April 29, 2026 Meeting Minutes - High School Transition, Unchanged IEP
- PALS
- Apr 29
- 4 min read
PALS Meeting Minutes
April 29, 2026 9:30 a.m.
Virtual Meeting using Zoom
Open Forum
Open Forum allows participants to share experiences, ask questions, and provide resources in a mutually supportive setting.
Middle School to High School Transition Meeting
Getting ready for a high school IEP transition meeting entails emphasizing self-advocacy, setting post-secondary objectives, and matching supports to a new, more dynamic setting. Important actions involve examining the current IEP, encouraging the student's involvement, refreshing present levels with up-to-date information, and touring the new school to determine required accommodations.
As you prepare for this meeting keep the following in mind:
Always request a draft of the IEP from the school team members before the meeting. Review the draft IEP and prepare questions.
Students are included in the IEP meeting. Prepare your child to share their strengths, interests, goals, needs, and preferences.
Your child's transition plan should include measurable goals for education, training, independent living, and employment.
What supports should be included to accommodate your child's needs? Think about your child's needs as they walk into a larger school environment, longer class times, learn to organize their belongings and time more independently.
Remember that all supports/services provided in academic settings are also available for extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, and dances.
If you are concerned about bullying, as that the school guidance counselor attend the transition meeting.
Be prepared to ask questions like;
What is the difference between diploma tracks and certificate programs?
What are all the graduation requirements and timelines for the diploma track?
How will the school IEP team, teachers, and administrators support your child in meeting these requirements within the timeline?
What happens if my child does not pass the state exams to meet the school's graduation requirement?
How will by child's testing accommodations be met for the PreSAT/SAT/ACT?
Who is in charge of applying?
Who proctors the exam(s)?
Are there goals for self-advocacy, executive functions like bell schedules and lockers?
How will accommodations be provided across multiple teachers?
How will ALL teachers be informed of the IEP?
How will OVR help your child with post high school goals?
What are your child's options with attending the school district's vocational/technology school (Beattie)?
If your child attends vocational/technology school (Beattie) what is the intended industry-certification they leave with?
What are the different levels of each course and what does the school side team believe is the best fit for your child?
What is the school's anti-bullying program?
Make it clear you would like a week six check-in meeting with the IEP team at the start of the new school year.
Document everything.
Please consider reviewing previous meeting minutes when participants discussed graduation requirements and experiences:
April 2017 Students academically unprepared after FCAHS graduation.
May 2018 Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
May 2022 IEP Life After FCAHS Graduation is not what you expect.
February 2023 One of these things is not like the others; FCAHS graduation breakdown
April 2023 Wait! There's more; graduating from FCAHS is different
September 2023 FCAHS graduation update & FCASD board meeting
October 2023 FCASD graduation related board meeting reminder
April 2024 What Graduating from FCAHS is Like
Additional Resources
What to do when discussed changes are not made to an IEP.
If an IEP team does not implement the agreed changes, promptly send a written, dated email to the case manager, principal, and special education director, documenting the changes that were agreed upon and requesting either a follow-up meeting or a "Prior Written Notice" (PWN) denying the changes.
Immediate Action Steps:
Create a Paper Trail: Send a formal email summarizing the meeting discussions, detailing the agreed-upon changes, and highlighting the failure to implement them. Request a written response within 5-10 days.
Request a Meeting: If the team hasn't updated the document, formally request an IEP team meeting to review the draft and finalize changes, as the IEP can be modified at any time.
Request Prior Written Notice (PWN): If the school refuses to make the changes, they must provide a PWN explaining why they are refusing.
Escalation Options:
Administrative Review: Contact the district's special education director or superintendent if the school principal does not resolve the issue.
State Complaint: If the school violated IDEA by not implementing the IEP, file a complaint with your state's Department of Education within one year of the violation.
Mediation or Due Process: Request free, voluntary mediation, or file for a formal due process hearing to resolve disputes.
Key Tips:
Do not sign the IEP document if it does not reflect the agreed-upon changes.
Review the IEP documents carefully to check if the changes were misinterpreted or accidentally omitted.
Keep all correspondence and document every conversation.
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Next Meeting: May 20, 2026 9:30 a.m. Virtual Meeting using Zoom.
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