Changes to IEP without formal meetings?

[BusynMember]

This is allegedly a new thing, at least in Wisconsin. My daughter is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She has a severe auditory processing problem and has trouble with reading (which includes every subject in school). She is mainstreamed this year because the Learning Disability (LD) kids are functioning way below her. But the mainstream kids are mostly functioning above her. I'm proud that so far she is maintaining a C-, but that's about to hit rock bottom as she loses more ground. The first quarter is mostly review. This was the solution we have come up with. Her regular teacher will work closely with the Learning Disability (LD) teacher and modify her work. She can take tests in the Learning Disability (LD) room with the Learning Disability (LD) teacher, where it is quiet and free of distractions. She likes this idea. We are having a meeting this week. The teachers tell me that we no longer have to have a formal IEP meeting to change her IEP. Is this true? Among other things, she is going to only have to do half the spelling words and will have her homework and reading modified to her ability level. I love her small school--they try to be helpful, but what do you think?

 

[Sheila]

Minor revisions to the IEP without a meeting is new to IDEA 2004.
http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,regs,300,D,300%2E324,a, :

(4) Agreement. (i) In making changes to a child's IEP after the annual IEP Team meeting for a school year, the parent of a child with a disability and the public agency may agree not to convene an IEP Team meeting for the purposes of making those changes, and instead may develop a written document to amend or modify the child's current IEP.

(ii) If changes are made to the child's IEP in accordance with paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section, the public agency must ensure that the child's IEP Team is informed of those changes.

(5) Consolidation of IEP Team meetings. To the extent possible, the public agency must encourage the consolidation of reevaluation meetings for the child and other IEP Team meetings for the child.

(6) Amendments. Changes to the IEP may be made either by the entire IEP Team at an IEP Team meeting, or as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, by amending the IEP rather than by redrafting the entire IEP. Upon request, a parent must be provided with a revised copy of the IEP with the amendments incorporated.