Parent Request for ARD Meeting – We’re currently receiving several parent requests for ARD meetings on campuses. While we want to be responsive to the parent, our only obligation is to respond regarding the request. When a parent requests an ARD meeting, nine chances out of ten, they are either unhappy about something OR they want to request a service. The ARD committee needs to be fully informed to be able to make a decision, so we will most likely need to gather information and staff prior to scheduling the ARD. When a parent requests an ARD meeting, the campus response should go something like this:
Mr./Ms. Parent, we are happy to schedule an ARD meeting for you at a mutually agreeable time and date. Let me get back to you with some dates when required staff is available to attend.
Then you should call or text your assigned Coordinator, or Dr. Megan Pape, or Kate Patterson! We want to find out how we can help before we propose an ARD date. Once we collaborate, the campus should respond to the parent request for ARD. The rest of the response should go something like this:
Mr./Ms. Parent, we have the following dates and times available for an ARD meeting: (date) (date) (date). Will any of those dates work for you?
Lastly, please remember, there is no such thing as an “Emergency ARD!”
We are here to support you!
~Special Education District Department; Kate Patterson