Virginia IEP Meeting Checklist: How to Prepare and What to Bring

Walking into an IEP meeting unprepared means sitting across from four to eight school professionals who have been working on this document for weeks — while you are seeing it for the first time and being asked to make decisions on the spot. Virginia law gives you the right to review the draft IEP before the meeting. Most parents do not use it. This guide will change that.

Before the Meeting: The 2-Business-Day Rule

Under Virginia's 2021 regulatory update to 8 VAC 20-81, the school must provide you with the draft IEP at least two business days before the meeting. This is not a courtesy — it is a legal requirement.

If you have not received the draft IEP at least two days before your meeting, you can:

• Request that the meeting be postponed until you have had adequate time to review the documents
• Contact the special education director in writing to note that the regulatory timeline was not met

Use those two days. Read every section of the draft IEP — not just the goals, but the PLAAFP, the services grid, the LRE statement, the testing accommodations, and the placement decision.

Before the Meeting Checklist

• [ ] Request and review the draft IEP at least 2 business days before the meeting
• [ ] Gather your child's recent work samples — tests, writing assignments, art, anything that shows current performance
• [ ] Review your child's current IEP (if this is an annual review) — check whether services were actually delivered as written
• [ ] Review the most recent evaluation report — has your child been comprehensively assessed in all relevant areas?
• [ ] List your specific concerns in writing before the meeting — you are more articulate when you have prepared notes
• [ ] Identify the goals you want addressed — what skills should your child develop this year?
• [ ] Consider bringing a support person — a trained advocate, a trusted family member, or a private therapist familiar with your child
• [ ] Confirm the meeting time, location, and attendees — check that the required team members will be present (LEA representative, regular education teacher, special education teacher)
• [ ] Bring a photo of your child — placing a photo on the table during the meeting reminds everyone that there is a real child at the center of the discussion (this is an effective advocacy practice)

At the Meeting: Questions to Ask

You are not an observer. You are a decision-maker. These questions belong at every IEP meeting.

About the PLAAFP (Present Levels):

• "What is the current data showing for [specific skill area]?"
• "How does this compare to grade-level expectations?"
• "What data are you using as the baseline for these goals?"

About the goals:

• "How will we know when this goal has been met? What does 80% accuracy look like in practice?"
• "How will progress be measured, and how often will I receive a progress report?"
• "Why was this goal chosen over [alternative area of concern]?"

About services:

• "Who specifically will be delivering this service? What are their qualifications?"
• "Where will the services be delivered — pull-out, push-in, or a separate classroom?"
• "What happens if a session is missed due to testing, field trips, or staff absence?"

About placement:

• "Why is this placement the least restrictive environment for my child?"
• "What supplementary aids and services were considered before this level of support was proposed?"
• "What would trigger a review of placement to consider a less restrictive setting?"

About extended school year:

• "Has the team considered whether my child needs ESY? What data did you use for that decision?"

Red Flags to Watch For

Predetermined decisions: If the team cannot explain how they arrived at a specific service level or placement — or if every question is met with "this is our standard program" — the decision may have been made before you sat down. That is predetermination and is prohibited.

Budget rationale: If the team justifies limiting services by referencing what the school can afford or what is available in the building, stop the meeting. Placement and services must be based on your child's needs, not the school's resources.

Rushing to sign: If the meeting is scheduled for 30 minutes and includes a brand-new IEP for review — that is not enough time. You do not have to sign at the meeting. You can take the document home, review it further, and sign later.

Missing team members: If the LEA representative (someone authorized to commit resources) is not present, the meeting may not be legally complete. Ask who is authorized to agree to services and funding.

What to Do If You Disagree

You can:

• Decline to sign the IEP or note specific objections in writing on the signature page
• Request that the meeting continue if unresolved issues need more discussion
• Request another meeting to address specific concerns without the pressure of completing the document
• Ask for a Prior Written Notice (PWN) documenting any service level or placement decision you disagree with
• Note your disagreements in writing — follow up the meeting with an email to the special education director summarizing the points of disagreement

You do not have to decide everything at one meeting. Take the time you need.

After the Meeting

• [ ] Keep a copy of the signed (or unsigned) IEP
• [ ] Note the date services are scheduled to begin
• [ ] Set a calendar reminder to check whether services are actually being delivered
• [ ] Review your child's first quarterly progress report against the IEP goals
• [ ] Contact the special education teacher within 2 weeks of services beginning to confirm logistics

Virginia requires progress reports on IEP goals at least as often as report cards are issued to students without disabilities — typically quarterly. If you are not receiving them, request them in writing.

The Virginia IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a complete Virginia IEP meeting preparation guide, a printable checklist, and sample language for documenting disagreements and requesting follow-up actions.

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