IEP Critique Document

IEP document reviewed: Eddie Carlson

Section 1
A statement of present levels of academic achievement and functional performance

1. List all of the assessments used. Briefly state the name and purpose of each assessment.
Why would these assessments be good to use for this student?

Academic testing, Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement-III: The purpose of

assessing academic performance levels is to determine if Salvador Dali has an
educational need resulting from a disability, as well as to determine the presence or
absence of a significant education deficit requiring special educational services. It is a
comprehensive battery of individually administered tests that measure reading readiness
and reading achievement. (www.hmhco.com)

2. When writing about the students current performance, it is good practice to start with
positive statements, followed by deficit statements, then a statement about why the deficit
is important to address, and finally a statement about what will be done. For example,
Billy can count to 10. However, he is still having difficulty with skip-counting. This skill
is important to learn because it will help him understand the number system. Billy will
need to work on skip-counting by 2s and 5s. This provides his current performance,
where he needs to go, and why. Find this section in the IEP that you are critiquing. How
does the narrative address the students performance? In a positive light? Mostly negative
comments? Select one paragraph and rewrite it using the format given above.

Eddie knows 30 sight words and is performing well in social studies and science
assignments when they are read to him and gets along with peers and his teacher.
Howe4ver, he struggles to read on his own and demonstrates difficulty discriminating
between similar and dissimilar sounds. This is important to learn because it will help to
break down instructions given to him without the use of models or the teacher directives.

3. When writing about the effect of the students involvement in the general education
curriculum, it is good practice to begin with a description about what typical students in
that grade level are expected to do. This information can be found on the state department
of education website. After stating what typical students can do in that grade level, a
statement about why the student is unable to access the general education curriculum
should follow. Look at this section in the IEP that you are critiquing. Is it thoroughly
written in a narrative format that addresses how typical students should perform and why
the particular student is unable to perform? Select one paragraph and rewrite it.

This educational development delay is affecting Eddie by him not being able to
understand the directions that are given to him nonverbally. Typically, students in third
grade should be able to know how to use root words, prefixes, suffixes, and other
strategies to figure out words that they do not know quite yet as well as reading chapter
books and being able to comprehend what they had just read. Eddie is still at a first grade
reading level and this is ultimately impacting him due to the fact that he has to rely on his

Leytham 2014 1
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teacher to give him direct verbal instructions versus him being able to read them. He is
progressing at the same rate with his other peers in mathematics, social studies, and
science when the material is read to him.

Leytham 2014 2
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Section 2
A statement of measurable annual goals.

1. When writing goals and benchmarks, one must remember to make sure that they are
measureable. This means that each goal/benchmark addresses: (1) direction (increase,
maintain, decrease, etc.); (2) area of need (reading, social skills, etc.); (3) level of
attainment or success (grade level, accuracy, etc.); (4) how progress will be measured;
and (5) the setting and responsible staff that will teach it. Look at the annual goals. Are
they discussed in the present levels? Are they related to state standards? Are they written
in measurable terms? Give an example of a goal from the IEP.

The annual goals for Eddie are for the present levels of his education and are within state
standards for the subject he has issues with. His goals are written within measurable
terms. Goal: Eddie will improve auditory memory skills by following oral directions of
increasing length and conceptual complexity with 90% accuracy.

2. Look at the benchmarks for each goal. When writing benchmarks, they should be in
sequential order, contain concrete timeframe, and adhere to the principles discussed
above. Are the benchmarks related to the goals? Are they written in sequential format?
Give an example of the benchmarks for a goal.

The benchmarks are related to the goals and are in sequential form.
Benchmark 1: Eddie will successfully complete actions in response to teacher two-step
verbal requests 5 out of 5 times given during a 45 minute class period.
Benchmark 2: Eddie will demonstrate understand of 3 spatial/ 3 quantitative concepts by
completing an action in response to teacher verbal request 5 out of 5 times when given
during 45 minute class period.
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Section 3
A description of how the child's progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured

1. What is the method for reporting the student's progress toward meeting his/her annual
goal(s)? Check all that apply.
IEP Goals Page
X District Report Card
Specialized Progress Report
X Parent Conferences
Other:

2. How often will the parent be notified of the student's progress?

X Quarterly
Semester
Trimester
Other:
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Section 4
Special Education and Related Services
An IEP must include a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary
aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the
child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for
school personnel that will be provided for the child.

