Section 56341.5 Of Article 3. Instructional Planning And Individualized Education Program From California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 30. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 3.
56341.5
. (a) Each local educational agency convening a meeting of
the individualized education program team shall take steps to ensure
that no less than one of the parents or guardians of the individual
with exceptional needs are present at each individualized education
program meeting or are afforded the opportunity to participate.
(b) Parents or guardians shall be notified of the individualized
education program meeting early enough to ensure an opportunity to
attend.
(c) The individualized education program meeting shall be
scheduled at a mutually agreed-upon time and place. The notice of the
meeting under subdivision (b) shall indicate the purpose, time, and
location of the meeting and who shall be in attendance. Parents or
guardians also shall be informed in the notice of the right, pursuant
to Section 300.322(b)(1)(ii) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, to bring other people to the meeting who have knowledge
or special expertise regarding the individual with exceptional needs,
and inform the parents of subdivision (i) of Section 56341 relating
to the participation of the infants and toddlers with disabilities
service coordinator under Subchapter III (commencing with Section
1431) of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20
U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.) at the initial individualized education
program team meeting for a child previously served under the
Subchapter III program.
(d) As part of the participation of an individual with exceptional
needs in the development of an individualized education program, as
required by federal law, the individual with exceptional needs shall
be allowed to provide confidential input to any representative of his
or her individualized education program team.
(e) For an individual with exceptional needs, beginning no later
than the effective date of the individualized education program in
effect when the individual reaches the age of 16 years, or younger if
determined appropriate by the individualized education program team,
the meeting notice also shall indicate that a purpose of the meeting
will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals and transition
services for the individual, pursuant to Section 56345.1 and Section
1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(VIII) of Title 20 of the United States Code, and the
meeting notice shall indicate that the individual with exceptional
needs is invited to attend. If the pupil does not attend the
individualized education program meeting, the local educational
agency shall take steps to ensure that the preferences and interests
of the pupil are considered in accordance with Section 300.321(b)(2)
of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(f) The local educational agency, to the extent appropriate, with
the consent of the parents or individual with exceptional needs who
has reached the age of majority, and in accordance with Section
300.321(b)(3) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, shall
invite a representative of any participating agency that is likely to
be responsible for providing or paying for transition services.
(g) Pursuant to Section 300.322(c) of Title 34 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, if no parent or guardian can attend the meeting,
the local educational agency shall use other methods to ensure
parent or guardian participation, including individual or conference
telephone calls, and consistent with Section 300.328 of Title 34 of
the Code of Federal Regulations, the parent or guardian and the local
educational agency may agree to use alternative means of meeting
participation.
(h) A meeting may be conducted without a parent or guardian in
attendance if the local educational agency is unable to convince the
parent or guardian that he or she should attend. In this event, the
local educational agency shall maintain a record of its attempts to
arrange a mutually agreed-upon time and place, such as:
(1) Detailed records of telephone calls made or attempted and the
results of those calls.
(2) Copies of correspondence sent to the parents or guardians and
any responses received.
(3) Detailed records of visits made to the home or place of
employment of the parent or guardian and the results of those visits.
(i) The local educational agency shall take any action necessary
to ensure that the parent or guardian understands the proceedings at
a meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents or
guardians with deafness or whose native language is a language other
than English.
(j) The local educational agency shall give the parent or guardian
a copy of the individualized education program, at no cost to the
parent or guardian.