2. Identifies when IEP team meeting attendance is not necessary.
A member of the IEP team shall not be required to attend an IEP meeting, in whole or in part, if the parent of a child with a disability and the LEA agree that the attendance of such member is not necessary because the member’s area of the curriculum or related services is not being modified or discussed in the meeting. A parent’s agreement shall be in writing. [614(d)(1)(C)(i), (iii)]

1. What are the implications when a member(s) of the IEP team does not attend the meeting even if their area of expertise is not discussed:
   
   • with regards to the child’s program
     
   • for the classroom environment
     
   • for the school environment



2. How might non-attendance impact on-going communication and collaborative partnerships among all participants?



3. If a team member is not attending, as provided under IDEA 2004, how might they maintain a supportive working relationship relationship with the other providers and the family?

1. What procedures would be helpful to document agreement between parents and LEA representatives of attendance and non-attendance of specific IEP team members, both with regard to regular IEPs and with respect to teams determining eligibility and reevaluation?



2. What procedures might be helpful if a disagreement occurs as to who should attend the IEP meeting?



3. What procedures might ensure that written consent truly represents informed consent for families?



4. What procedures would facilitate the sharing of relevant information in a timely and an accurate fashion with the non-attendees of the IEP meeting?



5. Differing policies across agencies do not always permit travel and attendance at meetings. How might a team address the impact of limitations on travel for planning and implementation of services across agencies?
   
   
   These questions were developed by the following stakeholders working together:
   
   
   Role: Early Childhood Professional & Advocate
   Location: Maryland
   Role: Higher Education
   Location: South Carolina
   Role: Related Services Provider
   Location: New Jersey
   Role: Parent Training & Information Professional
   Location: California
   Role: Parent
   Location: New Mexico