Abigail Hanson

Deborah Baker

UMF - Student Teaching

Spring 2024

Reflection: IEP Meeting

Students with certain disabilities are entitled to special education under the Individuals

with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) at no cost to the kid or family. An Individualized

Education Plan (IEP), a document that describes the educational goals of children and how,

where, when, and how often the educational components will be given, is one of the main

components of IDEA. Depending on a kid's requirements and limitations, an IEP may differ for

each student.

The following is a reflection of an 11th-grade student in the Sanford School District,

Maine. The meeting was conducted to re-evaluate the students and if they still need the support

the school has been giving. The student's record indicated that they have attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and an unspecified health condition. Before

the meeting was conducted, the school's IEP and 504 coordinator contacted the student's teachers

and paraprofessionals who work with their teacher and the student. We were asked them to report

information on the student including their grade, accommodations that they receive in our

classroom, academic strengths and weaknesses, and executive functioning skills such as bringing

materials, organization, turning in assignments, and behavioral issues.

The meeting for the student was held a week later after the reports were distributed as a

means to allow teachers time to evaluate the student and submit their feedback to the IEP/504

coordinator. The meeting was held in a conference room inside the school's guidance office.
Present at the meeting were the students, their father, one of the student's general education

teachers, myself, their English teacher, and the coordinator.

All participants were allowed to introduce themselves before the meeting got underway.

Each school representative was then allowed to discuss how the student had progressed during

the year. Everybody had something good to say in the beginning and saw some improvement

throughout the year. It was not surprising that all of the teachers mentioned that there were still

some areas of concern, particularly in mathematics, given how much of the student's IEP focused

on this subject. Numerous educators reported that the student had improved in areas like

organization and actively asking for explanations on instructions.

The agenda for the meeting was to discuss any new changes with the students regarding

their medication, how frequently they take it for their different needs, and if the parents had any

new concerns that needed to be addressed. If nothing new was added, the next objective was to

re-read the plan and make sure everyone understood what was being put on the student's plan.

The coordinator opened the floor for any questions or concerns from the student and their father,

no additional comments were made about any changes that needed to be made. The father and

the student agreed that the plan should stay in place and the school should continue providing

support.

During the meeting, I observed that the student was reserved and did not add much to the

overall discussion around their plan. This was not a surprise to me, as in my class, they are quiet

and shy around large groups. The father of the student was engaged and invested in the process

of evaluating their child's plan and making sure that they were comfortable with continuing the

plan. The parents conversed calmly with everyone in attendance and did not dispute or contest

the evaluations made by the educators, school personnel, or medical specialists. Members of the
school's delegation listened to parents' opinions and took into account their worries. Throughout

the entire discussion, it was evident that everyone involved had the student's best interests at

heart. The IEP coordinator was welcoming, prepared, and handled transitions well between the

different aspects of the plan that needed to be covered.

The parent wasa satisfied with what they heard and pleased with the student's

improvement. The child’s parents also observed that while they were still easily frustrated by

setbacks, the student appeared to have a more optimistic attitude toward education and

improving their overall wellness in and out of the classroom. The meeting concluded with the

IEP coordinator reviewing everything that was discussed and how they were going to keep the

same accommodations and modifications for the student for the rest of the school year into next

fall.