Facilitated IEP meetings: what they are and how to ask for one
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A facilitated IEP meeting is a regular IEP meeting run by a neutral, trained facilitator who is not part of the team. The facilitator keeps the talk on track and helps everyone be heard, but does not decide anything. It is voluntary, and many states offer it free when parents and schools are having trouble agreeing.
Sometimes IEP meetings get stuck. People talk past each other, the same point comes up again and again, or the meeting runs out of time. A facilitated meeting is one way to reset. The team is the same. The difference is who runs the meeting.
For what happens at every IEP meeting, see the IEP meeting guide.
What a facilitator does and does not do
| A facilitator does | A facilitator does not |
|---|---|
| Help set an agenda and ground rules everyone agrees to | Make decisions about your child's services |
| Keep time and keep the meeting on the agenda | Take your side or the school's side |
| Make sure each person gets a turn to speak | Give legal advice |
| Write key points and agreements where everyone can see them | Write the IEP for the team |
| Help the team list options when people disagree | Judge who is right |
The IEP team still makes the decisions, and you are still a full member of the team.[1]
Where facilitated meetings come from
Federal special education rules do not describe facilitated IEP meetings. Many state education agencies offer them anyway, often free, as an early step before formal dispute options. Some districts have their own facilitators too. Rules on who can ask and how to request one vary by state.
Facilitation is different from mediation. Mediation is a formal process in federal law, with a trained mediator and a written agreement that can be enforced.[2] Facilitation is an IEP meeting with extra help. The page on mediation vs due process explains the formal options.
An annotated example: a facilitated meeting agenda
Here is a made-up agenda for a child named Marcus, age 11. The last two meetings ended without agreement on reading services. Hold it next to any agenda you get.
| Agenda item | Time | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome and ground rules | 10 minutes | The facilitator asks everyone to agree to rules like "one person talks at a time." |
| Each person's hopes for Marcus | 10 minutes | You and each staff member say one goal for Marcus. This starts the meeting on shared ground. |
| Issue 1: reading progress data | 20 minutes | The teacher shares Marcus's scores. You share what you see at home. |
| Issue 2: options for reading services | 25 minutes | The team lists every option first, then talks about each one. |
| Agreements and open items | 15 minutes | The facilitator reads back what was agreed and what is still open. |
| Next steps | 10 minutes | Who does what, by when. |
Notice that the agenda names the issue. A facilitated meeting works best when everyone knows what the disagreement is about.
How to ask for a facilitated meeting
- Find out if your state offers it. Search your state education agency's site for "IEP facilitation," or ask your Parent Training and Information Center.
- Talk with the school. Facilitation is voluntary, so both sides usually need to agree. You can say, "I think a facilitator would help us. Would the school agree to request one?"
- Fill out the request form. Most ask for your child's name, the school, and a short note on the main issues.
- Agree on a date. The meeting still needs a notice with the purpose, time, place and who will attend.[3]
Questions to ask the team
You can say these word for word.
- "Does our state or district offer IEP facilitation?"
- "Would the school be willing to try a facilitated meeting?"
- "Who would the facilitator be, and how are they trained?"
- "Can we agree on the main issues for the agenda ahead of time?"
- "Will the decision-maker for the district be at the meeting?"
- "If we do not reach agreement, what happens next?"
What to do next
- Write down the 1 to 3 issues that keep coming up. Be specific: "reading minutes" is clearer than "services."
- Gather your data: progress reports, work samples, outside reports. The guide on how to read a progress report can help.
- Read handling disagreement in IEP meetings for other ways to move forward.
- Use the IEP meeting checklist for parents to prepare.
- Check that the meeting will happen before the annual review deadline. The IEP due date calculator can show the date.
- Contact your state's Parent Training and Information Center for free help. Find yours through the Center for Parent Information and Resources.[4]
Frequently asked questions
Does a facilitated IEP meeting cost money?
Many states offer facilitation free to families and schools. Some districts have their own facilitators. Ask your state education agency or Parent Training and Information Center what is available.
Can the school refuse a facilitated IEP meeting?
Facilitation is voluntary, so in most states both sides need to agree. If the school says no, ask why and ask what other options it would consider.
Is a facilitated IEP meeting the same as mediation?
No. Mediation is a formal dispute process under federal law with its own rules and written agreements. A facilitated meeting is a regular IEP meeting run by a neutral person.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- IEP team in the IEP glossary
- Mediation in the IEP glossary
- Annual review in the IEP glossary
- IEP due date calculator
Related guides
- The IEP meeting: before, during and after
- Handling disagreement in a difficult IEP meeting
- Virtual IEP meetings: how to run one that works
- How often are IEP meetings held?
- Mediation vs due process vs state complaint
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.321: IEP Team, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.506: Mediation, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.322: Parent participation, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- Center for Parent Information and Resources, CPIR
- Mediation under Part B of IDEA, CPIR
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.