Clark County School District expects schools to send parents the first Prior Written Notice of an IEP meeting at least ten school days before it happens, and to share a draft IEP at least five school days before the meeting. Both expectations are in the district's November 2026 Special Education Procedures Manual, linked from ssd.ccsd.net and checked Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
That manual is written for CCSD staff, and its chapter 14 reads like a countdown.
Four to six weeks before the IEP is due
The manual's IEP Development Timeline starts here. Staff are told to "Coordinate with the parent/guardian to identify a mutually agreed upon IEP meeting date," and the manual says it is "imperative to begin the IEP scheduling process at least 30 days in advance of the due date."
Find your child's IEP due date. It is on the current IEP. Annual meetings happen at least once a year under NAC 388.281.
When the case manager calls, offer two or three times that work. The manual says the team may not meet without you if you have asked for a different time, said you want to attend but cannot make that time, or asked to reschedule so an advocate, attorney, or family member can come.
Ask to join by Google Meet or phone if you cannot come in person. The manual lists that as a reasonable effort the school must make.
If parents live in separate homes, tell the school. The manual says "custodial arrangements of both parents/guardians need to be considered when scheduling."
Decide if you want a neutral facilitator. The Nevada Department of Education's IEP facilitation page says a request "should be requested at least two (2) weeks prior to an IEP meeting," and NDE checks that both sides agree to take part. NDE's dispute resolution page says all its options cost parents nothing.
About a month before
Ask for an interpreter if you need one. The timeline tells staff to secure an interpreter for families who do not speak English, and a signing interpreter if needed, in this window. Spanish speaking families should also expect the draft IEP to go out for Spanish translation.
Ask for your child's records. CCSD's 2026 to 2027 Back to School legal notices say a written request to the principal for a records review must be honored "within 10 school days of the written request." That is the district's own records rule. The separate state rights booklet rule, covered in CCSD Insider's special education rights guide, says access must come before any IEP meeting and never later than 45 calendar days after you ask.
Pull the last progress report, the last two report cards, recent test scores, and any teacher emails. Put them in one folder.
Two weeks out: read the notice
The manual says "The District has defined 'reasonable notice' to be no less than ten school days," and the first Prior Written Notice should arrive by then. A second notice with a copy of the rights booklet should follow one to two weeks before the due date.
Check the purpose boxes on the notice. The manual's guidance to staff says "It is not appropriate to select every box, nor is it proper to discuss things at the meeting that are not indicated on the PWN." If you want placement, transportation, or a related service discussed, ask in writing that it be added.
Check who is invited. Required members include you, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a district representative who can commit resources. Students must be invited starting at age 14, the manual says, and may attend at any age.
Planning to ask for more speech, occupational therapy, or another related service? Tell the case manager now. The manual says the provider must be invited when a related service will be discussed, and "Attendance is not required unless any change in related service will be discussed, then the provider must attend."
Asking about a bus aide or an adjusted bus schedule? The manual and the legal notices say a Transportation Department representative must be on the team for those talks.
If someone asks you to sign an excusal form for a team member, read it first. Under NAC 388.281, a required member can skip the meeting only with your written agreement, and if that member's area will be changed or discussed, the member must also send you and the team written input beforehand. You can say no.
Five school days out: read the draft
The manual says "It is the District's expectation that DRAFT IEPs are shared at least five school days prior to the meeting," marked DRAFT. If it has not arrived, email the case manager and ask for it.
Do not panic about blanks. The manual tells staff, "Do not include dates, frequency of services, or location of services," because "those will be discussed during the meeting."
Read present levels. Do they match the child you know? The manual says, "If a parent/guardian wants to add to present levels, they may."
Read each goal and ask how it will be measured and who will measure it.
For students 14 and older, read the transition plan, which the manual says should be in the draft.
Write your parent concerns. Federal rules at 34 CFR 300.324(a) require the team to consider "The concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child." A short written paragraph is easier to get into the IEP than a comment made late in the meeting.
Make a list of questions, highest priority first.
What to bring
Your folder: the draft with your notes, work samples, outside reports, and your concerns paragraph. The manual says parents "may share relevant information about students, including medical, outside ABA services, or other therapies."
A support person, if you want one. The manual says parents may bring "special education advocates, attorneys, or other family members; notifying the school in advance is not required."
Your child, if old enough to speak to goals and accommodations.
A way to take notes. If you want to record, say so at the start. The manual tells staff that "Neither the IDEA nor the NAC include provisions for recording MDT or IEP meetings," and that when a meeting is recorded, the school keeps a copy on a thumb drive in your child's confidential folder.
During the meeting
The manual gives staff a during the meeting list.
Everyone stays. "If any required member needs to leave, the meeting must be tabled and reconvened when all required members can return." If the general education teacher slips out for a class, you can ask to pause.
The rights booklet should be reviewed. Ask any question you have about it.
Correct the information page if anything is wrong, such as your address or phone.
Ask for each service to be stated clearly: how many minutes, how often, where, and who delivers it. The manual says frequency and location are set by the IEP team at the meeting.
If nobody in the room knows an answer, the manual allows a call on speakerphone with your agreement, a short recess, or tabling the meeting. The manual says "IEP team decisions are not to be discussed during the recess."
Ask that what was discussed and decided be written into the Confidential Status Record. The manual tells staff to record "what was discussed and what was decided."
Signing, or not yet
At the end, the manual says, "parents/guardians may agree or disagree with the IEP. A disagreement with any component of the IEP is a disagreement." If a parent refuses to sign, staff check the disagreement box.
Want to take it home and think? The manual's answer to staff is direct: "mark 'disagree' on the IEP and lock the IEP." Tabling the meeting is the other option, though the manual says it "is not advised." Know this before you ask.
If you disagree, the Intent to Implement still goes home, but the manual says "the date of implementation will be ten calendar days after the date of the IEP," which "gives the family time to file due process" before the new IEP starts. CCSD Insider's guide to IEP disagreements, mediation, and due process covers what comes next.
Signing electronically is fine. The manual says eSignature should be finished the same day.
After the meeting
Expect a final IEP, another copy of the rights booklet, and an Intent to Implement form. The manual's chapter 14.5 lists all three, and 34 CFR 300.322(f) says the district must give you a copy of the IEP "at no cost to the parent."
Compare the final to your notes. If something you agreed to is missing, email the case manager that week.
Check the schedule. The legal notices say every student gets a full school day "unless an IEP or Section 504 Plan explicitly documents the need for a shortened school day."
Put the next dates on your calendar: progress reports, the next annual review, and the next reevaluation, due at least once every three years under 34 CFR 300.303.
Changes do not have to wait a year. NAC 388.281 lets you and the district amend an IEP without a full meeting after the annual meeting if you and the district agree in writing, and you can ask in writing for a revision meeting.
Starting earlier in the process? CCSD Insider's IEP evaluation request guide covers the first steps, and the 504 plan vs IEP guide explains when a 504 Plan fits instead.
Who do I contact?
Your child's case manager, for scheduling, the draft, and the notice.
Your school principal, for records requests in writing.
CCSD Office of Compliance and Monitoring, Student Services Division: 4170 McLeod Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89121, 702 799 1020, 0135-ocm@nv.ccsd.net.
Nevada Department of Education dispute resolution, including IEP facilitation: 775 687 9171, disputeresolution@doe.nv.gov.
Nevada PEP: 702 388 8899 or 1 800 216 5188, PEPInfo@NVPEP.org.
CCSD Insider is an independent parent resource and is not affiliated with the Clark County School District.