Free checklist · 2026
The IEP Meeting Checklist: 20 Steps to Walk In Prepared
A parent-tested checklist for the 4 phases of every IEP meeting — before, day-of, and after. No account needed. Print it, save it, or use the app version to check items off as you go.
2–3 weeks before the meeting
- Request the draft IEP and all reports in writing (email counts).
- Pull evaluations, progress reports, work samples, and communication logs into one folder.
- List 3–5 concerns in your own words — not the school's language.
- Ask who will attend and confirm each role (gen-ed, special-ed, related services).
- Check state timelines for evaluation and re-eval deadlines.
1 week before
- Read the draft IEP twice. Note every goal that isn't measurable.
- Compare current accommodations to what's actually happening at school.
- Write down 2 priorities you refuse to leave without.
- Confirm meeting length — ask for more time now, not mid-meeting.
- Line up a support person (partner, friend, or advocate) to attend.
Day of the meeting
- Bring: driver's license photo, printed concerns, evaluation summaries, note-taking tool.
- Ask to record (state law varies — confirm your rights).
- Open with your child's strengths. Then your concerns.
- For every proposed goal, ask: how will we measure this, and how often?
- Do not sign the IEP if you need time. You can take it home to review.
Within 15 days after
- Confirm you received the Prior Written Notice (PWN) — legally required under IDEA §300.503.
- Compare the PWN to your notes. Note anything the school agreed to that isn't in writing.
- Set follow-up check-ins on your calendar (30-day, 60-day, quarterly).
- Log the first month of accommodation compliance — this is the evidence trail.
- If anything is off: send a polite, dated email. Written record beats memory.