Effective meetings ensure that concerns are fully addressed and that decisions are clearly made. Clear communication helps ensure that information is understood and that responses are direct and complete. Together, these support data-driven accountability by ensuring that decisions are based on objective evidence and can be reviewed over time.

Effective Meetings

Effective meetings should result in clear, data-based decisions that are properly documented.

| Before Meetings

• Write down your key concerns and requests

• Prioritize the most important issues

• Send them in advance when possible

| During Meetings

• State concerns clearly and directly

• Keep the discussion focused on data and your child’s needs

| Ask Questions Such as:

• • • • “What data supports that decision?”

      • “How is progress being measured?”

      • “What data shows this is working?”

| If Discussions Shift:

• Bring it back to your concern

| If Something Is Unclear:

• Ask for clarification 

• Ask for clear, direct responses to your requests (e.g., yes or no)

| If the School Refuses Your Request:

• Request a Prior Written Notice (PWN) (34 C.F.R. § 300.503)

  • • • A PWN is a safeguard that requires a detailed written record of all refusals  (View details)

      • Verbal refusals or vague statements are not sufficient. 

      • Refusals may be needed to show patterns at a later date.

| After the Meeting

Send a short follow-up email confirming your concerns, decisions made, and anything unresolved.

Effective Communication

Communication ensures that decisions are clearly understood and accurately reflected in the record.

• Be clear and specific

• Ask for direct answers to each request

• Request that responses are documented in writing

• Confirm what was decided and why

• Identify the data supporting each decision

• Ensure the record reflects key statements and rationales

Clear written communication creates a record of what was requested, discussed, and decided. This allows decisions to be reviewed and verified over time, including in future meetings or formal proceedings.

Data-Driven Accountability

Educational decisions should be based on clear, objective data—not general statements or assumptions.

Parents should expect:

• Specific data showing current performance

• Clear evidence of progress over time

• Data supporting each decision

• Decisions and explanations documented in writing

Be cautious of statements like:

• “The student is doing fine”

• “Progress is being made”

• “We have enough data”

Educational decisions must be supported by sufficient, reliable data and clearly documented to allow for meaningful review and accountability. When decisions are not supported by objective data, a student’s ability to access and benefit from educational services may be affected.