Be prepared for the IEP Annual Review Meeting after two years of Covid
By Carol K. Kennedy, PhD
It’s that time of year to get ready for student’s IEP meetings- the Annual Review held at the end of the school year.
Check In
Now that we are two years into the Covid epidemic, and it’s time for your child’s meeting, let’s consider where they are now and going forward. Be prepared to help you’re your child and their educational team to assess where they have gaps in their knowledge and skills. How are they currently functioning at this time in the school year and what will they need heading into the summer and fall? What resources do they require?
Ask their IEP team what data has been collected and in what form? How has their academic progress been since the beginning of the school year? Also, how is their social/emotional/behavioral functioning now? What has been gained or lost during this very difficult year? Finally, how has the data Set been assessed and by whom? Their teachers, specialists and clinicians?
Adjust and Set Updated Goals
Now is the time to adjust your child’s goals based on this current information. Because of the loss of instructional time and the use of online learning since March 2020 (can you believe it!) it’s so important to really evaluate what academic content needs to be repeated, revised, reintroduced or taught in a different modality. Does your child need an intensive intervention in any areas? Perhaps one that was not in his original IEP. If so, how will this be implemented? How will it change the Goals on the IEP? What strategies and skills have to be taught or re-taught and used specifically?
A lot of changes have taken place since March 2020. Your child may have matured and progressed in some areas and regressed in others. The important thing is to be aware of what needs to be done to ensure their success for the coming school year.
Determine what resources your child is entitled to and what is available in their school.
Step one is to ask the right questions to help their team make the best decisions based on data, assessment and evidence-based interventions. Be your child’s best advocate.