Full program description
Series: More than a Meeting: Creating IEPs that guide meaningful practice
Session 1 - Wednesday, October 28, 2026: Where the IEP Begins: Writing Present Levels That Drive Meaningful Goals and Services
Strong present levels of academic achievement and functional performance provide the foundation for every major decision in an IEP. This session focuses on using current, relevant, and understandable data to clearly describe a student’s strengths, needs, baseline performance, and the educational impact of the disability. Participants will examine how well-written present levels connect logically to goals, accommodations, services, supports, and progress monitoring. Practical examples will help participants identify vague or incomplete statements and replace them with individualized descriptions that support defensible, educationally meaningful decisions.
Session 2 - Wednesday, November 18, 2026: Practical Accommodations for Maximizing Inclusion. A student’s Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is supported by the accommodations we put in place. In this professional learning session, we will explore practical, easy-to-implement accommodations that support attention, behavior, and academic access in the general education setting. We will focus on collaborative strategies between case managers and general education teachers to ensure supports are effective, sustainable, and promote student independence.
Session 3 - Wednesday, December 9, 2026: From Invitation to Influence: Facilitating Meaningful Parent and Guardian Participation in the IEP Process. Meaningful
participation means ensuring that parents and guardians are not only present at an IEP meeting but are respected and engaged as essential members of the team. This session examines practices that promote transparency, understanding, collaboration, and shared decision-making before, during, and after the meeting. Participants will explore strategies for explaining complex information clearly, eliciting family input, responding thoughtfully to questions and concerns, and documenting the team’s consideration of parent perspectives. The session will also highlight ways to reduce barriers and build trust with families from diverse cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds.
Specialized Services
Session Information:
October 28, 2026
November 18, 2026
December 9, 2026
3 – 4 p.m.
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The registration deadline is December 9, 2026.