# Before the school meeting > Get the school's documents ahead of time, write down your top three asks, and bring one page about your child. In the room, ask for a functional vision assessment whenever vision gets called behavior, and don't sign anything on the spot. The day after, email a list of what was agreed. Updated 2026-10-04. Canonical: https://cviexplained.com/iep-meeting-prep/ You'll probably be the only CVI expert in the room. That's tiring. Here's the short version. ## The week before - [ ] Ask for every document the team will discuss: evaluation reports, the draft plan, progress reports. "Please send any reports and drafts by [day] so I can read them before we meet." - [ ] Ask who's coming. If the teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) isn't on the list, ask for them. - [ ] Read the reports. Circle what's missing, like no functional vision assessment, or nothing about clutter, fatigue or getting around. - [ ] Write your **top three asks**. Make each one specific. "A functional vision assessment by a TVI who knows CVI," not "more vision help." - [ ] Pick supports from the "Supports to ask for at school" list (cviexplained.com/iep-accommodations/). - [ ] Decide who's coming with you: a partner, a relative, a therapist, an advocate, or someone from your state's Parent Center. Tell the school. ## The day before - [ ] Print **one page about your child**: what helps, what overwhelms, what they're good at, and a recent photo. - [ ] Print the 2017 federal memo on vision eligibility (OSEP 17-05) if eligibility is in question. - [ ] Gather doctor's letters and any notes or short videos from home that show what you see. - [ ] Put it all in one folder, with your three asks on top. - [ ] Ask your companion to take notes, so you can talk. ## In the room - [ ] Hand out your one page at the start. - [ ] Say your three asks early, before the agenda runs out. - [ ] Ask "Who will do that, how often, and starting when?" for every service. - [ ] Ask for anything you don't understand to be explained. "What does that mean for [child] on a normal Tuesday?" - [ ] If they say no, ask: "Can I have that decision and the reasons in writing?" - [ ] Don't sign on the spot. "I'd like to read this at home and get back to you by [day]." ## What to say when they say... **"It's behavior." Or "It's attention."** "Before we treat this as behavior, I'd like a functional vision assessment by a TVI. CVI can look like not paying attention. I want to know what [child] can actually see in that room." **"Her vision screening was normal."** "A screening checks the eyes. CVI is in the brain, and kids with CVI often pass the eye chart. Under IDEA, visual impairment means a vision problem that, even with correction, affects how a child does in school. That's what I'm asking us to look at." **"We don't have a vision teacher."** "I understand. [Child]'s plan should be based on what [child] needs, not on who's on staff. How will the district get a TVI to do this? Could you contract with someone, or ask a nearby district?" **"We'll try it and see."** "OK. Let's write down what we're trying, who checks it, and the date we'll look at it again." **"She seems fine in class."** "Some kids hold it together at school and fall apart at home. Here's what we see after school." ## The day after - [ ] Send a follow-up email listing what was agreed, who does what, and anything still open. Ask them to reply if anything is wrong. (Template: cviexplained.com/letters-and-emails/.) - [ ] File your notes with the date. - [ ] Put the next review date in your calendar. - [ ] If something was refused, ask for the decision in writing. - [ ] Stuck? Call your state's Parent Training and Information Center. It's free. Find it at parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/. ## Questions people ask ### Do I have to sign the plan at the meeting? You can ask to take it home and read it first. Say: "I'd like to read this at home and get back to you by [day]." ### Can I bring someone with me? Yes. Parents can invite people who know the child or have expertise, like a therapist, a relative or an advocate. Tell the school who's coming ahead of time. ## Sources - [34 CFR 300.321, IEP Team](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/34/300.321) - [34 CFR 300.503, Prior notice by the public agency](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/34/300.503) - [US Department of Education, OSEP Memo 17-05 on eligibility for visual impairment (2017)](https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/letter-on-visual-impairment-5-22-17.pdf) - [Williams et al., CVI-related vision problems in primary school children (2021), abstract](https://europepmc.org/article/MED/33533021) - [Perkins School for the Blind, What is CVI?](https://www.perkins.org/what-is-cvi/) - [Center for Parent Information and Resources, Find Your Parent Center](https://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/) --- CVI Explained gives general information. It is not medical or legal advice and it does not diagnose.