INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION Program (IEP)
An Individualized education program, or IEP, is a complex legal document that has two primary purposes:
1. To determine if a child is or is not eligible for special education services under federal guidelines laid out in the 2004 reauthorization of the IDEA (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act).
2. If a child is eligible for special education services, this document will specify goals and objectives, service delivery methods and providers, time lines and supplemental services and materials used to help the child succeed in school.
General Steps In the Special Education Process:
By law, the IEP must include certain information about the child and the educational program designed to meet his or her unique needs. This information covers topics such as current performance, annual goals, special education and related services, accommodations, participation in state and district-wide tests, needed transition services and measured progress.
The IEP Team Members:
The team that writes a child’s Individualized Education Program includes the parent(s), regular education teacher(s), special education teacher(s), other individuals from the school and district and the student when appropriate.
A meeting to write the IEP must be held within 30 calendar days of deciding that the child is eligible for special education and related services. Each team member brings important information to the IEP meeting. Members share their information and work together to write the child’s Individualized Education Program. Each person’s information adds to the team’s understanding of the child and what services the child needs.
Writing the IEP:
To help decide what special education and related services the student needs, generally the IEP team will begin by looking at the child’s evaluation results, such as classroom tests, individual tests given to establish the student’s eligibility, and observations by teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, related service providers, administrators and others. This information will help the team describe the student’s “present level of educational performance”—in other words, how the student is currently doing in school. Knowing how the student is currently performing in school will help the team develop annual goals to address those areas where the student has an identified educational need.
As a general education teacher, you may not be very familiar with Individualized Education Program (IEP). However, as the mainstream teacher with DHH students, you will be asked to participate in IEP meetings and you will also be responsible for student goals, should that student be in your class for that specific subject.
1. To determine if a child is or is not eligible for special education services under federal guidelines laid out in the 2004 reauthorization of the IDEA (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act).
2. If a child is eligible for special education services, this document will specify goals and objectives, service delivery methods and providers, time lines and supplemental services and materials used to help the child succeed in school.
General Steps In the Special Education Process:
- Child is identified as possibly needing special education and related services.
- Child is evaluated.
- Eligibility is decided.
- Child is found eligible for services.
- IEP meeting is scheduled.
- IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written.
- Services are provided.
- Progress is measured and reported to parents.
- IEP is reviewed.
- Child is reevaluated.
By law, the IEP must include certain information about the child and the educational program designed to meet his or her unique needs. This information covers topics such as current performance, annual goals, special education and related services, accommodations, participation in state and district-wide tests, needed transition services and measured progress.
The IEP Team Members:
The team that writes a child’s Individualized Education Program includes the parent(s), regular education teacher(s), special education teacher(s), other individuals from the school and district and the student when appropriate.
A meeting to write the IEP must be held within 30 calendar days of deciding that the child is eligible for special education and related services. Each team member brings important information to the IEP meeting. Members share their information and work together to write the child’s Individualized Education Program. Each person’s information adds to the team’s understanding of the child and what services the child needs.
Writing the IEP:
To help decide what special education and related services the student needs, generally the IEP team will begin by looking at the child’s evaluation results, such as classroom tests, individual tests given to establish the student’s eligibility, and observations by teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, related service providers, administrators and others. This information will help the team describe the student’s “present level of educational performance”—in other words, how the student is currently doing in school. Knowing how the student is currently performing in school will help the team develop annual goals to address those areas where the student has an identified educational need.
As a general education teacher, you may not be very familiar with Individualized Education Program (IEP). However, as the mainstream teacher with DHH students, you will be asked to participate in IEP meetings and you will also be responsible for student goals, should that student be in your class for that specific subject.
Take a look at this sample page from an IEP. Notice this page of the IEP focuses on reading/phonemic awareness/auditory skills.
Should the DHH student be in your classroom during this portion of your day, you would be responsible for meeting the goal and incorporating a new one. A lot of times the goal will come from the common core standards.