IEP Process

What is the IEP?

An IEP – or Individualized Education Program – is a term used to describe the official documentation of special education services that will be provided for your child as well as the meeting where these services are determined. Here are some key points to help you become more familiar with an IEP:

The IEP is:

A meeting where families, students when appropriate, and school personnel jointly make decisions about an educational program for a student with a disability
A document that is a written record of the decisions reached at the meeting for a student who will receive special education and related services
A management tool used to implement an educational program

The IEP has a number of purposes and functions:

The IEP meeting serves as a communication opportunity between parents and educators and enables them, as equal participants, to jointly decide what the student’s needs are, what services will be provided to meet those needs, and what the anticipated outcomes may be.
The IEP process provides an opportunity for resolving any differences between the parents and the school concerning the special education needs of a student with a disability – first, through the IEP meeting, and second, if necessary, through the procedural protections that are available to parents.
The IEP sets forth in writing a commitment to provide services and resources necessary to enable a student with a disability to receive needed special education services.

The IEP is not:

The IEP is not a daily lesson plan, but it does cover an entire year.
The IEP is not an evaluation report. An evaluation report describes your student’s strengths and needs. The information from an evaluation report is used to help write the IEP.
The IEP is not a contract. It does describe things you and the school have agreed to do for your student, but it cannot guarantee that all the special help will be successful.
The IEP is not a comprehensive curriculum. It relates to special considerations within your student’s overall education.
The IEP is not timeless. As your student grows and learns and changes, the IEP will need to reflect these changes.

About the IEP

The IEP Team

Those who will participate in the meeting should include:

Educational decision makers of the student
At least one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment)
At least one special education teacher
A representative of the local district who is knowledgeable about resources and curriculum of the district
An individual to interpret instructional implications of evaluation results
Other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, at the discretion of the parent or local education agency
The child, if appropriate (required at age of 16 and older)
During transition planning, representatives of other agencies needed to plan for the child's future

Components of a Quality IEP

The IEP will answer the following questions:

What is the vision for this student?
What does the student know and do well?
What will be this year’s annual goals and objectives?
What services will be provided?
How will services be provided?

Click here to view a sample IEP.

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)

The Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) includes the following information:

How the students’s disability affects his or her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum; or for preschool children, participation in age-appropriate activities
The students’s strengths, as noted by school staff, the parent and the student (if present); for students with transition plans, this information will relate to the students’s post-secondary goals
Concerns of the family for enhancing the education of the student; for students with transition plans, this area will include parent or guardian expectations for the child after they leave high school
Changes in current functioning of the student since the initial or prior IEP; for students with transition plans, consider how changes in the student’s current functioning will impact the student’s ability to reach his or her post-secondary goals
A summary of the most recent evaluation or re-evaluation results
A summary of the results of the student’s performance on any general state and district-wide assessment

Special Considerations: Federal and State Requirements

The IEP development process is contains specific considerations that are federal and state requirements, which need to be addressed to produce the written IEP document. All of these items must be considered annually:

Needs of students who are blind or visually impaired
Needs of students who are deaf or hearing impaired
Needs of students who exhibit behaviors that impede learning or the learning of others
Needs of students with limited English proficiency
Needs of students with communication difficulties
Student's need for assistive technology devices and/or services
Whether the student is eligible for Extended School Year (ESY)
Whether post-secondary transition services for students 16 and older are required
Whether notification of the Transfer of Rights must be given (notice must be given one year before the student's 18th birthday informing him or her of the rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that will transfer to the student upon reaching the age of majority)
Whether state assessments are administered for the student's age or grade level
Whether district-wide assessments are administered for the student's age or grade level

IEP Goal(s) with Objectives/Benchmarks

Annual goals are the targets toward which your student's special education program is directed. They describe what they can be expected to accomplish within an academic year. They are written to increase your students's successful participation in the regular education curriculum, include appropriate activities and allow for inclusion in the regular education environment to the maximum extent appropriate. A well-written goal is meaningful, measurable, able to be monitored, useful in making decisions, and aligned with Grade Level Expectations (GLE).

