Full program description
Series: More than a Meeting: Creating IEPs that guide meaningful practice
Session 1: 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: Access All Year: Selecting Individualized Supports for CAASPP and ELPAC
One size does not fit all when selecting accessibility resources for the CAASPP and ELPAC. This session will help educators and IEP teams distinguish among universal tools, designated supports, accommodations, and unlisted resources while using the CDE’s Accessibility Resources Matrix, Student Needs Matching tools, and Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (ISAAP) tool to make individualized decisions. Participants will consider how each student’s documented needs, classroom performance, and experience with specific supports should guide decisions rather than convenience, habit, or blanket assignment. Teachers will also explore how to introduce and routinely use appropriate embedded and non-embedded resources during instruction, classroom assessments, and practice or training tests so students can build familiarity and independence well before testing day. Participants will leave with a practical process for aligning everyday classroom access, IEP documentation, and statewide assessment settings so that selected supports are appropriate, familiar, and effective.
Session 3: 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.