Decode the Acronyms Before Your Next Meeting

Description

IEP meetings come packed with acronyms — FAPE, LRE, FBA, PWN, MDR — thrown around as if every parent in the room already speaks the language. Decode the Acronyms Before Your Next Meeting is a two-page quick-reference glossary built to change that, so you walk into your next meeting understanding exactly what’s being said.

The card breaks down 14 essential terms in plain language, including FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education), LRE (Least Restrictive Environment), FBA (Functional Behavior Assessment), PWN (Prior Written Notice), MDR (Manifestation Determination Review), IEP, BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan), IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation), ESY (Extended School Year), and Stay Put — along with the differences between an accommodation, a modification, consent, and related services. Each term is explained not just by definition but by what it actually means for your rights and your child’s education, so you can follow the conversation and speak up when something doesn’t add up.

It closes with a reminder that the system wasn’t built to be easy to understand — and that every term you learn becomes a tool for asking sharper questions. It ends with a simple prompt: pick one term from the card and write down a question to bring to your next meeting.

Two printable pages, free to download — a glossary made to fit in your folder and travel with you to every meeting.