Financial: Dr. Charlette M. Green and Patti Howard are receiving an honorarium for this presentation.

Non-financial – No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.

Charlette M. Green, CAGS, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, ASHA Fellow

Charlette M. Green is the Executive Director of 504 and Special Education for the Cherokee County School District in Georgia. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from Florida State University and holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Special Education Administration.

A leader in the field of school-based speech-language pathology, Charlette previously served as the Georgia State Consultant for Speech and Language, where she provided guidance and professional development to SLPs across the state. She was named an ASHA Fellow in 2014 and became a Board-Certified Specialist in Child Language in 2021.

Charlette is widely recognized for her expertise in child language disorders, her practical and empowering approach to professional learning, and her commitment to improving services for students with communication needs. Her sessions are known for blending deep clinical knowledge with real-world application that supports confident, ethical practice in schools.

Patti Howard, Ed.D., CCC-SLP

Dr. Patti L. Howard serves as the Lead Speech-Language Pathologist for the Cherokee County School District in Georgia, where she coordinates the services of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Psychology and Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Kansas, and her Doctor of Education with a concentration in Speech-Language Pathology and a minor in Autism from Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Howard is an experienced school-based clinician and leader who has served in numerous professional roles at the state and national levels. She was a member of the ASHA SLP School Issues Advisory Board from 2017–2019, serving as Chair in 2019, and she led the Georgia Organization of School Speech-Language Pathologists (GO SSLP) as President from 2017–2022. She currently serves as Past President of GO SSLP, as a member of ASHA’s Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and as part of the Georgia Dyslexia Collaborative.

A frequent presenter at state and national conferences, Dr. Howard has been invited to speak at ASHA Connect, the ASHA National Convention, and the SSTAGE Conference, where she shared her expertise on the SLP’s role in the RTI process. She is recognized for her leadership, her depth of knowledge in school-based practice, and her commitment to supporting clinicians in providing effective, evidence-based services for students.

Even the most experienced SLPs can find themselves in tense IEP meetings—where emotions run high, and advocates or lawyers are present to challenge school decisions. This course provides the clarity and confidence you need to navigate those situations effectively. You’ll gain insight into why parents may bring advocates or legal representatives to meetings and learn strategies to maintain professionalism and focus on student outcomes when discussions become difficult.

Through real-world examples and interactive scenarios, you’ll explore topics that commonly lead to conflict and learn how to prevent or de-escalate them before they spiral. The session covers how to prepare for challenging meetings, anticipate questions or disputes, and communicate with calm authority. You’ll also learn to recognize tactics used by advocates and lawyers to control meetings—and discover practical ways to respond that keep the process fair, balanced, and collaborative.

By the end of the session, you’ll have a toolkit of strategies to prepare for and manage even the most difficult IEP meetings. Whether you’re facing a contentious conversation or simply want to strengthen your confidence, this course equips you to lead with professionalism, empathy, and composure—turning potential conflict into productive dialogue that supports each student’s success.

Participants will be able to:
• Identify at least three factors that can make an IEP meeting challenging for SLPs.
• Outline at least three strategies to effectively prepare for a difficult IEP meeting.
• Describe common tactics that advocates and lawyers may use to influence IEP meetings and apply strategies to manage them confidently.

Time-Ordered Agenda
05 Minutes: Welcome and Course Overview
05 Minutes: Setting the Stage – Understanding the Context of Difficult IEP Meetings
15 Minutes: Why Parents Hire Advocates or Lawyers
10 Minutes: Common Areas of Dispute Involving SLPs
10 Minutes: Proactive Strategies to Prevent Difficult IEP Meetings
10 Minutes: Managing Challenging Meetings When They’re Unavoidable
20 Minutes: Scenarios and Responses – Recognizing and Managing Psychological Tactics
15 Minutes: Key Takeaways, Summary, and Moderated Q&A

Course Completion Requirements:
Practitioners attending live events will be asked to answer questions at the end of the course about what they learned and how they will use the information they learned in practice. Once the questions are completed, participants will receive their certificate.

Practitioners attending recorded sessions demonstrate learning and attendance by passing a quiz with a score of 80% or greater. The quiz addresses questions from material presented throughout the course. Practitioners can retake the quiz if they do not initially obtain a score of at least 80%. For events including case studies, participants download, read, and utilize materials in order to participate.