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STEP 4: Writing the
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If your child has been found to be eligible for special education services, an individualized education program (IEP) will be written at the eligibility IEP meeting. |
A case manager from your child's school will be assigned. This is usually a special education teacher or specialist that is named as the person responsible for ensuring that your child’s IEP is implemented correctly.
The individualized education program should ensure your child has access to a
free appropriate education
and should consider your child’s strengths, parent concerns, assessment results and areas of need related to academic and developmental areas. The individualized education program is a
written, legal document
that must include:
Your child’s present level of functioning Strengths, weaknesses, abilities and educational needs Area(s)of eligibility (based on the 13 categories named in IDEA) Annual goals and objectives DIS services Program placement Accommodations and level of participation in assessments Transition plan
The IEP Team should consist of:
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The IEP meeting should occur and be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time and place. Keep in mind that school districts are famous for scheduling meetings at 7:45 am. This is usually 20 minutes before school starts and everyone is clock watching. When scheduling the initial IEP meeting, ask the case manager for at least one hour of uninterrupted time in a private place. The last thing you want is for participants to be leaving in the middle of the process and for you to feel rushed.
REMEMBER…a parent can agree or disagree with all or part of the individualized education program (IEP). Signing for partial acceptance allows the team to implement the parts of the plan you’ve agreed upon while other issues are being resolved. However, the 11th day rule now states that it must be signed or appealed after 10 days or the school can implement the most recent version.
The IEP forms themselves can be unfamiliar so be prepared to ask questions. They vary from state to state and from district to district. The cover page usually lists the case manager, student information, parent information, eligibility categories and qualifying conditions.
PLACEMENT and PROGRAM:
IDEA mandates that a child be placed in the least restrictive environment. A child can only be placed in a separate school or class if the severity of the disability is such that appropriate educational services cannot be provided in a general education classroom, even with modifications. In most cases, school districts can provide services. The schedule of services should be outlined in the individualized education plan and state when they are to begin, the frequency, duration and location. The IEP team determines what percentage of the day your child will spend in a specialized program.
If your child attends a private school you should read our special section in order to understand what services you can expect your child to receive.
Special education services are usually grouped into the following types of individual education programs. They may be called different things from state to state but usually are defined by the same criteria. |
RESOURCE SERVICES:
Classes or specific reading courses that offer support but the special education instruction and services DO NOT exceed 50% of the child's day. The courses are taught by credentialed special education teachers but the child particpates in them for only part of their day. The child is in a general education classes for more than 50% of their day and receives resource support either through pull out programs, modifications implemented within the class by the general education teacher or through specific times designated during their day when they will receive services. Resource programs also tend to include speech and language services and other specialists.
SPECIAL DAY PROGRAMS: This refers to a child who receives special education instruction for more than 50% of the their day. Here, they receive the majority of instruction from a credentialed special education teacher. The child usually attends general education classes only in physical education, electives or a specific subject area.
SEVERELY HANDICAPPED: These programs are usually offered at a designated school site within the district for students requiring special education services for 100% of their day. This type of individualized education program can range from moderate to severe and are equipped to address medical needs, toileting needs, dietary needs and other specialized services.
GOALS and OBJECTIVES:
The individualized education program must include measurable, annual goals as well as short-term objectives that describe how your child will achieve the goals. Goals are the nuts and bolts of your child’s individualized educational program. The goals and objectives reflect what the IEP team has determined to be appropriate. Goals can be academic, social, emotional or behavioral. Goals should be specific, measurable and enable educators to develop strategies that will meet the needs of the child.
Designated Instructional Services (DIS) refer to supplemental services that have been determined necessary to assist your child. DIS Services are provided by specialists and are used to meet specific goals in the areas of:
Speech/Language therapy Audio logy Mobility Home/Hospital Adaptive PE Physical and Occupational Therapy Vision Therapy Counseling Psychological Services Medical Needs Transportation Needs
The goals of the individualized education program
should focus on reducing or eliminating the child’s problem. They should include ways to measure progress and be directly correlated to your child’s identified disability. As a parent, don’t be afraid to ask how the team will be able to tell if a goal has been met. Goals should not rely only on subjective observations. There should be concrete, objective ways to determine if your child is making progress.
ACCOMMODATIONS and MODIFICATIONS:
The team will decide if your child will need to meet the same standards as non-special education students and if so, with or without accommodations and modifications.
Examples of accommodations include preferential seating, copies of notes, oral versus written quizzes, alternative assignments, use of a computer and an alternative testing environment.
Modifications include changes in the content, curriculum, criteria and assessments.
The individualized education program will list the needs of the student relative to the general education curriculum. The team also determines if the student will need modifications with regards to state testing and district wide assessments.
