Pennsylvania IEP Meeting Checklist: How to Prepare for Your Chapter 14 Meeting

Pennsylvania IEP meetings feel different from what most national guides prepare you for. You're not just reviewing a document — you're navigating a room that often has six or more district staff, forms you've never seen before, and a timeline that starts the moment you walk out the door.

This checklist is built for the Pennsylvania-specific process under Chapter 14.

Before the Meeting

Review the Evaluation Report (ER) in advance

Pennsylvania requires you to receive the Evaluation Report (ER) at least 10 school days before the IEP meeting. This waiting period is there for a reason — the ER contains the eligibility determination and the baseline data that will drive every goal and service discussion. Don't skip the review.

When reading the ER, check:

• [ ] Is the eligibility determination clearly stated? Which disability category?
• [ ] Does the ER describe how the disability specifically affects educational performance?
• [ ] Are all the areas you were concerned about actually assessed (academics, speech/language, OT, behavior, social-emotional)?
• [ ] Does the data match what you see at home and what teachers have reported?
• [ ] Are the present levels specific enough to be a meaningful baseline for goals?

If you disagree with findings or believe areas were missed, you can raise this at the meeting. If you disagree significantly, you have the right to request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense — the school must either fund it or file for due process.

Gather your own documentation

Bring to the meeting:

• [ ] Your copies of all prior ERs, IEPs, and NOREPs
• [ ] Any private evaluations or therapist reports you want the team to consider
• [ ] Your written notes documenting concerns, including dates
• [ ] A list of services you believe are needed
• [ ] Any communication log showing previous requests or responses

Know who should be in the room

Pennsylvania's Chapter 14 requires specific attendees. The IEP team must include:

• You (the parent)
• At least one general education teacher
• At least one special education teacher or provider
• An LEA representative who can commit district resources
• Someone who can interpret evaluation results
• When appropriate, the student

You can request additional attendees — your child's private therapist, an outside evaluator, an advocate. Notify the school in advance. You can also bring a support person even if they're not a formal participant.

During the Meeting

You don't have to sign anything at the meeting

A pre-written IEP document is a common finding at Pennsylvania IEP meetings. You are not required to sign anything that day. The IEP is supposed to be developed collaboratively — if it arrives fully formed, that is itself worth noting.

If you need time to review the document, say so. Request a copy to take home. Schedule a follow-up date if needed.

Questions to ask during the meeting

About the ER and eligibility:

• [ ] What specific data supports this eligibility determination?
• [ ] What data ruled out other disability categories?
• [ ] Are there areas not assessed that might affect my child's educational performance?

About the PLAAFP (Present Levels):

• [ ] What is the specific baseline for each area of need?
• [ ] How was this baseline measured?
• [ ] Does this baseline reflect my child's performance across settings, not just during testing?

About goals:

• [ ] How does each goal connect to the baseline data in the PLAAFP?
• [ ] How will progress toward each goal be measured?
• [ ] Who will be responsible for measuring it, and how often?
• [ ] Is this goal ambitious enough given my child's potential?

About services:

• [ ] How many minutes per week of each service is being provided?
• [ ] Will services be individual or in a group? What size group?
• [ ] Which staff member will be providing each service?
• [ ] If a paraprofessional is involved, what is their training?

About placement:

• [ ] How much of the day will my child be in general education?
• [ ] What supplementary aids and services will support inclusion?
• [ ] If a more restrictive setting is proposed, what alternatives were considered?

At the end of the meeting

• [ ] Confirm that you understand the proposed placement and services
• [ ] Ask when the NOREP will be issued
• [ ] If you're not ready to decide, state that you'll respond in writing within 10 days
• [ ] Get a copy of any documents discussed — you're entitled to them

After the Meeting: The NOREP

Within a short time after the meeting, you will receive the NOREP (Notice of Recommended Educational Placement). This is the most critical document in the Pennsylvania special education process.

The NOREP summarizes the proposed placement and gives you three paths:

Approve: Sign and return. Services begin within 10 school days.

Disapprove and file: Check "disapprove" and simultaneously file a request for mediation or due process with the ODR within 10 calendar days. This triggers stay-put rights — the proposed changes are frozen while the dispute is resolved.

Disapprove without filing: Checking disapprove alone does not freeze the proposed changes. The school can proceed after the 10-day window. This is the most common trap for Pennsylvania parents.

The 10-day clock starts when you receive the NOREP. If you're uncertain, contact ConsultLine (800-879-2301) or the PEAL Center immediately — don't wait until day 9.

If you need more time

If you don't receive the NOREP before the 10-day window closes, or if you need more time to review, communicate in writing immediately. Ask the district to extend the response period. While they're not legally required to agree, some will — and your written request documents that you were actively engaged.

The Pennsylvania IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a full NOREP walkthrough, goal review checklists, and the complete IEP meeting preparation framework for PA parents navigating Chapter 14.

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