How to Prepare for a Texas ARD Meeting: Checklist and What to Bring

The ARD meeting notice arrived. You have the date, the time, and a room number. You know the school will have a team of professionals at the table — a general ed teacher, a special ed teacher, an administrator, and possibly an evaluator or therapist. You want to walk into that meeting knowing what you are looking at, what you are agreeing to, and what to do if something is not right.

Here is how to prepare.

What to Request Before the Meeting

Texas does not have a mandatory rule requiring the district to send you the IEP draft or FIIE report before the ARD meeting — but best practice is to have these documents at least three to five days in advance. Ask for them.

Send an email to the special education director or ARD facilitator before the meeting:

"I would like to receive copies of the proposed IEP document, the PLAAFP, any proposed goals, and the most recent FIIE or progress reports at least five days before our ARD meeting scheduled for [date]. Please let me know what you are able to send in advance."

Having the documents in advance lets you review them, identify questions, and show up prepared rather than reading unfamiliar pages at the table.

Documents to Review Before the ARD

FIIE or Most Recent Evaluation Report

• Do the test scores match the evaluator's conclusions? (Sometimes they do not.)
• Were all areas of suspected disability assessed?
• Is the baseline data in the PLAAFP drawn from this evaluation?

Current IEP (for reviews, not initial meetings)

• What were the goals from last year?
• Did your child make progress on those goals? (Check the quarterly progress reports.)
• Which goals were met? Which were not?
• Are there services in the current IEP that you feel are not being implemented?

Proposed New IEP or Goals

• Is the PLAAFP specific and data-based, or vague and generic?
• Are the proposed goals measurable? (See texas-iep-goal-bank for the measurability standard.)
• Are the services listed with frequency, duration, location, and provider?
• Are STAAR accommodations included if your child needs them?
• Is transition planning included (required from age 14 in Texas)?

Discipline or Behavioral Records (if behavior is on the agenda)

• Incident log with dates, descriptions, and outcomes
• Current BIP if one exists
• FBA if one has been conducted

What to Bring to the ARD Meeting

Copies of all current documents. Do not rely on the district's copies. Bring your own IEP, evaluation reports, progress reports, and any private provider evaluations or letters.

Your questions in writing. Write them down before the meeting. ARD meetings move quickly and it is easy to forget questions in the moment. Common questions include:

• How was this goal derived from the PLAAFP data?
• What evidence shows that this level of service is sufficient?
• How many service minutes has my child actually received this year?
• Who will implement this accommodation and how?

Any private evaluations or provider letters. If you have an outside neuropsychological evaluation, private speech therapy assessment, or physician letter, bring it. The ARD must consider it.

A support person. Texas allows you to bring a support person to an ARD meeting — an advocate, a knowledgeable friend, a private therapist, or anyone you feel comfortable having present. You do not need to tell the district in advance, though some districts appreciate the courtesy.

A notepad or recording device. In Texas, you can audio record ARD meetings but you must notify the district in advance (Texas Education Code §29.0041). Send a brief email before the meeting: "I plan to audio record our ARD meeting on [date] pursuant to TEC §29.0041." The district may also record. Written notes work as an alternative.

During the ARD: Key Checkpoints

At the start of the meeting: Confirm who is present and their roles. Ask if all required ARD members are in attendance. If a required member is absent without a valid excuse, you can note this and consider whether to proceed.

During PLAAFP review: Is the description of your child's current performance specific and accurate? If the PLAAFP says "struggles with reading fluency" without a grade level or score, ask what the current performance data is. The PLAAFP is the foundation for every goal — if it is vague, the goals will be too.

During goal review: For each proposed goal, ask: What is the current baseline? How will this be measured? How often will progress be reported? Is this goal ambitious enough given last year's rate of progress?

During services discussion: For each service, confirm: What is the frequency? What is the duration per session? Who provides it (a certified teacher? a paraprofessional?)? Where (general education classroom? resource room? pull-out?)? When will it start?

Before signing: Review the placement summary and LRE statement. Does it accurately reflect what was discussed? Is the amount of time outside general education justified?

When You Are Not Ready to Sign

You are never required to sign the IEP on the day of the meeting. If the proposed goals, services, or placement do not match your expectations or your understanding of your child's needs, you have options:

Document your disagreement in writing. The ARD document includes a section for parent disagreement. Use it. Write specifically what you disagree with.

Invoke the 10-day recess. Under TAC §89.1050, you can recess the ARD meeting for up to 10 school days. This pauses everything — the district cannot implement proposed changes during the recess. Use the recess to review documents, consult with an advocate, or gather additional information.

Request a follow-up ARD. You can ask for a second ARD meeting to address specific concerns. The district must hold it within a reasonable time.

Request a Prior Written Notice (PWN). If the ARD is proposing something you are not comfortable with — a change in placement, a reduction in services — request the PWN before you leave. The PWN documents the proposed action and the reasoning, and is your record for any subsequent dispute.

After the ARD: Follow-Up Steps

• Keep a copy of the signed (or disagreed) IEP
• Note the start date of services and confirm that services begin as scheduled
• Request confirmation of who will be providing each service and when
• Set a calendar reminder for your next quarterly progress report
• If services do not begin as scheduled, contact the special education director in writing

The ARD meeting is the most important event in your child's special education year. Preparation is what determines whether you are an active participant or a bystander.

The Texas IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a complete ARD preparation checklist, goal review questions, and templates for every pre-meeting and post-meeting communication step.

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