Reporting Progress

Services Summary

This section outlines the details of anything that is needed to fulfill the IEP goals. It includes the minutes, frequency and location of special education services, as well as the beginning and ending dates of services.

This section also includes information about any related services, supplementary aids, program modifications and accommodations that are required to accomplish the IEP goals and objectives. The Services Summary also includes any supports school personnel may need to carry out the IEP.

Placement Options

Following the completion of your student's IEP, the IEP team will make a placement recommendation. The placement decision is based on the services your student's needs and takes several factors into consideration. By law, your student's placement will be in the least restrictive environment.

Least Restrictive Environment

Your student with a disability should be educated, to the maximum extent appropriate, with children without disabilities. The IEP team must first consider if your student can remain in the regular education classroom and achieve the IEP goals and objectives with the help of supplementary aids and services. If the team agrees this cannot be achieved satisfactorily, the team then must decide the route that will allow your student opportunities to be integrated with peers without disabilities to the maximum extent possible and as close to his or her home school as possible.

Considerations for removing a child from a regular education classroom:

The nature or severity of a student's disability is such that his or her education in the regular education class, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily
A student is so disruptive in the regular education classroom that the education of the other students is significantly impaired

Removal from regular education must be based on the following factors:

The nature and severity of the disability (cannot be the only factor)
The diverse learning styles that would require your student to be educated in a setting other than the regular education classroom
The need for specially designed materials, supplies or equipment that would prohibit access to the curriculum and goals of the regular education class
Significant modifications to the regular education curriculum that would have an adverse effect on the educational program and learning environment for other students in the class
The extent to which your student is distractible
The inability of your student to engage appropriately with other students
Any potential harmful effect on your child or on the quality of services that your student needs
The significant disruptions that would occur in the regular education classroom that would have a negative effect on the education of other students
The degree to which your student would not benefit from placement in the regular education class

The team cannot base the placement decision solely on any of the following:

The category of your student's disability
The configuration of schools in the district
The availability of related services
Curriculum content
Methods of curriculum delivery
Availability of space
Budgetary factors
The severity of the disability
Administrative convenience

Frequently Asked Questions about the IEP

How frequently must IEP meetings be held?

IDEA says that each school system must hold a meeting not less than once a year to review and, if appropriate, revise each child’s IEP. The legislative history of the law makes it clear that there should be as many meetings a year as any one student may need. The Missouri State Plan for Special Education Revised 2005 allows for amendments/addendums to make changes to the IEP without a meeting, if all parties agree.

Must IEPs be reviewed or revised at the beginning of each year?

No. The basic requirement in the regulations is that IEPs must be in effect at the beginning of each school year. IEP meetings must be conducted at least once each year to review and, if necessary, revise the IEP of each child with a disability. However, periodic reviews may be held anytime during the year, including at the end of the school year, before the new school year, or just on the anniversary date of the last IEP meeting. Families are required to be informed about the educational progress of their student as often as families of students without disabilities.

How long should IEP meetings be?

May IEP meetings be tape-recorded?

Must related services personnel attend IEP meetings?

If a student with a disability has an identified need for related services, at the discretion of the family or school system, the related services personnel would attend the meeting or otherwise be involved in developing the IEP. The school system should ensure that a qualified provider of that service either attends the meeting or provides a written recommendation concerning the nature, frequency, and amount of service to be provided to the student.

Is the IEP a commitment to provide services?

Does the IEP include only special education and related services or does it describe the total education of the child?

If adaptations and modifications are necessary for a student with a disability to participate in a regular education program, must they be included in the IEP?

Can the school system personnel have the IEP completed when the IEP meeting begins?

No. It is not permissible for a school to present a completed IEP to a family before there has been a full discussion with the family of the student’s need for services and what services the school will provide to the student. IDEA defines the IEP as a written statement developed in any meeting with the school system representative, the teacher, the family, and if appropriate, the student.

It would be appropriate for staff to come prepared with evaluation findings, statements of present levels of educational performance, and a recommendation regarding annual goals, short-term instructional objectives, and the kind of special education and related services to be provided. However, the school personnel must make it clear to the family at the beginning of the meeting that the services proposed are only recommendations for review and discussion with the family.

