What should I ask at an IEP meeting?

Ask about your child’s actual goals and services: how each goal will be measured, what the data shows so far, who provides each service and how often, and what changes if progress stalls. Three or four specific questions do more than a long generic list. Write them down beforehand, and ask for anything unclear to be explained.

What to do

A week or so before, ask to review your child’s records — recent progress data and any new evaluation reports — so you are not reading them for the first time at the table.
34 CFR § 300.613(a)
Pick your top three concerns and turn each one into a question about a specific goal, service, or accommodation.
At the meeting, say your concerns out loud early. The team has to consider them when writing the IEP.
34 CFR § 300.324(a)(1)(ii)
For each goal, ask: where is my child starting from, how will progress be measured, and when will I hear about it?
34 CFR § 300.320(a)(1), (a)(3)
Before you leave, repeat back what was decided and who is doing what, so everyone leaves with the same list.

What the law says

You can inspect and review your child’s education records, and the school must allow it without unnecessary delay and before any IEP meeting.
34 CFR § 300.613(a)
When developing the IEP, the team must consider your child’s strengths, your concerns for your child’s education, the latest evaluation results, and your child’s needs.
34 CFR § 300.324(a)(1)
Each IEP must spell out how progress on the goals will be measured and when periodic progress reports will be provided.
34 CFR § 300.320(a)(3)
The school must take whatever action is necessary to make sure you understand what happens in the meeting, including arranging an interpreter when needed.
34 CFR § 300.322(e)
Changes after the annual meeting can be made by written amendment, without a new meeting, if you and the school agree.
34 CFR § 300.324(a)(4)

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Common questions

What if I think of a question after the meeting?

Email it to the case manager. A question does not need a new meeting, and if the answer shows something in the IEP should change, the change can be made later by written amendment when you and the school agree.

Is it okay to ask the team to slow down or explain a term?

Yes — the meeting is for you to take part in, not just sit through. Asking what an acronym means or what a score tells the team is part of understanding the plan, and good teams expect it.

Should I ask about services, or only about goals?

Both. Goals say where your child is headed; services say how they get there. Asking who provides each service, for how many minutes, and in what setting is often where the most useful answers come from.