Is An IEP for Me?
- Charne' Tunson
- Mar 21, 2019
- 6 min read
The Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the IEP Process
WHO is an IEP for?
Do you suspect that your child needs special education? Do you think your child will benefit from an IEP or a 504 Plan? How do you know which one would best meet your child’s unique needs?
Two types of written plans – an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan – can be developed and implemented by local school agencies regarding students with identified disabilities. Both are federally mandated but fall under two separate laws. They each provide for the student to receive a free and appropriate education within the least restrictive environment. However, these two plans serve different purposes, according to the needs of the child.
To be eligible for an IEP under this law, a child must demonstrate at least one of the five "special factors" described in the 1975 law. Those factors: behavior that impedes learning; limited English proficiency; blindness or visual impairment; communication problems, including deafness; and a need for assistive technology.
A child who has difficulty learning and functioning and has been identified as a special needs student is the perfect candidate for an IEP. Kids struggling in school may qualify for support services, allowing them to be taught in a special way, for reasons such as: learning disabilities.
WHAT does an IEP do?
According to the Center for Parent Information and Resources, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child’s individual needs. The IEP has two general purposes:
to set reasonable learning goals for a child, and
to state the services that the school district will provide for the child.
The IEP is developed by a team of individuals that includes key school staff and the child’s parents. The team meets, reviews the assessment information available about the child, and designs an educational program to address the child’s educational needs that result from his or her disability.
An IEP meeting must be held within 30 calendar days after it is determined, through a full and individual evaluation, that a child has one of the disabilities listed in IDEA and needs special education and related services. A child’s IEP must also be reviewed at least annually thereafter to determine whether the annual goals are being achieved and must be revised as appropriate.
WHERE do I get one?
Whether your child has a qualifying disability is determined at an IEP meeting, using the results of standardized assessments as well as other informal and formal data collection. It requires unanimous agreement from the members of a multidisciplinary team that includes one or more of the following: special educator, psychologist, parent, related service provider, and general education teacher. Additional members of the team include other individuals with knowledge or expertise regarding the child, and a representative of the local school agency who is qualified to provide or supervise specially designed instruction for children with disabilities. This person is usually an administrator familiar with the general education curriculum and the resources of the local school agency. The team must agree that your child’s disability falls under one of the 13 federally mandated categories and that it interferes with the child’s education and performance.
WHEN is the best time to get one?
Although the timeline can vary, students who need an IEP are usually identified in elementary school. Their IEP can then be revised and continued through high school. In some cases, students can get to a point during their education where they can "graduate" from their IEP if it is determined that they no longer need it. If you feel the IEP no longer meets your child's needs, you can request a meeting to review it.
Sometimes a child’s learning issues aren’t uncovered until the teen years. Some kids are able to work around their weaknesses until they face more challenging work in high school. Others may have always struggled, but no one realized it was due to learning or attention issues.
No matter what your teen’s journey has been, he’s eligible to request an IEP through the public school district. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students who are found eligible can start an Individualized Education Program—and the special education services that come with it—until high school graduation (or a maximum age of 22).
WHY would I get an IEP?
An IEP can help teens learn to understand and manage learning and attention issues while still in high school.
An IEP must include a transition plan to help prepare teens for life after high school. (IEPs don’t exist after high school.)
An IEP provides important benefits to teenagers. It can help you and the school district work with your child to meet his current and future needs. Make the most of the resources and opportunities available to your child now. You may see your child make tremendous progress in academics, self-confidence and planning his future.
The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education for each child with a disability.
HOW do I go about starting the process?
The first step in getting an IEP is requesting an evaluation to determine if your child has a disability. You can make the request through your child's teacher, a school administrator or the school district office. Though a teacher may also ask for your child to be evaluated, parental consent is necessary for the evaluation. Your child will be evaluated by professionals provided by the school district to determine whether the child has a disability. If you disagree with the results of the evaluation, you can take your child for an independent evaluation and request that the school system pay for this evaluation.
In most cases, there are seven steps involved in the formation of the IEP. However, the number of steps may vary depending on the school district and the needs of the child. The IEP is one of the most significant elements used to ensure that children with special needs receive quality teaching and a customized learning environment designed to maximize their education.
PREREFERRAL
The pre-referral process helps to determine whether behavioral and educational challenges exhibited by the child can be resolved in a general education classroom. During the pre-referral stage, teachers will try various certified teaching approaches in hopes of establishing whether flawed instruction could be the cause of the problems exhibited. Children whose learning remains challenged will be referred to the next step in the IEP process, referred for special education services.
REFERRAL
If the pre-referral interventions prove unsuccessful, the student is referred for special education services through the use of a referral. Referrals can come from parents, daycare professionals, public health nurses, doctors or social service agencies. Referral for special education services can happen at different stages during a child’s life and vary a great deal based on their individual needs. Often, poor academic performance, continued misbehavior or disruption of their learning environment are prerequisites to this stage.
IDENTIFICATION
Once a referral has been made, a special assessment is carried out to determine whether the child has a disability that requires special education services. During this stage of the IEP process, the child’s major life activities such as interpersonal relationships, performance in school and at home are used to assess the kind of services required. The results of the evaluation will be used to determine your child's eligibility for special education services and to help develop an appropriate education plan. The parents, along with a group of professionals, will go over the evaluation results and determine if yours is a "child with a disability" as defined by IDEA. If your child is determined ineligible for services, you can request a hearing to challenge the decision.
ELIGIBILITY
The information gathered during the assessment stage is used to categorize those who have a disability and are eligible for special education services. The IEP committee creates different elements of the services required to plan and deliver an appropriate education framework. Students who do not meet the qualifications for special education services remain in the traditional classroom setting.
IEP DEVELOPMENT
The next step in the process is to create the actual IEP. An IEP team is formed which includes the child’s parents, educators, administrators and other specialists. During the meeting, resources required by the child are identified, their individualized learning style determined, along with goals both long term and short term.
IMPLEMENTATION
At this stage, the student’s IEP and associated services commence. Accommodations are provided for both instructions and testing along with a range of multidisciplinary services required from different providers to support the child’s educational program.
EVALUATION AND REVIEWS
Each IEP developed requires accountability and consistent follow up by the child’s parents. A review is conducted annually or after every three years depending on the state. The purpose for these reviews is to determine whether the child is meeting their educational goals.
At the end of the day, you are the parent and know what your child needs to be successful. By forming a partnership with the school team, you will be able to work collaboratively to develop the appropriate course of action to insure the success of your child.
REFERENCES
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