How Student-Led IEP Meetings Promote Self-Advocacy
When students lead their IEP meetings, they can speak up for their needs—and take an important step toward forging their own path, in school and in life.
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Go to My Saved Content.At Olmsted Falls High School in Ohio, students don’t just attend their annual IEP meetings—they lead them. For 11th-grader Samson, taking an active role in these conversations has become an important part of growing more independent, both in school and beyond. Samson began attending his IEP meetings in eighth grade and hasn’t missed one since, gradually moving from some participation to a fully student-led model. “I like being a part of those meetings,” he says. “It lets my voice be heard.” He wants other students to know that having an IEP doesn’t set them apart—it simply means they get support where they need it.
Transition coordinator Christen Brabenec works closely with students like Samson as they prepare for these meetings. Before each IEP conversation, she meets one-on-one with students to help them reflect on their strengths, needs, and goals. These planning sessions are where she uses Charting the LifeCourse, a framework that helps students and educators break goals into concrete steps. “It narrows our focus and gives us actual to-do steps,” Brabenec explains. “It also gives students talking points: ‘This is what I want. This is what I need.’”
During their prep session, Samson and Brabenec identify what’s still helpful and what is no longer necessary—and because he knows his plan, Samson is more likely to ask for help. He sees these gradual shifts as part of building independence. “We take little steps at a time,” he says.
By the time Samson enters his IEP meeting—with his mom, teachers, and principal—he’s ready. He shares his goals, communicates what he needs, and listens as others offer feedback. It’s exactly what student-led IEPs are designed to do—make sure the conversation centers the student’s voice.
Samson’s advice to others is simple: “Don’t be afraid of your voice being heard… People can’t decide things for you. In life, you’ve got to be the one to make your own decisions.”
Find more resources on how to implement student-led IEP meetings in this Edutopia article by Angie Chapple, “How to Foster Student Self-Advocacy in IEP Meetings.”