Before the IEP

Preparing for the IEP Meeting

1. Fill out the IEP Preparation and Participation Form

2. Talk to your student

3. Become knowledgeable about your student’s disability

4. Review your student’s file

5. Review any previous IEPs for your student

Previous IEPs can serve as a roadmap or compass for future plans. If your student currently has an IEP in place, review it before starting the process over. What goals had been set for your student? How has your student progressed toward those goals? What seems to be working well? Are there areas that your student may need more assistance? Answering these questions can make the re-evaluation process go smoothly.

6. Make an outline of what you believe your student needs to learn

7. Prepare a list of questions

8. Talk with other parents

9. Invite others to the IEP meeting

Inviting others who may be able to provide information about your student to the meeting can be valuable. This may include any therapists, counselors, or doctors who may be working with your student outside of school. If they cannot attend, ask them to prepare a statement or progress report that you can share on their behalf during the meeting. You also may want to invite a relative or friend to attend who can provide moral support or who makes you feel more comfortable participating in a group. As a courtesy, be sure to inform the teacher if you plan to bring someone to the conference.

10. Attend the meeting

You are an important part of the team and your input is valued. As a family member, you are the first and best advocate for your student. If you are unable to attend, call the teacher to reschedule. It’s also important to go to the meeting with a positive mindset and willingness to try new things. Look at the meeting as an opportunity for growth and a chance to make things better for your student. Remember, this is a team effort and everyone working with your student needs to be working together in order to produce the best results.

What to Bring to the IEP Meeting

Goals you have for the coming year — put your student’s needs and preferences at the center of any discussion
Examples of strategies and interventions that have and have not worked
Last year’s IEP
Family participation form
Positive mindset and willingness to try new things — look at the meeting as an opportunity for growth and a chance to make things better
Realization that not everyone may agree — try not to be judgmental or defensive
Commitment to collaboration — acknowledge and respect each team member
Special Education Meeting Planner

IEP Preparation and Participation Form

At the IEP Meeting

Helpful Hints

Remember, diagnostic tests do not present the total picture. Your most important job is to make sure that the others at the IEP conference never forget that you are talking about a real student. Make sure the focus of the discussion is on your student’s strengths as well as needs.
Usually your student's special education teacher or administrator will act as chairperson or group leader for the IEP meeting.
Ask for introductions if the person chairing the meeting does not have everyone introduce themselves. If you are not sure what each person’s role is at the meeting, ask them to explain. Use the Special Education Meeting Planner to assist you in remembering names and roles.
Each person has something to share and should have a chance to say what they thinks. Stick with the issue at hand; i.e., your student’s education. Do not be sidetracked by irrelevant issues such as your past experiences or the District’s lack of funds.
If you do not understand something that is said, ask to have it explained. Do not hesitate to ask for clarification of any detail.
You are free to disagree with any part of the IEP. If you disagree, try to do so in a helpful way. Make suggestions instead of getting angry or upset.
Be flexible enough to accept minor revisions, but be firm about the major issues.
The program for your student should be built on services that relate to strengths and abilities, special problems and learning needs, not to their category of disability. If you do not agree that this is what the program does, speak up. Changes can be made if you state your views and ideas.
Share relevant information about your student using the IEP Preparation and Participation Form, which has questions relating specifically to the various components of the IEP. Inform the committee of any activities or significant events that may influence your student's performance in school.
Make sure your student's medical history is up-to-date and that the committee knows if there are any special needs or services provided by other sources.
Participate in developing your student’s goals and objectives.
Take note of what nonacademic school activities are included in your student’s program. Do not forget areas such as lunch, recess, art, music, and physical education.
Be sure all services that are necessary to implement your student's educational program are written into the IEP.
Ask yourself if what is planned corresponds to your knowledge of your student's ability and needs.
Make sure team members talk with, rather than about, your student if they are in the meeting. Maybe your student can suggest a goal and/or objective or benchmark and take responsibility for it.
When you feel teachers and school personnel are doing a good job, compliment them.
You can expect the teachers to carry out informal assessment on a continuing basis. They should be willing to keep trying new methods if your student is not making progress.
If you are not sure you are in agreement with the IEP, you may ask for the IEP to be reconvened by following due process procedures.
If the group needs more time to complete the IEP, there can be more than one meeting.
Your student’s progress must be reported to you as frequently as that of a student without disabilities. The IEP, as a whole, must be reviewed once a year. You also may request a review at any time.
You have the right to ask questions and request changes either during the conference or later.