1. What types of special education services does this student receive? Check each service
that is indicated in the IEP.
Written language
Math
X Reading
Social skills
Organization Skills
Other:

2. Are the special education services indicated on this IEP discussed in the present levels of
academic achievement and functional performance section?
Yes.

3. What types of related services does this student receive? Check each service that is
indicated on the IEP.
X Speech / Language Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Adapted Physical education
Audiology Services
Psychological Services
Transportation
School Nurse Services
Other:

4. Look at the amount of time the related service(s) is/are provided. Do you think it is
enough? If, "No", explain why you think it is not enough.

Eddie is to meet with a speech therapist 2x/week for 30 minutes each. I do not think that
this is enough time for him because if he is struggling to read, he needs more than an
hour total weekly to be able to reach his goals at the level he needs to be at. My
recommendation is to have him meet with the speech therapist for at most 2 hours a week
(30 minutes a day for four days) instead for an hour a week (30 minutes a day for two
days). This way he will remember the material and the help better than if he only went
for one or two days a week.
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Section 5
Justification for Placement

An IEP must include an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate
with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities. This section is to justify why a
child is being placed in a particular setting. Look for a place in the IEP where it discusses the
least restrictive environment (i.e., regular class, resource room, self-contained, residential
facility, hospital, etc.).

1. What placement has been selected for the student to be educated in?
General Education Classroom
X General Education Classroom with Consultation
General Education Classroom with Supplementary Instruction and Services
Resource Room
Separate Classroom
Separate School
Residential School
Homebound
Hospital

2. Look at the justification paragraph. Read it and try to see if the following questions are
answered. Select, "Yes" or "No" for each question.

Yes No
What specialized instruction, modifications of the curriculum, or X
accommodations does this student require to participate in the general
education environment?

Why can't the specialized instruction, modifications, or accommodations be X

provided in the general education environment?

Describe the student's unique needs and why those needs cannot be met in a X
general education environment.

Describe the non-academic benefits (i.e., self-esteem, social, behavioral, X

observational learning effect, communication) that this student failed to
demonstrate in the general education environment.

Describe how this student's needs impact the teaching and learning in the X
general education environment.

Describe any potential harmful effect of this recommended placement. X

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Section 6
Accommodations and Modifications

An IEP must include (a) a statement of any individual appropriate accommodations that are
necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on State
and district-wide assessments and (b) whether or not the child qualifies to take an alternative
assessment.

1. What accommodations are listed? Do they seem appropriate? Were they discussed in the
present levels? Remember, accommodations provide access to the curriculum.

This student does not qualify for state assessments as he is too young. He does qualify
for the district testing.

2. What modifications are listed? Do they seem appropriate? Were they discussed in the
present levels? Remember, modifications provide change the curriculum.

His modifications are science and social studies text read to him.
Directions given one or two steps at a time-Eddie should repeat the directions in his own
words.
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Section 7
Dates, Frequency, Location, and Duration

An IEP must include (a) the projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications
and (b) the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications.

1. What eligibility category does the student have?

Learning Disabilities
X Speech or Language Impairments
Other Health Impairment
Intellectual Disability
Emotional Disturbance
Autism
Multiple Disabilities
Developmental Delay
Hearing Impairment
Orthopedic Impairment
Visual Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Deaf-Blindness

2. Who is required to attend an IEP meeting? Check each required member. Remember, just
because someone is invited to the IEP meeting doesn't mean that he/she is "required" to
be there. Read carefully p. 60.

X The parents of a child with a disability.

X At least one regular education teacher.
X At least one special education teacher.
X A local education agency representative.
X An individual who can interpret the IEP (this person may be someone already
listed above).
Other individuals who have been invited by the parents or the local education
agency.
Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability.

3. In looking at the special education and related services section, do the projected dates
cover an entire year?
Yes.

4. Would you know exactly where, when, and for how long the special education and
related services should be provided?
No.
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Additional Factors to be Considered

The following factors must also be considered when creating an IEP.

1. After reading the strengths of the child, what is your perception of him/her?

Eddie is a visual and auditory student who is socially capable of being with his peers and
being comfortable with them. He does however lack the reading skills his needs and that
could possibly hurt him in the long term.

2. Are any parental concerns listed? What are they? What does this tell you that the parent
thinks is important?

No parental concerns are listed.

3. Indicate whether or not the child has any of the following special factors:

Yes No
Behavior that impedes his/her learning or the learning of others X
Limited English proficient X
Is blind or visually impaired X
Is deaf or hard of hearing X
Requires assistive technology X