Learn the "Draft IEP" secret to stop predetermination. Get Tonya Wollum’s expert scripts for requesting IEP drafts and auditing goals to lead your child's next meeting with confidence.

Show Notes:

Stop walking into IEP meetings unprepared. Discover the ‘Draft IEP’ secret that ensures you aren’t just a guest at the table—you’re the CEO of your child’s education.

Does walking into an IEP meeting feel like stepping onto a train that’s already left the station? Many parents are handed a completed, stapled document at the start of their meeting, leaving them no time to process data or offer meaningful input. In this episode, Tonya Wollum reveals the “Draft IEP” secret.

Learn why receiving a draft in advance is your legal right to “meaningful participation,” how to handle school teams that say they “don’t do drafts,” and why the word Predetermination is the most important term in your advocacy vocabulary. Whether you live in a “Gold Standard” state or one with no strict deadlines, Tonya provides the exact scripts and strategies you need to audit your child’s IEP goals, data, and “Present Levels” before you ever sit down in those tiny plastic chairs.

Work with Tonya as an IEP Coach: If you’re looking for personalized support, a trusted partner, and expert guidance through the IEP process, I would be honored to be part of your team. Find more information about my IEP coaching services here: https://waterprairie.com/iepcoach

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Music Used:

“LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

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Episode #145: Season 5 Kickoff: Flu Bugs and Big Changes

Stop walking into IEP meetings unprepared. Discover the ‘Draft IEP’ secret that ensures you aren’t just a guest at the table—you’re the CEO of your child’s education.

(Recorded February 19, 2026)

Full Transcript of Episode 145:

Intro & The Hook

[Begin Intro music – Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/]

Tonya: Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Water Prairie Chronicles. Last week, we kicked off Season 5 talking about changes and new beginnings, and today I want to dive straight into one of the most powerful tools you have in your advocacy toolkit—and it’s one that schools don’t always tell you about.

This topic is for you if you have a child in special education in the United States or if you’re attempting to get your child on an IEP (an Individualized Education Program)

Imagine walking into your child’s IEP meeting. You sit down, and the team hands you a 30-page document that is already stapled, dated, and looks… well, finished. You feel like the train has already left the station and you’re just there to wave it goodbye.

When my children were in elementary school, I would be either given a copy of their draft IEP at the start of the meeting, or the team would project the document onto a SMART board as we worked through the document. They would usually explain that this was not the official IEP until after the meeting that day. I had no idea that there might be other options, but I do remember being tired by the end of the meeting after they had read the entire document to me word for word!

I know many of you can relate to that story and may have experienced even worse situations. Today, I’m going to teach you the “Draft IEP Secret,” so you never have to feel that way again.

What is a Draft IEP? (And the “P” Word)

First, let’s get the legal jargon out of the way. Under the federal law called IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, your school is allowed—and often encouraged—to come to the meeting prepared. This often takes the form of a Draft IEP.

Now, here is the secret: A draft is a proposal. It’s not a decision. There is a very important legal term you should be aware of called Predetermination. This is when a school decides what services or placement your child will get before they ever listen to your input. Predetermination is illegal!

So, when a school prepares a draft, they are legally required to make it clear that these are just “preliminary recommendations” and not the final document.

Just like they used to do when I would go into the meeting and they would explain that to me.

State-to-State Differences: Know Your Local Rules

Now, I often get asked: “Does the school have to give me the draft before the meeting?”

The short answer is: Federally, no. IDEA doesn’t mandate a specific timeline for drafts. However, today, we live in a “leave it to the states” kind of world when it comes to education.

Every state has its own spin on how they present this information to parents. For example:

• If you live in Massachusetts or California: These are “Gold Standard” states that actually require schools to provide certain documents or drafts in advance. You’ve got it easy!
• If you live in Virginia: State law requires that evaluation reports be available to you at least 2 business days before the meeting.
• And if you’re like me and you live in North Carolina: While there isn’t a strict “draft” deadline, the state emphasizes “meaningful participation,” and many districts have policies to provide them 3–5 days before the meeting.

Here’s a Pro-Tip: Even if your state doesn’t require it by law, participation is a federal right. If you can’t read a 30-page document in 30 seconds at a table, you aren’t “meaningfully participating,” and having it read aloud to you during the meeting is, in my opinion, a waste of time because you just can’t digest that much information and respond appropriately after hearing it for the first time.

What if the school says “No”?

