Individualized Education Plan or IEP?

What is an Individualized Education Plan or IEP?

From the Department of Education

1) Who authorized the development of the Individualized Education Plan?

The authorization for the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) comes from the Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), for children with disabilities. It includes preschool children but not infants or toddlers.

2) What is needed to create an effective IEP?

Parents, school staff, possibly the student and the teachers must pool their knowledge of a particular student in order to find the student’s strengths and weaknesses. An educational program will be designed for the student to help him/her progress through the general curriculum.

3) Are all IEPs forms the same?

No, because each state has its own requirements the state and local school systems will include specific information for their own needs.

4) What are the steps needed to create an IEP?

  1. The child is identified by parents or teachers as possibly needing special education or related services. States are required to conduct “child find” activities in order to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities in the state who need special education. Parents may request evaluation or the school might make the first identification. Parental request may be verbal or in writing and parental consent is required before the child can be evaluated. The evaluation must be completed within a reasonable time frame after receiving consent from the parent.
  2. The child is evaluated. The evaluation will be used to decide the child’s eligibility for special education and related services. If parents disagree with the evaluation they have the right to take their child for an Independent Education Evaluation (IEE), which they can ask for the school system to pay for.
  3. A group of qualified professionals and the parents look at the evaluation results and together they decide if the child has a disability as defined by IDEA. Parents may challenge the eligibility decision by requesting a hearing.
  4. Child is found eligible for services. Within 30 days after being declared eligible for services the IEP team must meet to write the IEP for the child.
  5. IEP meeting is scheduled. The school staff must a) contact the participants, including parent b) notify the parents early enough so that they may attend c) schedule the meeting at a time and place agreeable to parents and the school d) tell the parents the purpose, time and location of the meeting e) tell the parents who will be attending the meeting f) notify parents they may invite people to the meeting who have knowledge or special expertise about the child.
  6. Meeting is held and IEP is written. Before special education is provided to the child for the first time, the parents must give consent. If parents do not agree they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP and try to come to an agreement. Parents may also ask for mediation . Parents can also file a complaint with the state education agency and request a due process hearing at which time mediation must be available.
  7. Services are provided. Parents are given a copy of the IEP and each teacher and service provider has a copy of the IEP.
  8. Progress is measured and reported to parents. Progress reports must be given as often as their nondisabled children’s progress is given.
  9. Review of IEP. A review must be completed by the team at least once per year or more often if the school or parents ask for a review. The IEP may be revised. The parents are invited to attend the meeting since they are part of the IEP team.
  10. Child is reevaluated. At least every three years the child must be reevaluated. The purpose is to determine if the child continues to be a child with a disability.