Helpful Questions to Ask Before Your Child’s MDR Meeting
Before a student with an IEP or 504 Plan is expelled or suspended for more than 10 consecutive days during the school year, the school district is required to hold a meeting called a manifestation determination review (“MDR”). When the MDR is based on suspensions for more than a total of 10 days, those suspensions must be part of pattern. For example, if the suspensions happened for the same behavior, in the same month, it is likely a pattern.  Consider the length of the suspensions, the timing, and the reasons for suspension.
 At this meeting, the IEP team, including the parent, works together to determine whether the behavior that led to the student’s suspension or expulsion is caused by the child’s disability OR caused by the school’s failure to properly implement the student’s IEP/behavior plan. If the answer is yes to either questions, the child cannot be suspended or expelled. If the answer is no to both questions, then the child can be suspended or expelled. 
It is important to prepare for a MDR. You should review your child’s education and medical records, including your child’s IEP, 504 Plan, special education assessments, and disciplinary records such as suspension notices. You should also get your child’s input. If your child works with a therapist or doctor outside of school, it might be helpful to invite that person to attend the MDR and share their input with the team. Below are questions to help you and your child prepare for the MDR Meeting:

General Questions 	Answer/Notes	
Does the school district need to hold a Manifestation Determination Meeting?		
Does your child have an IEP or 504 Plan? 		
If your child does not have an IEP or 504 plan, does the school district have reason to believe your child may have a disability? For example, have your requested that your child be evaluated for special education services? What are those reasons? 		
Has your child been suspended for 10 days or longer? If so, when did those suspensions happen and why?  

Is your child being expelled?		
What behavior led to your child being suspended or expelled? 		
Questions About Whether Your Child’s Disability Caused the Behavior		
Was the behavior that led to the discipline a manifestation of your child’s disability? 		
What evidence do you have to show that your child’s behavior is related to their disability? 
(Consider your child’s special education evaluations, IEP, 504 Plan, emails/text messages with your child’s teacher, and any doctor notes).		
Over the past few weeks or months, have your child’s symptoms or behaviors improved, gotten worse, or stayed the same? 		
Does your child currently see a counselor, therapist, or psychologist? 		
If your child currently sees a mental health professional for regular counseling, does that professional have any input to offer at the MDR? 		
If your child is prescribed medication, were they taking it at the time of the incident? If your child is taking medication, does it seem to be working? Are there side effects that might impact your child’s behavior? 		
Questions about Whether a Failure to Implement Your Child’s IEP Caused the Behavior		
Does your child’s IEP include behavior goals? If so, are those goals related to the behavior in question?		
Does your child currently have a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) as part of their IEP?		

If your child currently has a BIP, do the goals written into the plan address the behaviors that led to your child’s suspension or expulsion?		
Has a Functional Behavioral Analysis assessment been conducted for your child? If so, what was the result?
If not, consider requesting this assessment. 		
Did the school implement your child’s IEP? Was the suspension/ expulsion a result of the school’s failure to follow your child’s IEP or 504 Plan? 		
If your child has a BIP, did the school district follow it?		
Is the school implementing all of the services noted in your child’s IEP or 504?		
If the school had implemented your child’s BIP, IEP, or 504 Plan correctly, what would have happened?