The team must include the following people:

1. One or both of the child’s parents, a representative selected by the parent, or both.
2. At least one general education teacher if the child is, or may be, in a general education environment. If the child has more than one general education teacher, the school can select which one attends.
3. At least one special education teacher or service provider.
4. A school district representative who is: qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specialized instruction; knowledgeable about the general curriculum; and knowledgeable about the resources of the district. Another district member already on the IEP team may serve in this role.
5. The individual who conducted the assessments of the student, or someone who is knowledgeable about the procedure used and the results, and is qualified to interpret the instructional implications of the results. Another IEP team member may serve in this role.
6. Other people with specific expertise or knowledge of the student, at the parent’s or district’s request. The party who invited the person to the meeting decides whether the additional invited person has sufficient knowledge or expertise.
7. The student, when appropriate. [Cal. Ed. Code Secs. 56341(b) & (e).]

For students with learning disabilities, at least one member of the team must be qualified to do assessments of children with learning disabilities. This might include a school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, or remedial reading teacher. At least one team member, other than the child’s teacher, must have observed the child’s academic performance in a general education classroom, unless the child is preschool age. In that case, the team member must have observed the child in a setting appropriate for the age of that child. [Cal. Ed. Code Sec. 56341(c).]

If the student is transition age (that is, beginning at least at age 16), the school must invite the student to attend the meeting. If the student does not attend, the district must take steps to ensure that it obtains the student’s input regarding his preferences and interests. The school must also invite a representative of an agency that is likely to be providing or paying for a transition service. [Cal. Ed. Code Sec. 56341(d).]

A student who is already placed by a district in a nonpublic (non-religious) school (NPS) may have IEP meetings with only staff present from the NPS, if the school district elects not to send anyone to the meeting and delegates review and revision of the IEP to the nonpublic school staff. However, even if the NPS reviews, revises, and implements the IEP, the district remains responsible for compliance with special education laws with regard to the student’s program. [34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.325; Cal. Ed. Code Sec. 56383.]