The IEP

CREATING AN IEP

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a child with a disability is meant to supplement or replace the Curriculum that governs the Education Program for children who do not have a disability. The IEP is the roadmap that will guide teachers and other educational professionals in the methods and strategies to be used to educate your child. As parents you have a significant role to play in the development of the IEP for your child.

WHO CREATES THE IEP? The IEP process is often initiated by the teacher or the school when they refer the child to an Evaluation Team, sometimes called the Child Study Team. This team consists of educational professionals, such as a school psychologist, a learning disabilities teacher consultant, a special education teacher, or others. One member of the Child Study Team is designated as the Case Manager. The primary contact between the parents and the school system is through this Case Manager.

The actual process of developing the IEP is under the control of an IEP Team which consists of the Child Study Team and the parents. When the child reaches the age of 14 and has appropriate abilities, the child also becomes part of the IEP Team. A common mistake by parents is to assume that the Child Study Team is the IEP Team.

To be effective members of the IEP Team the parents need to invest time and effort. If the parents do not feel qualified to take on this responsibility, they may bring a knowledgeable expert with them to meetings of the IEP Team. Even if the parents are prepared to deal with the IEP process, they might find it helpful to bring an additional person who can serve as an observer and coach for them.

STAGES IN THE LIFE OF AN IEP

The IEP takes different forms as the child grows and advances through an educational program. Here we will simplify by considering just three stages: the first IPE, the continuing IEPs as the child develops, the transition program IEPs as the child approaches the end of eligibility for services from the Local Educational Agency (LEA), i.e. your school system.

THE INITIAL IEP For the Initial IEP, be sure to collect and provide the critical medical records that define the child's disability. If possible, send these to the Case Manager before the IEP meeting. If the child has been in Early Intervention, many of these records might already be in the hands of the Case Manager.

For disorders of the Corpus Callosum, the radiologist’s report of an MRI or CT scan is especially important. For many children with disabilities, a lot of time and effort is consumed trying to determine whether the child has a defined medical problem or is just exhibiting behavioral management difficulties. For children with DCC you have a picture which can save many thousands of words. Often the Child Study team will appreciate being able to start with such indisputable medical evidence. Next you should present reports that define how DCC impacts educational capabilities. This should come from a neurodevelopmental pediatrician, a child psychiatrist, or a neurologist. As a parent you should be able to report when the child achieved various developmental milestones, e.g. crawling, cruising, first words, early sounds, first words, etc.

THE ONGOING IEP Subsequent IEPs should build on the previous IEP and the educational record of the child's performance during the prior period, usually one year. At each of these meetings, the Goals and Objectives established in the prior IEP should be reviewed. The main task at each of these ongoing IEP meetings is to determine which Objectives have been met, which have to be repeated in the new IEP, and which have to be modified. Remember that all the action that flows from the IEP process is contained in the Goals and Objectives.

It is essential that the Goals and Objectives in the IEP be verifiable and measurable. This means that they must tell the teacher what the child is expected to achieve and how that achievement can be measured. It is important to get this right and to monitor how the child is achieving the Goals and Objectives on a regular basis throughout the year.

THE TRANSITIONAL IEP As the child approaches the end of eligibility for services from the Local Education Agency (LEA), the IEP Team needs to focus on "transition" - i.e. the process of moving out from school and into the world of work, of ongoing education, or of ongoing social services. It is important to recognize that this transition takes the young adult with a disability from the status of being entitled to educational services to the status of needing to establish that he or she is eligible for ongoing social services.

THE IEP MEETING CYCLE

Before the IEP Meeting
Acquire or prepare the following documents:

1. A written summary of the parents’ view of the current educational status of the child.

2. You should be able to rely on the Child Study Team to provide test scores and evaluations that were performed by school personnel.

3. Reports and test scores from any evaluations obtained by the parents.

4. A list of the educational and ancillary services you believe your child will need to make 'appropriate' progress in general education.

The IEP process often starts with informal discussions between the parents, teachers, and members of the child study team. It is a good idea to have a notebook or log to write down the ideas that are put forward in these discussions.

The IEP Meeting
Come prepared to make decisions at the IEP meeting, but do not let yourself be pushed. The Child Study Team should be familiar with your proposals from the advance documentation you provided. Individual teachers are likely to present their view of your child's capability and recommendations for future programs.

Following Up after the IEP Meeting
At the end of the meeting, list he action Items for all parties -- the Child Study Team, the parents, and possibly, the teachers. These action items should be directed at completing a revised IEP based on the verbal agreements made at the IEP meeting. You will probably be asked to sign a sheet confirming that you participated in this meeting. Sign that you participated; however, it is advisable to wait for the revised IEP before signing that you approve of the IEP. When you receive the revised IEP, make sure that it contains all changes agreed upon at the IEP meeting. If you agree with the revised IEP, then you should sign. Note that, if you do not sign within 5 or 10 days (check the law for your state), the IEP can be implemented without your signature.

INTERNET BIBLIOGRAPHY

Extensive information about IEPs can be found on the Internet. Here is a list of websites that contain significant information about the IEP process. The organizations sponsoring these websites are not endorsed by NODCC.

Official Information from the Federal Department of Education and/or various State government organizations:

http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html A readable guide provided by the US Department of Education. This guide is designed “to assist educators, parents, and state and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).”

Educational advice and guidance from private organizations such as educational, charitable, medical, or advocacy organizations:

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/iep.html    Sponsored by the Nemours Foundation.

http://www.causeonline.org/iep2.html   Sponsored by the Michigan based Citizens Alliance to Uphold Special Education (CAUSE).

Legal advice from private organizations, such as advocacy organizations, law firms, and consultants:

http://www.wrightslaw.com  References and news about Special Education from a company that provides books, seminars, and consulting services for parents of children with disabilities. This company was founded by a lawyer, Peter Wright, and his wife, Pamala Wright, a psychotherapist.