IEP

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATIONAL PLAN

 What is the IEP?
It is a legal document under United States Law (IDEA)
that is developed for each public school child who needs
special education.
It is created through a specific team of the child’s parents
and district personnel who are knowledgeable about the
child.
It outlines the special education experience for all eligible
students with disability
 Who is eligible for IEP?
Any child in the ages 3-21 attending a public school
Evaluated as having specific learning disability, autism,
emotional disturbance, other health impairments,
intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, multiple
disabilities, hearing impairments, deafness, visual
impairment, deaf-blindness, developmental delay,
speech-language impairment, traumatic brain injury.
4 Component Goals of IEP:
Conditions
Learner
Behavior
criteria
 The IEP describes:
How the student learns
How the student best demonstrates that
learning
What teachers and service providers will do
to help the student learn more effectively
 The IEP is mandated to be regularly
maintained and updated up to the point
of high school graduation, or prior to the
21st birthday or 22nd birthday.

If a student in special education attends

university upon graduation, they are no
longer “children with disabilities”.
 An IEP is meant to ensure that
students receive an appropriate
placement not only in special schools
like resource rooms, special day class,
self-contained class, etc. but also
meant to give a chance to participate
in regular school culture and
academics.
 IEP Required Components
The student’s present levels of academic and functional performance
Measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals
How the student’s progress toward meeting annual goals is to be
meausred and reported to parents
Special education related services, as well as supplementary aids to be
provided to the student
Schedule of services to be provided, including when the services are to
begin, the frequency, duration and location for the provision of services
 continuation
Program modifications or support provided to school
personnel on behalf of the child
Least restrictive environment data which includes
calculations of the amount of time spent each day by the
student in general education settings as opposed to the
amount of time spent in special education settings.
Explanation of anytime the student will not participate
along with non-disabled children
 Typical IEP Team includes:
One or both of child’s parents
A case manager or representative of the school
who is qualified to provide or supervise special
education
The student’s teachers, principal
A general education teacher
Any provider of related service to the child
 continuation
a psychologist and educational evaluator, if an assessment or
report is reviewed.
the child's psychologist or tutor.
a social worker, and/or a lawyer knowledgeable in the IEP
process.
if the student is receiving related services (such as speech
therapy, music therapy, physical therapy or occupational
therapy), it is valuable for related service personnel to attend
the meeting or at least provide written recommendations
concerning the services in their area of specialty.
 Role of Parents:
Parents are to be considered full and
equal members of the IEP team, along
with school personnel. Parents have
the right to be involved in meetings
that discuss identification, evaluation,
IEP development, and educational
placement of their children.
 Continuation:
They also have the right to
ask questions, dispute points,
request modifications to the
plan as do all members of the
IEP team.
 Developing the Student’s EP:
When developing an IEP, the team must consider
the strengths of the student, the concerns of the
parent for their student's education, results of the
initial or most recent evaluation of the child
(including private evaluations conducted by the
parents), and the academic, developmental, and
functional needs of the child.
 Continuation:
The team must also consider areas of deficits.
Corresponding annual goals and objectives
should be created to improve the deficit areas. In
the case of a child whose behavior impedes the
student's learning or that of other children, the
team is required to consider the use of Positive
Behavior Interventions and Supports to address
the behavior.
 Continuation:
The IEP team is required to consider the communication needs of the
child. For example, if a child is blind or visually impaired, the IEP is
mandated to provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille
unless an evaluation of the child's reading and writing skills, needs,
and future needs indicate that this instruction is not appropriate for
the child. If a child is deaf or hard of hearing, the team is required to
consider the child's language and communication needs, including the
need to communicate with school personnel and peers, and the child's
need for direct instruction in the child's language and communication
mode.
 Determining the Appropriate Placement
The IEP is written to fit the student. The placement is chosen
to fit the IEP.
A child can only be placed in a separate school or special
classes if the severity or nature of the disability is such that
appropriate education cannot be provided to the child in the
regular classroom, even with the use of supplementary aids
and services. When determining placement, the starting
assumption must be the student's current academic level and
needs as evident by the disability.
 Common Placement Settings:
The general education classroom is seen as
the least restrictive environment. In addition
to the general education teacher, there will
also ideally be a Special Education teacher. The
special education teacher adjusts the
curriculum to the student's needs.
 continuation
An integrated classroom is made up of mostly
neuro-typical children with several children who
have IEPs. These are typically higher functioning
children with disabilities that require help in areas
of social skills. This setting allows them to model
the behavior of the neuro-typical children. Typically
there is an aide in this classroom setting to assist
those children with IEPs.
 continuation
The next setting is a resource class where the Special
Education teacher works with small groups of students
using techniques that work more efficiently with the
students. This setting is available for students who
spend between 40- 79 percent of their time in the
general education classroom. The term “resource” in
this context refers to the amount of time spent outside
general education, not the form of instruction.
 continuation
Another setting option is a separate classroom.
When students spend less than 40 percent of their
day in the general education class, they are said to
be placed in a separate class. Students are allowed
to work in small, highly structured settings with a
special education teacher. Students in the separate
class may be working at different academic levels.
 continuation
Other settings include separate schools and
residential facilities. Students in these settings
receive highly specialized training to address both
special learning and behavioral needs. The
students will acquire both academic and life skills
instruction. These schools have the highest degree
of structure, routine, and consistency.