EP Meeting Game Plan: Drafts, Present Levels, Goals, LRE & Services

Walking into an IEP meeting without a plan is how we end up tabling, redoing, and wasting time. In today’s TT Lunch Live, Karen lays out her exact meeting modality—what to request, what to review, and how to build an EPIC IEP that actually drives progress.

What we cover:

• The four documents Karen always has open: last FIE, 36 weeks of progress reports, last annual IEP, and the current draft
• How to open the meeting (hint: don’t jump straight to present levels)
• Building pristine, prescriptive, “puffy” Present Levels (strengths, needs, and input from everyone who provides an educational product)
• Elevating parent concerns into the Present Levels (34 CFR §300.324) instead of burying them in deliberations
• LRE ≠ “get back to general ed”; understanding continuum of placements (34 CFR §300.115) and why resource still exists
• Building the Schedule of Services after Present Levels, Goals, Accommodations, and LRE are solid
• Practical advocacy: creating a “Zach Pack,” sharing the IEP with all teachers (including electives), and partnering with staff

Resources mentioned:

• Pre-order Karen’s new book The Epic IEP + unlock bonuses: https://theepiciep.com
• Federal regulations online (eCFR) and IDEA references (e.g., §300.324 review/revise IEP; §300.115 continuum of placements)

Call to Action

• Join The Academy for weekly, no-fluff training and Q&A: https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about
• Questions? Email: [e-mail]
• Subscribe and share this episode with a friend at the IEP/504 table.

“When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody.” — Karen Mayer Cunningham

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