The 5 Year Vision
Monday, September 30, 2024
The 5 Year Vision
When I was working through the process of becoming a Master IEP Coach®, we discussed the five-year VISION. Where do you want your child in 5 years? Do the goals in the IEP reflect that vision?
The idea of looking into the future when considering goals, accommodations, and life skills has stuck with me. So much so that I included it as one of the steps in my Parent Handbook, the IEP Compass.
Sometimes as parents, we get caught up in the right now. But I have really stepped back to take a look at what I hope my child will be doing in 5 years.
5 YEAR VISION
My son is 12 and has a myriad of disabilities. But as I sit back and think of where I want him five years from now, this is the list I come up with:
- On track to graduate with a FULL diploma
- The ability to pursue additional education
- Self-confidence
- Impulse control
- Socially aware
- Able to articulate ideas in words and writing
- Ability to write short notes by hand
- Be able to compose a well-thought-out email using accommodations
As I read through his IEP, each goal should support one of these vision points. And if one of the bullet points is not addressed in the IEP, that might be a talking point with the team. How can this bullet point be addressed?
I would encourage you, the parent, to include your vision in the "Parent Concerns" or Parental Input portion of the IEP. It is helpful for the team to see the vision of where you are heading before getting into the nitty-gritty of the IEP.
If you are struggling to see how the IEP can be tailored to fit the vision you have for your child, check out the IEP Compass, a parent handbook that meticulously walks you through the IEP step by step.
"This handbook changed the game. I went into the meeting with confidence and a game plan!"
Stop letting the school take the lead in your IEP meetings
For years, I have participated in IEP meetings, trusting that the school would act in my child's best interest. However, this past year, with minimal progress observed, I started to raise questions.
The responses I received were disheartening:
"We are only required to provide what is acceptable, not the best."
"The IEP did not specify that."
"You consented to the allocated service minutes; there is no reason for us to exceed that."
And That's When It Hit Me...
The IEP needed to change, and it was my responsibility to make it happen. I required a strategy. In my search for information that could act as a guide, I discovered Lisa's Parent Handbook "IEP COMPASS."
It was as if I had an ally guiding me through the IEP preparation process. It wasn't just about the IEP; it also prepared me for the meeting. I called a new meeting to address the significant gaps in my son's IEP, and the entire tone of the meeting shifted. Once the school team realized I had done my homework and came prepared with data and questions, there was a newfound urgency to improve the IEP document.
This book dove right in and guided me through the process, helping me gain the confidence I needed to earn the respect I sought as an equal member of the IEP Team.
Hi, I Am Jane Doe
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