In Part One of this series, we gathered up all your student's records and organized them in a system that will work for you. If you missed Part One, go back and check it out here. With your records organized, you can perform a documents review and create a timeline.
What is a documents review and why should you perform one? A documents review is exactly what it sounds like. You will read through your documents in order from the beginning. If you're doing this for the first time and your child has had an IEP for a long time, those early years may be interesting but they're likely irrelevant to any current issues. Use your discretion on how far back you want to start reviewing. A good question to ask yourself is, "How long have I felt at odds with the school district or that something was just not quite right with my child's education plan?" That's the point that you'll want to start your review. The reason we do this is to realize the full story of your child's documented educational experience, ensure accuracy of the records, and identify potential issues.
One important thing to keep in mind is that if you do have an issue and want to pursue dispute resolution, you have only one year from knowledge of the issue to file a state complaint. If you're working with a lawyer in due process, the lawyer may be able to go back more than one year. The point is, time is limited when it comes to dispute resolution.
Back to the documents review. Decide how far back you want to review then start with the evaluation that came before then. So if my child is in fourth grade but I feel like something has been off since the second grade, I'm going to find the most recent evaluation before/during second grade. Then I'm going to review the IEP that was created after that evaluation. Then I'm going to review all the progress reports that came after the development of that IEP. All of your records should be in chronological order, so this should be pretty easy.
As you're reviewing each of these documents, take notes. You don't have to be a school psychologist, an educator, or a special education advocate to do this.
As you read the evaluation, does it describe your child? Do you agree with its findings and recommendations, including diagnosis and eligibility for special education? Why or why not? Put these answers in your notes.
As you read the IEP, does the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance section accurately describe your child? Are the goals important to you and your child? Do they align to the long term vision you and your child have for their future? Are they measureable and written in a way that makes sense? Is there baseline data for each goal? Will the items listed in the Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)/ Modifications section meaningfully support your child toward achieving their goals? Is Educational Placement the least restrictive environment (the general education classroom)? If it isn't, what supplementary aids and services were tried before moving to a more restrictive setting? And if your child is of transition age (14 years old in PA), does the Transition section offer meaningful input for your child's future regarding further education, employment, or independent living after high school graduation?
Finally, review the progress reports. Were the goals monitored as frequently as written in the IEP? And most importantly, did your child make meaningful progress?
Review each document in chronological order from the date you determined you needed to start through the present. Remember to take notes. Your notes will begin to form a narrative that will help you understand where you started and how you got to where you are now. Your review and your notes will inform you on what you need to do to move forward. And what will we be doing next? Part Three, Writing Your Parent Input.
With Love, Light & Gratitude, Janell
P.S. Not so sure you want to take on this process alone? I can help! Check out my Services page to book a FREE consultation.
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