As a licensed therapist and a parent to a child on the autism spectrum I noticed the gap in the collaborative efforts between the schools and home when it comes to the IEP process.
Truth is my first IEP meeting I was unprepared.
I thought I was going to be walked through the process. I expected to get an explanation on how this whole IEP process works.
Instead I got there and they had the goals pre-formed. I sat there while they said what goals were going on MY child's IEP. What services she should get. I felt like a spectator and not apart of the meeting. I sat there overwhelmed and confused.
I vowed from then on that my child's IEP meetings would go completely differently. I vowed that her goals would be truly customized for her. I vowed that no longer would I feel overwhelmed and confused but EMPOWERED when I left those meetings.