Arizona IEP Meeting Checklist: What to Do Before, During, and After

You have an IEP meeting scheduled and you want to go in prepared rather than overwhelmed. Most Arizona parents leave their first IEP meeting feeling like they didn't understand half of what was said and aren't sure what they agreed to. These steps change that.

Before the Meeting

Request the draft IEP and evaluation reports several days in advance. Ask the special education coordinator for the draft IEP and any evaluation reports early enough to review them before the meeting. If they say they "don't have a draft yet," that's a flag — a good team works from a draft, not a blank document at the table.

Review the present levels section carefully. The present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) section is the foundation of the IEP. Every goal should connect back to something described in present levels. If the PLAAFP is vague or doesn't match your child's actual performance, the goals built on it will be inadequate.

Know who must be at the meeting. Under A.A.C. R7-2-401, Arizona requires all of these team members: you (the parent), an applicable general education teacher, the special education teacher, a PEA representative (a district or charter employee qualified to provide or supervise specially designed instruction), someone who can interpret evaluation results, and the child when appropriate. Transition planning must begin no later than the first IEP in effect when the student turns 16.

If a required team member is absent, excusal requires written agreement by you and the PEA, and the excused member must provide written input before the meeting. You can note the issue at the start of the meeting. If the absent member is critical to the decisions being made, you can request that the meeting be rescheduled.

Bring your own documentation. Bring report cards, work samples, teacher notes, outside therapy reports, and any notes you've kept about your child's school experience. Your observations as a parent are data. They should inform the present levels and the goals.

Prepare your questions in writing. Write out your concerns and questions before the meeting. It is easy to get off track or feel rushed in a room full of professionals. Your written list keeps you anchored.

During the Meeting

Ask about every service and how it will be delivered. For each service listed in the IEP (speech therapy twice a week, 30 minutes each), ask: Who will deliver this service? Where will it be delivered (pull-out, push-in, separate setting)? What are the provider's qualifications? Arizona's speech-language pathologist shortage is real — your child's SLP minutes are only meaningful if there is a qualified SLP to deliver them.

Verify that goals are measurable. Every goal must have a condition, an observable behavior, measurable criteria, and an evaluation schedule. If a goal says "Alex will improve reading fluency," that is not compliant. Ask the team: "How will we know when this goal is met? What data will be collected and how often?"

Understand the placement proposal. The IEP must specify the least restrictive environment (LRE) where your child can receive FAPE. If the team is proposing a more restrictive setting (resource room, self-contained class, separate school), they must explain why less restrictive settings are not appropriate. You have the right to ask for this explanation.

Ask about related services. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and transportation are examples of related services that must be included if your child needs them to benefit from special education. The team should address all areas of need, not just academics.

Do not feel pressured to sign at the meeting. Ask for time to review the IEP and consult with Raising Special Kids (RSK) or another parent advocate. Ask the PEA what signature, if any, it requires and what the signature means before signing.

Take notes or bring a note-taker. If you participate in the conversation, Arizona's criminal law is generally a one-party-consent rule, so you may record an IEP meeting, subject to the district or charter's recording policy, such as an advance-notice requirement. Many parents prefer to take notes instead, which is simpler and less adversarial.

What to Do If You Disagree

If you disagree with any part of the proposed IEP, you have three options that are not mutually exclusive:

1. State your disagreement at the meeting and ask for it to be documented. Most Arizona IEP documents have a section for parent comments or concerns. Use it. If the form doesn't have one, write your specific disagreements and give the team a copy.

2. Clarify any signature before signing. Ask the PEA what the signature acknowledges, request review time, and record any disagreement with specific goals or service amounts in writing on the signature page or in a follow-up email.

3. Send a follow-up email within 24 hours. After the meeting, email the special education coordinator summarizing your specific disagreements and what you are requesting the team to address. This creates a dated record.

After the Meeting

Verify that services begin as scheduled. Services should begin as written in the IEP. If your child's speech therapy does not start as scheduled, ask in writing when it will begin and request that the IEP team convene promptly to address the service-delivery problem.

Review the first progress report. The IEP states how often progress reports will be provided, generally aligning with report cards or grading terms. The first report is your early warning system. If progress data is vague or shows no movement toward goals, address it when the IEP's next progress report is due rather than waiting for the annual review.

Request an IEP review if something changes. You can request an IEP review at any time if you believe the current IEP is not meeting your child's needs. The PEA must act on a written request to review the existing IEP within 45 school days.

The Arizona IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a complete Arizona IEP meeting checklist, a draft IEP review rubric, and template language for documenting disagreements — so you go into every meeting knowing exactly what to look for and what to say.

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