New York IEP Meeting Checklist: How to Prepare for Your CSE Meeting

The CSE meeting is when the district presents its plan for your child. If you are not prepared, you will agree to things you do not fully understand and miss things that should have been in the IEP. Preparation doesn't require legal training — it requires knowing what to review, what questions to ask, and what your rights are before you walk in.

Before the Meeting: What to Request and Review

Request evaluation reports at least 10 days in advance. Part 200.5(c) requires the district to give you evaluation reports at least five school days before the CSE meeting. In practice, request them further in advance — five days is not enough time to absorb a neuropsychological report. If you receive reports the day before or the day of the meeting, you have the right to reschedule.

Documents to gather before the meeting:

• All evaluation reports (psychoeducational, speech/language, OT, behavioral, any others)
• Current IEP (if this is an annual review or amendment meeting)
• Prior IEPs and progress reports
• Any outside evaluations from private providers
• Report cards and teacher correspondence from the current year
• Service delivery logs if you have requested them — proof of what services were actually delivered

Review the evaluation reports for:

• Tests administered and dates (are they current? More than three years old is a red flag)
• Scores and what they mean — look for any score below average (below the 25th percentile) in areas of academic or functional concern
• Recommendations section — what does the evaluator recommend?
• Whether the evaluation covers all areas of concern, or only some

What to Bring to the CSE Meeting

• Printed copies of evaluation reports you reviewed and any notes you wrote on them
• A list of specific questions (written down — you will forget them under pressure)
• A support person — you are allowed to bring an advocate, family member, or any person of your choosing
• A recording device if you want to record (notify the district in writing in advance)
• A pad and pen for notes — or record if you prefer
• Any outside evaluation reports or letters from therapists/physicians you want entered into the record
• Your child's work samples if they illustrate a specific need
• A printed copy of your child's current IEP if it is an annual review

At the Meeting: Key Questions to Ask

About the evaluation:

• "What specific areas of disability were assessed, and what were the findings in each?"
• "What were the scores on [specific test], and what does that mean for my child's educational needs?"
• "Were there any areas of concern that were not assessed? Why not?"

About present levels:

• "What is my child's current reading level? Writing level? Math level?"
• "How does the PLAAFP specifically describe how the disability affects my child's daily functioning in school?"

About services:

• "What is the frequency and duration of each recommended service?"
• "What is the group size for SETSS / speech / OT?"
• "Where will each service be delivered — in the classroom, pull-out, in a separate space?"
• "Who specifically will provide this service, and what are their qualifications?"

About placement:

• "What is the class size and student-to-teacher ratio in the recommended placement?"
• "How much time will my child spend in a general education setting?"
• "What is the justification for this level of restriction under least restrictive environment?"

About implementation timing:

• "When will services begin?" (The district has 60 school days after IEP implementation begins)
• "How will I know if services are starting on time?"

About goals:

• "What is the baseline for each goal — where is my child now?"
• "How will progress toward each goal be measured?"
• "How often will I receive progress reports on goals?"

During the Meeting: Your Rights

• You do not have to agree to anything at the meeting. You can say, "I need time to review this IEP before I sign."
• If you disagree with any part of the proposed IEP, say so out loud and ask that your disagreement be noted in the meeting minutes
• You can add your own written comments to the IEP by attaching a parent addendum
• If new information is presented that you have not had time to review, you can ask to schedule a follow-up meeting
• The CSE cannot proceed with a placement change without your consent for initial placement (for older students with established IEPs, placements can implement after 10 days' written notice even without your signature, but you retain the right to challenge)

Red Flags at the CSE Meeting

• The meeting is over in 20 minutes and nothing has really been discussed
• You are handed the IEP for the first time at the meeting and asked to sign it before leaving
• Every question is answered with "that's our standard recommendation for this type of student"
• The proposed services are exactly the same as last year despite your child's progress or regression
• The district rep is not familiar with your child's specific evaluation results
• Your concerns about service delivery failures are minimized or dismissed

After the Meeting: Follow-Up Steps

If you signed the IEP:

• Note the date. The 60-school-day implementation clock starts when the IEP takes effect.
• Write down who is responsible for each service and contact them within the first two weeks to introduce yourself.
• Start a service delivery log — date, provider, service type, minutes delivered. Compare this to what the IEP specifies.

If you did not sign:

• You have the right to take the IEP home and review it
• Send a written follow-up within 5–10 school days with any proposed revisions or outstanding questions
• If you disagree with the placement and the district proceeds to change it, you can invoke stay-put rights and request an impartial hearing

If services don't start on time:

• Send a written notice to the special education director documenting the delay
• If services remain unstarted after 60 school days, this is a Part 200 violation you can report to NYSED as a formal state complaint

CPSE Meetings: Additional Considerations

If you are attending a CPSE meeting (for a child ages 3–5), the process is similar but the committee includes a required parent member — a parent of a preschool child with a disability, appointed by the county. That parent member is there to support you and can be a valuable ally. CPSE placements can include private preschool programs with intensive services; ask specifically what programs exist in your area and what the referral process is.

The New York IEP & 504 Blueprint contains a printable CSE meeting preparation worksheet, an IEP review checklist with Part 200 compliance checkpoints, a service delivery log template, and follow-up letter templates for common post-meeting situations.

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