What Parents Need to Know To Prepare for the Annual Review
Whether this is your first Annual Review meeting or your last it is always in your and your child’s best interest to be as prepared as possible and make sure all your questions are answered and you have the right information for the next stage of your child’s special education experience. We suggest that you review this checklist to ensure that the outcome meets all the needs of your child. In order to have all the information necessary, you should walk away from this meeting with answers from the teachers, support personnel, and other working with your child to most if not all of the following questions:
Academic Questions to consider
- Have you seen progress this year in academic areas? If not what have you noticed?
Social Questions to consider
- Have you seen progress in social areas? If not what have you noticed?
Emotional/behavioral Questions to Consider
- Have you observed any behavioral issues that are of concern to you at this time? If so what are they and what has been tried to resolve the issues so far?
Medical Questions to consider (if applicable)
- Are there any medical issues or symptoms that you have observed this year that may require medical intervention? i.e. squinting
Transitional Questions to consider (if your child is 14 or older)
- If age applicable, express any feelings about the direction you would like to see for your child after he or she ages out i.e. work experience, post secondary education.
- What transition goals do you see for my child in the coming year?
Related Service Questions to consider
- Do you feel that my child benefited from his or her related services?
- Do you feel that any further related services need to be explored?
Assistive Technology Questions to consider (if applicable)
- Has my child been exposed to any assistive technology this year? If so what type and for what reasons?
Special Education Program Questions to Consider
- Do you feel my child benefited from his or her special education placement this year?
- Would you suggest a change in that placement and for what reasons? For instance, does he/she require a more restrictive or less restrictive setting (more restrictive settings include self contained, special day school etc. while less restrictive settings may include resource room and inclusion classes.)
Accommodation/Modification Questions to consider
- Do you feel that my child benefited from his or her accommodations and modifications? If not why not?
- Do you feel that the Committee should consider additional related services or modifications and accommodations? If so which ones and why?
IEP Questions to consider
- Ask questions about your child’s proposed goals in the IEP and request more information, as needed. It’s important!
Triennial Review Questions to consider
First establish your child’s triennial review year. If this is the year then the results may be reviewed at this Annual Review meeting. If you are aware that this is the year for the Triennial Review then ask the following questions:
- Can we review my child’s Triennial Review test results?
- Will I receive a copy of the report on my child’s Triennial Review test results? (You are entitled to a copy by law)
Present Classification Questions to be considered
- Do you have any concerns about his/her current classification? If so what are the concerns and what would you suggest?
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