"I know that the school has to call me to arrange a meeting time that is convenient for me, and then they are supposed to send me a letter stating this meeting time. Usually, I don’t get the letter - they always tell me it probably got lost in the mail. Anyway, I have to rely on this telephone call so that I will know about the meeting. In the past, if I’ve missed a meeting, they just have it without me and then I have to go in later and meet with the counselor to find out what was done in the meeting. This year, they told me they couldn’t have the meeting unless I was there - so I made a special effort to meet with them."

• "Please tell me what you know about your legal right to be a part of the team that develops the IEP..."

"I know that they always ask me to write down some of my feelings about my child’s education on those forms, but they usually do all the other stuff. I don’t always feel like they’ve made the BEST decisions for my child, but everyone seems to be in such a hurry, that I don’t want to delay them. They seem to have these ‘canned’ terms for what is or isn’t wrong with my child. It’s almost like they speak a foreign language. By the end of the meeting, I just want to go home and pray that my child will learn something despite my own ignorance."

• "Please tell me your perception (how you see) about how included you are in your child’s educational planning..."

"First of all - I know that I’m not qualified to plan my child’s education. That’s why teachers go to college. I rely totally on them to give my child everything she needs in the area of education. I’m afraid to suggest anything different than what the teachers present for fear that I will say the wrong thing. I just have to accept what they say and hope it’s the right thing for my child."

• "How do you view the school’s desire to include you in your child’s educational program?"

"I think they show up at the meetings with their plan already made. They just share their plan with me, I agree, and we go from their. They know what’s best for my child, and I don’t - so they are in control. I think that IF I argued with them, they would change some of the things. It’s just not ever been necessary up to this point."

• "What is your role in your child’s education?"

"My role is to see that she gets to school everyday wearing clean clothes, with a full tummy. I also have to be sure she does her homework, and that she goes to bed at night. I read with her before bed sometimes, too."

B-Level: Learning Disabled

"I know that I receive a phone call about 2 weeks before the meeting, to schedule it at a convenient time for me. Then I usually receive a letter about the meeting 3 or 4 days before the meeting. The school is good about notifying me of the meetings - I just sometimes forget."

• "Please tell me what you know about your legal right to be a part of the team that develops your child’s IEP..."

"I know that I am legally entitled to attend all meetings regarding my child’s placement in Special Education. I also know that the school is supposed to cancel a meeting IF I am unable to attend."

• "Please tell your perception about how included you feel in your student’s educational planning..."

"They involve me every step of the way. Of course, they know that I am very interested, and that I’m going to question everything they do! The whole school has been wonderful about letting me voice my concerns and desires - and I always feel that my words are welcomed!"

• "Please tell me your perception of the school’s desire to include you in your student’s educational program..."

"Like I said, the school has always listened to me and done whatever I’ve asked. We work together to make Justin’s education happen. Believe me, neither one of us could have done it on our own! He’s been a challenge since the day he was born!"

• "What are your feelings about the role you play in your child’s education..."

"The most important thing I can do for my child’s education is BACK-UP what the teacher’s say. I have to make him do his homework, and then I have to make sure he obeys the teachers. They’ve done wonderful things with him, and my job is to support their efforts!"