Anyone with IEP meeting experience know if there is a way to have an advocate on our (parents side) I mean our last meeting we had about 4 people from his school in the meeting and then his father and I. I would love if we could have like a (how can I say it) parents advocate on our side. Not saying we are total push overs I just feel the school seems to push back as if they know best.
*Remember our kids are different, but the best different God made 😍*
Ask your child's psychologist if they can go with you, I was very lucky to have an awesome psychologist who moved some of her appointments around to join the IEP meeting, she was an amazing help because she talked about what my son and her are working on and her observation of what he needs in school. She also stayed connected with the school psychologist because he was having a whole battery of new testing done. Sometimes IEP can be super confusing and have so much wording and information in the report. IT can be overwhelming, trust and believe I understand....besides the school psychologist, the school counselor may be a good place to go before the meeting to ask questions and understand what the outcome of the assistance or help is supposed to do. Share your goals with your psychologist and if they cant make it to the meeting they may be able to give you some tips on the matter. Like, point you in the direction of further research or resources to help you state your point at the meeting.
At the end of the day, its YOUR CHILD and you know them as an individual better than anyone else. Cookie cutter IEP's sometimes help with the flow of school hours and assistance in the classroom but if you feel your child needs very specific modifications to learning then have an objective reason and fight for it. I've sat in some of the worst IEP meetings where one teacher rudely cut off all the other teachers because she was so emotional about giving my son extra time and he still didn't complete the task. All I could say to her was did you ever consider your behavior as an issue and not the task at hand. I gathered she was hot-headed and pushy not just with me but the children in her class as well. The eye rolls from the other teachers when she started talking was a clear indicator this was her normal behavior at these meetings. My son at the time was very defiant with authority but only if they nagged him to complete his work....other than that everyone said he was pleasant and charming. I also asked the table of teachers, how are they thinking outside the box since my son is not completing his task, I also assured them that while myself and my husband awaited a diagnosis we would not be resorting to medication if it was ADHD so they would need to think out of the box anyway and not rely on a "magic pill" for him to complete his work. They all looked defeated when I said that, the only face in the room that understood was the school psychologist! He actually was happy I challenged the teachers and made it clear that they would have to put forth extra effort to help my son succeed. The school psychologist became my ally after that, we exchanged email and he sent me tons of resources on motivating my son, parenting tips on defiant children, investigating questions of why he wasn't completing his work, finding alternatives to medicine....even introduced me to diet plans (which is why my photo is a picture of the stomach) microbiomes play a roll in brain deficits as well! That was five years ago and we moved to another state that has an overall a better outlook on education or should I say teachers who actually care about the success of my children.
With that said don't be afraid to tap into the resources that are right in front of you, you may be surprised at who is willing to take some extra time to have your back! Hope this helps..
When I was doing research for my son this was the website that helped me understand what the test scores meant and because I couldn't afford an IEP advocate I stayed up all night figuring out the system myself. There is a lot to learn but your child may be using these services even in college so it's worth learning as much as you can since these meetings will be regular through the time of your child's education.
Game Plan for New Parents. Introductory article; focuses on the importance of planning and preparation. (wrightslaw.com/advoc/articl...
Do your school still arrange IEP meetings?? 
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my 5 year old with adhd 