By the time my children were in middle school, their IEP teams stopped having anything prepared before the meetings. I asked them once if I could get the information before hand because I saw the value of having a draft ready since much of the information such as data collected or their present levels would not be changed during the meeting, and I was told that at that time in NC they were not allowed to pre-fill any of the sections on the IEP until the meeting occurred. This meant much time was wasted with someone having to copy and paste information into the different fields of the document. I share this story with you because you should be aware that policies will change from time to time, and you should be ready to ask questions and help find a mutually beneficial solution so you and your child’s IEP team can make the most of your time together.

I’ll share what my solution was in a minute, but first, you might be asking, “What do I do if I ask for a draft and the school says, ‘We aren’t allowed to create a draft,’ or ‘It’s against policy ‘?”

First, I would ask to see that policy in writing. If you’ve worked with me at all, you know I always want everything in writing, but, spoiler alert here, it usually doesn’t exist.

If they refuse, here is your script. Simply send them an email saying,

I understand you want to wait for the meeting to collaborate. However, to be an equal member of this team, I need time to process the data so I can contribute. If I receive the document for the first time at the table, we may need to schedule a follow-up meeting so I can review it properly.

Nothing gets a draft sent faster than the threat of a second meeting! Especially if your meeting is coming up near the end of the year, when every other child is going to be having a meeting. There’s no time in their schedule to meet twice.

My solution back when my child’s middle school teams were not allowed to have the draft ready when we began the meeting was to ask each specialist to send me their input and data via email before the meeting. It got to the point that they loved the idea so much they would send me their “official” wording and ask me to send them my input before the meeting, so they were making suggestions based on what I wanted to see. This was the first time I realized how much of a voice I actually could have in my children’s education program, and it helped to create a much better working relationship with each of the specialists who worked with my children. Our entire relationship changed for the better, and no, they didn’t take my input word for word, but they did listen to me and incorporate the ideas into their reports.

The Coach’s Checklist: What to look for in the Draft

OK, I’m getting off topic a little. Let’s get back to that draft IEP.

Once you get a copy of it in your inbox or in your child’s backpack, like I often did, don’t just look at the service hours. As an IEP coach, I typically look for three things right away:

1. First, I look at the PLAAFP, which is the Present Levels of performance: Does this actually sound like your child? If it’s a copy and paste of the information from last year, highlight it in yellow.
2. Next, look for a “Data Gap”: Are the goals based on numbers, or just “teacher observation”? You should see documented data to support each of the goals.
3. Finally, look at the Parent Concerns section: Is your voice in there? If not, that’s the first thing we should work on for you!

Closing & Call to Action

Remember, you are the only person at the IEP table who is an expert on your child for their entire life. The school staff are experts during the school day for one school year, but you are the expert forever. You also know what happens outside of the classroom. Use the IEP draft to find your voice.

If you’re looking at a draft right now and your head is spinning, this is part of what I do as an IEP Coach. I help you spot the red flags before you ever sit down at the IEP table.

So, what are your Next Steps?

• First, if you haven’t done so yet, check out the Water Prairie YouTube channel. I’m posting a new video this week about this topic, and I have videos of past podcast episodes as well as on topics like the parent input letter and how to start the special education process if you haven’t begun yet.
• And, if you need a second pair of eyes on your draft, head over to waterprairie.com and book a FREE discovery call on the IEP coaching page. This is a 15-minute call that we’ll have together. We can talk about your top concerns, and it can get you started with what you need to do next.

Let’s make this the year you walk into your child’s IEP meeting feeling like the CEO of your child’s education. I’ll see you next week!

[outro music fades – Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/]

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. What if my school says they are legally not allowed to create a draft IEP? Ask for that policy in writing. Federal law (IDEA) does not prohibit drafts; in fact, it encourages preparation as long as the team remains open to parent input.
2. How many days in advance should I ask for a draft of my child’s IEP? A good rule of thumb is 3 to 5 business days. This gives you enough time to read it and consult with an IEP coach if needed.
3. What is “Predetermination” and why does it matter? Predetermination is when a school decides on services or placement before the meeting occurs. It is illegal because it bypasses your right as an equal member of the IEP team.
4. If the IEP draft looks fine, do I still need to do anything? Yes. Check the “Present Levels” (PLAAFP) to ensure they aren’t just a copy-paste from last year. Your child has grown; the document should reflect that.
5. I’m overwhelmed by how long my child’s IEP is. Where do I start? Start with the Parent Concerns section. If your voice isn’t there, or if it doesn’t accurately reflect your child’s needs at home, that is your first priority for the meeting.