ACT ILP Meeting Checklist: Everything to Prepare and Bring to Your Child's ILP Meeting

Walking into an ILP meeting unprepared is one of the most common mistakes ACT parents make — and it's completely understandable. These meetings are held during the school day, you're often given minimal notice, and the school staff arrive with an institutional structure and years of practice. You arrive with love for your child and a lot of unanswered questions.

The preparation you do beforehand determines the outcome of the meeting. This checklist is designed for ACT parents navigating Individual Learning Plan meetings in public schools.

Two Weeks Before the Meeting

Request the agenda in advance Email the Case Coordinator or principal and ask for:

• The proposed agenda for the meeting
• A copy of the current ILP (if one exists) to review before the meeting
• The names of all school staff who will attend

If you don't receive the agenda, attend anyway and ask for time to review any new ILP document before signing it.

Review the existing ILP or previous meeting notes If a previous ILP exists, read it critically:

• Are the goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timebound)?
• Were they met at the last review? If not, why not?
• Were all agreed adjustments actually implemented? Who can confirm this?
• Does the document have a named Case Coordinator and named responsible staff for each adjustment?

Compile your own documentation Gather everything relevant to your child's needs:

• Medical reports, psychological assessments, occupational therapy reports
• Any reports from NDIS providers working with your child
• Correspondence from the school (emails, letters, incident reports)
• Your own observations and notes from the past term — specific examples work better than general impressions

Write your Parent Statement This is one page (maximum) covering:

• Your child's strengths and what motivates them
• Specific situations where their disability affects school participation (concrete examples)
• Strategies that work well at home for transitions, communication, or regulation
• Your top 2–3 priorities for the coming term or year

Understand your child's likely NCCD level Review the four NCCD adjustment levels (QDTP, Supplementary, Substantial, Extensive) and make an honest assessment of where your child sits. If the school has recorded a lower level than you believe is accurate, this is something to raise.

The Week Before

Confirm who will attend from the school The meeting must include the classroom teacher. If you are told only the principal and a support coordinator will attend, push back. Ask specifically whether the classroom teacher will be present — they are the person implementing the adjustments, and their attendance is essential.

Prepare your list of questions and requests Use the categories below to frame your questions. Print this list and bring it to the meeting.

Confirm any external participants If you want an NDIS therapist or an advocate from ADACAS or Advocacy for Inclusion to attend, contact them at least a week in advance. For advocates, check their availability early — waitlists are common.

What to Bring to the Meeting

• Copies of all medical and assessment reports (bring at least 2 copies — one for you, one for the school)
• Your Parent Statement (printed)
• Your question list
• The existing ILP if you have it
• A notebook and pen for taking notes during the meeting
• A copy of the key DSE 2005 obligations (or a summary) in case you need to reference them
• Your calendar to immediately agree on review dates

Questions to Ask During the Meeting

About goals:

• What evidence will be used to measure progress on each goal?
• Who is collecting the data and how often?
• What is the trigger for review if a goal isn't being met?
• Can we rewrite this goal to include a specific measurable outcome?

About adjustments:

• Who is responsible for implementing each adjustment listed here?
• What happens if the classroom teacher is away and a reliever takes the class?
• How will adjustments be communicated to specialist teachers (PE, music, art)?
• Which adjustments apply on excursions and in other school settings?

About resourcing:

• What is my child's current NCCD level?
• Is a SCAN moderation scheduled? When?
• How many Learning Support Assistant hours has the school allocated?

About the ILP document:

• When will a finalised copy be provided to us?
• Who signs the ILP and what does my signature signify?
• How do I request a review between scheduled review dates?
• Can I request changes to goals or adjustments after today's meeting?

About escalation:

• Who is the designated Case Coordinator for my child's ILP?
• What is the process if I believe an agreed adjustment is not being implemented?

During the Meeting: What to Watch For

Vague goals: If the school presents goals like "improve literacy" or "develop social skills," ask specifically how progress will be measured. Do not accept goals without measurable criteria.

Missing staff: If the classroom teacher is absent, ask for the meeting to be rescheduled or for the teacher to be called. Avoid making decisions about classroom implementation without the teacher present.

Verbal-only commitments: If a school staff member promises something verbally but it is not documented in the ILP, raise it. Ask: "Can we include that in the written plan?"

Sign-or-leave pressure: If you feel pressured to sign the ILP immediately, you are entitled to take the document home and review it before signing. Signing under pressure does not serve your child's interests.

After the Meeting: Within 24 Hours

Send a confirmation email to the Case Coordinator and principal covering:

1. The agreed adjustments (list them specifically)
2. Named responsible staff for each adjustment
3. Agreed review dates
4. Any disagreements or unresolved matters from the meeting
5. Any verbal commitments that were not documented

Example opener: "Thank you for today's ILP meeting. I am writing to confirm our understanding of the agreed adjustments and review schedule. Please let me know if anything below is inaccurate."

This email is your legal record. Keep a copy in a dedicated folder.

The Free Checklist Upgrade

The ACT Parent's Tactical Playbook includes a one-page pre-meeting checklist you can print and take to your next ILP meeting, along with meeting scripts, goal-setting frameworks, and post-meeting email templates. It's designed specifically for ACT public schools — not generic US content repackaged for Australia.

The free tier (ACT Support Meeting Prep Checklist) gives you the core pre-meeting preparation framework at no cost. The full guide covers the SCAN process, escalation pathways, and legally-grounded scripts for when the school isn't cooperating.

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