ARD stands for Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process. It’s an established meeting where teachers and other support staff bring their expertise on education, and the parent(s) or guardian(s) with the CASA volunteer bring their knowledge of the child’s needs, abilities, desires, and expectations. Together, they create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that outlines what modifications, accommodations, and educational placements a child needs to be successful in their schoolwork.
What are the reasons for an ARD meeting?
- Child has just started school
- Child has received a diagnosis or new assessments
- Child is new to the district
- Change needs to be made to the current IEP
- Child is transitioning out of special education services or public education
- Child is having behavior challenges that get in the way of their education
- Child has mastered or isn’t making progress on IEP goals
Who attends an ARD meeting
- Parent
- Child (required at age 18 but optional before)
- CASA volunteer
- Child’s regular education teacher
- Child’s special education teacher or teachers
- At least one school district representative
- Anyone else invited by parent or school district
Together, the group is called the ARD committee or team.
What happens at an ARD meeting?
- The committee will decide if your child has a disability or educational need that allows them special education and related services.
- Every teacher and therapist might read the goals and objectives for the child
- The committee will look at the child’s latest measures of academic performance in standardized testing and in the classroom
- The committee will decide on the type of special education services the child will need, including accommodations, modifications, and educational placement
- Everyone reviews the IEP and signs it in agreement or schedules another ARD to continue making modifications
Sources: https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/education-schools/ard-process
