Welcome

Introduction to Special Education

How IDEA Works

Defined Disabilities

Initial Identification

The Individualized Educational Program (IEP)

There are four major steps in developing and implementing an IEP.

1. Holding the IEP Meeting - At the IEP meeting, the student's parents meet with a team of staff from the school who are involved in the evaluation and instruction of the student. The student may also be present, depending on his or her age. Parents may also bring others with specific knowledge about the child to this meeting, and they may also bring legal counsel. During this meeting, the parties develop the IEP.

In practice, staff in many schools may meet prior to the IEP meeting to compare notes and develop a preliminary set of recommendations based on their evaluation and knowledge of the student. They may also contact parents to assess their attitudes and expectations regarding their child's educational program. These contacts can help reinforce the school's interest in meeting the child's needs.

Among other things, the student's IEP should contain a specific set of measurable short-term and long-term objectives for the student's progress. These will be based on the assessment of the student's capabilities and deficits, and they form the basis for any modifications to the school's normal instructional program that might be necessary for the student to learn effectively.

As with nearly all provisions of the IDEA legislation, a student's parents have the right to disagree with the recommendations of the IEP, and to request another meeting, arbitration, or a due process hearing.

2. Implementing the IEP - Assuming the parties all approve the student's IEP, the school then implements that plan and provides instructional services accordingly. Ideally, both the student's teachers and parents monitor the student's progress against the goals set out in the IEP. Members of the student's IEP team, including the parents, may suggest modifications in the IEP at any time if it appears they will improve the student's performance in school.

3. Reviewing the IEP - The school must review each special education student's IEP annually to ensure that its provisions remain appropriate. This review may or may not entail a face-to-face meeting with the student's parents, but parents must approve the review and and modifications to the IEP.

4. Re-evaluation - Under IDEA, the school must re-evaluate each student eligible for special education services once every three years to determine their continued eligibility. This re-evaluation will generally result in a new IEP, as outlined in step #1 above.

5. Transition Services - Beginning when the student reaches age 14, the school district must begin creating a transition plan that anticipates the student's needs, if any, once he or she is no longer eligible for services under IDEA. As with other IEP activities, parents are also involved in this process. The student is generally involved also.

For additional perspective on designing effective IEPs, you may want to read the ERIC digest entitled, Creating Useful Individualized Education Programs.