a good understanding of the whole plan. Just ask, that the goals be explained better if you do not fully understand. What parts of the plan do you want to ask about?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   How often will the goal measures be looked at to determine if progress is being made or if changes to the plan need to be made? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   Provide “inside” information on your child that may impact the plan. Ask if they are aware of __________________ about your child. Share what you know about your child to help in development of a successful plan.

o   Ask for a copy of the final IEP / 504 Plan / CPSE / or Educational plan (before signing) giving yourself time to review and fully understand the plan

o   Ask for a summary of what was discussed and what is going to happen: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

o   Any other questions you want to be sure to ask? Write them out here:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Don’t forget to thank everyone for their time in supporting your child! Put a name to a face for next time you meet, and for when you may contact by phone or e-mail! If you could not bring your child to the meeting, be sure to at least bring a picture so they can see who they’ve been talking about!

You made it through the meeting! Now just keep all of your notes and information in a folder or notebook for reference later on!

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