IEP Meeting Outline

While all IEP meetings are unique, they generally follow the same guidelines or agenda. The format of the meeting follows the pages and sections of the official IEP paperwork. Here’s an example of what takes place at the actual meeting:

All of the participants are introduced and listed on the signature page.
The purpose of the meeting is stated.
The family is asked if they have any questions regarding the Procedural Safeguards.
The family participation information is incorporated into all steps of the IEP.
Progress is reviewed on current goals and, if required, benchmarks/objectives.
Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) page is completed.
Special Considerations page is completed.
Goals and Progress Report pages is completed.
After all other parts of the IEP are written, the Services Summary page and Regular Education Participation/Placement/Progress Reporting pages are completed.
If the meeting is an IEP re-evaluation, the appropriate forms and procedures are completed.
The Notice of Action form is completed if the IEP results in a proposed change of placement, change in the type or amount of services, or if a re-evaluation assessment is requested.
The Majority Age Notice is completed if appropriate.
The meeting is concluded by reviewing the student's placement and answering any IEP issues or questions.
The family is told that they will receive a copy of the IEP within 20 calendar days of the meeting.

Meeting Planner

Even though the input of many people is necessary to create a good educational plan for students with disabilities, meeting with six or more strangers can be overwhelming. It may be helpful to write out the names of each person at the meeting. Use of this meeting planner may help with that task.

How to use this form:

Write the date and purpose of the meeting in the space that represents the table
In the spaces marked "participants," put the name and number of the person seated in chair No. 1, etc. Add their title on the next line. If you do not know it, feel free to ask.
On the line marked clue, put anything that may help you remember who’s who. For example, “red blouse” or “blond hair.” This will help you recall who said what during the meeting.

Tips for After the IEP Meeting

After the IEP meeting, there are a few things you can do to help ensure your student's success throughout the year.

Maintain close contact with your student’s teacher. Two-way communication is a key to making any program work. Some families have regular meetings, some have a daily or weekly notebook, some have regular telephone calls, and some e-mail. Share information and suggestions. Be supportive. There should never be any surprises on your part or on the school’s.
Ask for suggestions on how you can continue to practice and reinforce what is going on in school.
Continue to keep good records and document any unaddressed needs.
During the year, keep a list of anything you want to consider for your student's next IEP.
If you think teachers or other team members are doing a good job, tell them. Let them know when they have done something you appreciate.
You have known your student a long time. If you have discovered hints that helps your student learn, share them. Offer to help teachers and others adapt materials or programs.
Remember that other people such as school bus drivers, janitors, lunchroom workers and secretaries may help your student in informal ways.
Get involved in your student's school. Join the PTA/PTO, go to school plays and other activities, volunteer in the library. The more you are involved and the more people see you, the better you will get to know each other. This sometimes makes it easier to work together for your student.
Go over your student's IEP every few months. Are the services stipulated in the IEP being provided? Are you satisfied? Is your student happy? If there appears to be a problem, ask for a meeting of all the people involved. If you feel it is necessary, ask for a team meeting to change the IEP. You may do this at any time.
Talk with your student's teacher if you have any questions or if there are any problems. If the problem is not being resolved, put it in writing. Direct your letter to the Special School District area coordinator, principal, or director of special education for your district or school.
Do not get personal. Mention the problem and not the person. For example: “My student has not received speech and language services for three weeks.” Or, “My student has not received the assistive technology evaluation we agreed upon.”
Focus on your student's needs for services, appropriate goals and objectives, placement, etc., to achieve a full and meaningful life.
Be specific about times, dates, meetings and phone calls used to try to resolve the issue previous to your letter.
Participate in training sessions or workshops offered by the school district or other community agencies.
Find out who the Parent Advisory Council representative is in your building or district. They should be able to help you with questions and networking within your school.