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

Walking into an IEP meeting unprepared means walking in at a disadvantage. The district's team has been preparing. They know your child's file, they know what services they can offer, and they've often drafted the IEP before you arrive. Here is what to do before, during, and after a Washington State IEP meeting.

Two Weeks Before the Meeting

Request records in advance. Contact the special education coordinator and request a copy of all evaluation data, progress reports, and any draft IEP documents at least five business days before the meeting. You are legally entitled to review your child's educational records. Reading through them before the meeting — not during it — lets you identify gaps, discrepancies, and concerns while you still have time to formulate responses.

Review the PLAAFP data. Look at the Present Levels section of the IEP draft. Ask: Does this match what you observe at home? Does it cite specific, current data? Is it strengths-based as OSPI requires, or just a list of deficits? A PLAAFP that says "Johnny struggles with reading" without a current reading level is not adequate.

Compare goals to PLAAFP. Every annual goal should connect directly to a gap identified in the PLAAFP. If the draft has a reading goal but the PLAAFP doesn't document the current reading level, ask how the goal was calibrated.

Check service minutes against the previous IEP. If this is an annual review, compare the proposed service minutes to the current ones. Unexplained reductions are common when districts face budget pressure and staffing shortages. You are entitled to a PWN explaining any proposed reduction.

Identify your top three to five priorities. You can't tackle every issue in a single meeting. Decide in advance what matters most: a specific service you're requesting, a goal you believe is inadequate, a placement concern. Write them down.

Contact PAVE if needed. Washington PAVE (wapave.org) provides free coaching to help parents prepare for IEP meetings. If this is your first meeting or a particularly contentious one, reach out to PAVE before the meeting.

The Day Before

Prepare your written input. Bring a one-page written summary of your observations, concerns, and requests. Give a copy to the team at the start of the meeting. This ensures your input is formally documented even if the discussion doesn't get to everything on your list.

Print or download evaluation reports. Bring copies of any private evaluations, medical records, or therapeutic assessments you want the team to consider. Hand them to the district representative at the start of the meeting and request that they be added to the record.

Plan to bring a support person. You are entitled under WAC 392-172A-03095 to bring any individual with knowledge or special expertise regarding your child. A trusted friend who can take notes while you focus on the discussion is valuable even if they have no IEP-specific knowledge.

Know Washington's two-party consent rule. You cannot record the IEP meeting without the consent of all participants under RCW 9.73.030, unless recording is a documented accommodation for your own disability. Don't plan to record without first getting agreement in writing.

At the Meeting

Arrive early. Arriving at exactly the scheduled start time means you miss the informal setup conversation where things sometimes get informally decided.

Confirm who's in the room. The meeting is only legally valid if the required team members are present under WAC 392-172A-03095: you, at least one general education teacher (if your child participates in general ed), at least one special education teacher, a district representative with authority to commit resources, and someone qualified to interpret evaluation results. If a required member is absent without your prior written consent to excuse them, the meeting may not be legally valid.

Take notes throughout. Write down agreements, service minutes proposed, commitments made, and anything that seems inconsistent with what's in the draft document. If a service is discussed and agreed upon verbally, it must appear in the written IEP — verbal commitments are not enforceable.

Ask about every service in minutes per week. "Resource room support" is not a service specification. The IEP must state: the type of service, the provider, the setting, and the minutes per week. Push for specifics on each service listed.

Questions to ask during the meeting:

• What data in the PLAAFP supports this goal?
• How will progress toward this goal be measured and how often?
• What is the basis for the LRE placement determination?
• Has the team considered providing this service in the general education setting?
• What supplementary aids and services will be in place?
• Is my child being considered for ESY? If not, why not?
• When will I receive the progress reports and how often?

Do not sign the IEP if you have unresolved concerns. You can attend the meeting, participate in the discussion, and decline to sign until you've had time to review the final document. Signing indicates agreement. If you sign under pressure and later want to dispute the IEP, that is harder to do.

If you need time to review, ask for a copy of the finalized document and note that you will respond within five business days. Put this request in writing if possible.

After the Meeting

Review the final IEP against your notes. Make sure every service minute agreed to verbally is reflected in the written document. Check that accommodations, placement rationale, and ESY determination are all accurately documented.

Request a Prior Written Notice for anything the team refused. If the team said no to a service you requested, a placement you preferred, or an evaluation you asked for, request a PWN in writing. The PWN must explain the basis for refusal — it creates a paper trail you may need later.

Track service delivery from day one. Once the IEP is in effect, note when services are provided and when they're missed. Districts sometimes fail to begin services promptly after an IEP is signed. Under Washington practice, services should begin within 30 calendar days of an eligibility finding for a new IEP.

Keep everything. Create a dedicated folder — physical or digital — for all IEP documents, correspondence, evaluation reports, and service logs. This is your evidence base if a dispute arises later.

The Washington IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a printable IEP meeting prep checklist, the questions list, a service tracking template, and the Prior Written Notice request language to use after a meeting.

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