Section 392-172A-03100. Parent participation.

A school district must ensure that one or both of the parents of a student eligible for special education are present at each IEP team meeting or are afforded the opportunity to participate, including:

(1) Notifying parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend; and

(2) Scheduling the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place.

(3) The notification required under subsection (1) of this subsection must:

(a) Indicate the purpose, time, and location of the meeting and who will be in attendance; and

(b) Inform the parents about the provisions relating to the participation of other individuals on the IEP team who have knowledge or special expertise about the student, and participation of the Part C service coordinator or other designated representatives of the Part C system as specified by the state lead agency for Part C at the initial IEP team meeting for a child previously served under Part C of IDEA.

(4) Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student turns sixteen, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, the notice also must:

(a) Indicate that a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals and transition services for the student and that the agency will invite the student; and

(b) Identify any other agency that will be invited to send a representative.

(5) If neither parent can attend an IEP team meeting, the school district must use other methods to ensure parent participation, including video or telephone conference calls.

(6) A meeting may be conducted without a parent in attendance if the school district is unable to convince the parents that they should attend. In this case, the public agency must keep a record of its attempts to arrange a mutually agreed on time and place, such as:

(a) Detailed records of telephone calls made or attempted and the results of those calls;

(b) Copies of correspondence sent to the parents and any responses received; and

(c) Detailed records of visits made to the parent's home or place of employment and the results of those visits.

(7) The school district must take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings of the IEP team meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents with deafness or whose native language is other than English.

(8) The school district must give the parent a copy of the student's IEP at no cost to the parent.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.155.090(7) and 42 U.S.C. 1400 et. seq. WSR 07-14-078, § 392-172A-03100, filed 6/29/07, effective 7/30/07.]

RCW 28A.155.090(7) and 42 U.S.C. 1400 et. seq. WSR 07-14-078, § 392-172A-03100, filed 6/29/07, effective 7/30/07.