Though regs vary from state-to-state and even within states, parents here (in my town) don't seem to understand that they have negotiating power and can provide input into the IEPs. Some parents go and listen to what the school or teacher is proposing, nod and say "Ok". It's good to pre-think your goals for your child before the meeting. A lot of the verbage is canned, but there should be a place for parent input. Some of the things we've requested are:
1. Pre-test option (student can test-out of units with 85% proficiency)...good for spelling or math they've already mastered.
2. Homework modifications (if my child is taking advanced classes and the normal ones, he shouldn't have to do twice the homework)
3. Contests/competitions (I request that my child be given opportunities to participate in academic competititons, and I sometimes specify the competitions)
4. Advanced Programming (last year they specified a math goal that DS had 2 yrs ago--change it. No, "basic algebra skills" are no longer adequate...be as specific as possible--"will learn pre-calc by independent or online coursework during class time" or "complex problem solving using a variety of resources"
If they only list one academic goal, encourage them to add others (language arts--vocabulary development, writing skills using different expository writing techniques, etc.)
Just some suggestions...
Last edited by cym; 10/12/08 11:27 AM.
