Often, we don’t think too much about the interpersonal dynamics of our IEP teams – each team we work with has its own way of “doing business”. Its own culture- how they” operate”. How decisions are made - how they regard related services. And how they engage with families.
I have been interested in this topic and have presented on Conflict Resolution which discusses this concept many times…I think it wise for school-based practitioners to understand where their teams are coming from. And to provide them with the tools to work within these complex relationships.
After doing some research for a session I am presenting at the Therapies in the School conference 2024, I came across several research articles that I found compelling- one on the team’s approach to service determination as part of the IEP process and the other how teams may view the emotional state of parents/caregivers regarding their children’s abilities.
So, let’s start with the IEP team culture and view on related services. This comes from Michael Giangreco’s work (Giangreco, M. F. (2001). Guidelines for making decisions about IEP services.)
He posits that IEP teams approach services in three distinct ways: (1) The “More is Better” approach. Not only is this considered inconsistent with good educational practice, but it can also negatively affect inclusion and devalue the expertise of the related service provider and quality of the service. (2) “Return on Investment”. This is also inconsistent with good educational practice; it places higher value on services that address students who are more likely to be “fixed” rather than those whose disabilities are more complex. (3) “Only as Specialized as Necessary”. This approach recognizes the unique contribution of the related service provider. It places value on the service, unlike the “more is better” approach which does not. The team discusses what supports already exist prior to deciding if a related service is necessary.
Certainly, food for thought as you approach any IEP meeting where your services are going to be discussed. Understanding where your team is coming from and educating them on good educational practices will support the idea of only “as specialized as necessary”. In these times of tight resources, it is critical to use any and all resources responsibly.
In the next blog post I will discuss the emotional state of parents and collaborating productively with parents and teams at an IEP meeting.
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