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Supporting the IEP Process

This presentation provides a comprehensive guide for facilitators involved in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. It covers essential strategies for fostering positive communication, ensuring mutual understanding, and achieving consensus among team members. Key topics include meeting structure, facilitator roles, intervention strategies, and managing impasses. The guide emphasizes the importance of valuing team members, setting ground rules, and creating an inclusive environment. It also highlights the need for ongoing training and collaboration within educational teams to enhance conflict prevention and resolution.

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Supporting the IEP Process

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  1. Supporting the IEP Process A Facilitator’s Guide Presentation adapted from: Martin, N. (2010). Supporting the IEP process: A facilitator’s guide. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

  2. Facilitate – to make easier • Picture a meeting… that went south • What happened? What was the source of the problem? • What might have helped? • Positive attitudes and mutual understanding • Preconferencing • Meeting structure • Communication • Intervention points

  3. Facilitator Styles • Evaluative • An outside expert who brings knowledge and skills • Facilitative • A supporter of the process who guides • Transformative • One who reflects to the group what the members are saying or doing

  4. What helps achieve consensus? • Remembering the common purpose • Giving everyone a voice • Communicating openly yet with respect • Assuming good reason and intention • Exploring underlying interests • Valuing the team and its members • Trusting the process

  5. Philosophies of Helping Styles

  6. IEP Facilitators should • Be as transformative as possible • Only be facilitative when the team cannot do it on its own • Avoid evaluative as it can fan the fires of adversity and even when it ends in settlement it can too easily leave unresolved issues

  7. Facilitator Roles • Help all parties feel welcome • Help with ground rules and agendas • Set a good example • Safeguard a collaborative process • Promote positive communication • Help explore interests • Help ensure all are “on same page” • Clarify areas of agreement • Address unproductive communication styles • Help bring meaningful closure

  8. Sample Ground Rules • Remember the purpose to serve the child • Make good use of time • Stay on task and avoid sidetracking • Be courteous and respectful • Turn off electronic devices • Remain together until breaks • Speak up if someone has an “owie”

  9. Some Don’ts for Facilitators • Do not ignore issues, problems, or owies • Do not intervene too soon without giving reasonable time for team to suggest reviewing ground rules • Do not become directive • Do not ignore agenda • Do not ignore time projections • Do not ignore group agreements

  10. Planning & Guiding the Meeting • Before the meeting • Contact the chairperson • Contact the parent • Arriving at the meeting • Setting the stage • Handling objections • Managing the meeting • Working with advocates and attorneys

  11. Intervention Strategies Transformative Facilitative Pause for reflection Ask about ground rules Hold a focus Probe for underlying interests Acknowledge Affirm Refocus When in doubt, check it out Ask for help Apologize Make a deal • Repeat for recognition • Reframe for recognition • Reflect for recognition • Empower

  12. Indicators of Impasse • The same issues are repeated without progress • Team members are locked into opposing positions • Comments are made • Threats are made • Members have nothing further to say • One or more members of the meeting have decided to end without reaching consensus

  13. Dealing with Impasse • Reflect and acknowledge • Ask for help, invite suggestions as to the source of the impasse • Retrace the day’s progress, review agreements, identify what remains undecided • Play with the time shape of a proposal • Build in guarantees and contingencies • Probe for benefits of reaching agreement today • Propose another meeting • Narrow the issues by summarizing agreements • Invite agreements about disagreements

  14. Establishing IEP Facilitation: The Facilitator • Who will facilitate? • What training and experience? • How much content knowledge? • Which philosophy/style? • Availability? • Cost? • Logistics?

  15. Establishing IEP Facilitation: The District • Who will coordinate? • How will FIEP be evaluated? • What FIEP information tracked? • Who will inform IEP team members? • Availability? • Cost? • Logistics?

  16. Summary • Facilitation is one of the many facets of a comprehensive conflict prevention and resolution program • Provide preventative staff development on collaboration and conflict resolution • Ensure principals, assistant principals, and general classroom teachers become involved as well – not just special education staff

  17. For Technical Assistance and Training Contact Special Education Solutions Region 4 Education Service Center 7145 West Tidwell Houston, TX 77092 713.744.6365 Linda De Zell Hall, PhD lhall@esc4.net 713.744.6399 • Jerry Klekotta • gklekotta@esc4.net • 713.744.6393

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