Can The IEP Team Develop A Draft IEP Prior To The IEP Team Meeting?

According to South Carolina's Office of Exceptional Children Policies and Procedures released April 6, 2009, the answer is "yes". A draft IEP may be developed before any IEP meeting. However, in order to ensure full team participation in the development of the IEP, the IEP may not be completed before the IEP team meeting. Members of the IEP team may come with evaluation findings and recommended IEP components, but should make it clear to the parents that these are only suggestions and the parents' input is required in making any final recommendations. If LEA personnel bring drafts of some or all of the IEP content to the IEP meeting, there must be a full discussion with the IEP team, including the parents, before the child's IEP is finalized, regarding content, the child's needs and the services to be provided to meet those needs. Parents have the right to bring questions, concerns, and recommendations to an IEP meeting for discussion (Federal Register, August 14, 2006, p. 46678).