Specialized Services / Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a plan for specialized instruction, supports, and services written to meet the individual needs of a student with a disability. It identifies students' needs, sets goals and lists services in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) to ensure high quality instruction and post-secondary success.

Families, school personnel, or an external partner may request a referral for an educational evaluation to determine if your student has a disability. This request may be verbal, or written. It is important to include your areas of concern when requesting a referral. You may contact the Coordinator of Special Education (COSE) to discuss your concerns. The COSE will provide you with an Evaluation Consent Form in order for the evaluation to take place. Once the signature is received, the evaluation process begins.

The purpose of the evaluation is to determine the following:

Does the student have a disability that requires specialized instruction and/or related services?

What are the student’s educational needs?

If eligible, what specialized services and/or related services would address the students' individual needs?

After receiving the signed consent, the Coordinator of Special Education (COSE) will make outreach to schedule the initial meeting. The meeting will be held to discuss the evaluation results with the IEP team and determine eligibility.

If eligible, the team will determine what specialized instruction and/or related services will meet the students' needs in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and an IEP will be proposed. If the student is found ineligible, the team may discuss whether a 504 plan may be appropriate or determine that your student is ineligible for an IEP or 504 plan. (Please note: If you disagree with the findings, you may request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)). Once the IEP is proposed, including an appropriate proposed program placement, be sure to review, sign, and return it to the Coordinator of Special Education (COSE) at your students’ school.

The IEP team meets annually to discuss the students' progress towards their goals and objectives. The student will be reevaluated every three years to determine the student's disability and learning needs.

You may follow the guidelines below, which offer you opportunities to actively engage in the development and implementation of your student’s IEP.

Before the IEP Meeting
- Meeting Invitation: Once the consent is signed, you will receive an invitation to the IEP meeting. The meeting can be held on Zoom, in-person, or by phone. An interpreter will be provided if needed and/or requested.
- Evaluation Reports: If evaluations are discussed, you may ask to be provided copies of the reports 48 hours prior to the meeting.
- Official Documents and Observations: Bring any information that will be helpful when sharing your student’s strengths and challenges with your student’s learning and progress.
  
  You may bring official documents like recent progress reports, report cards, homework, and tests, along with notes and observations about your student.
- Invite a Guest: If you think you will need support at the meeting, invite someone to join you. This could be a family member or a friend, a provider that works with your student, or an advocate. Let the IEP team know that they will be joining you and how you think they can help.
  
  You may want to meet with the person joining you before the IEP meeting to review concerns and plan for next steps. If your student will be in attendance, be sure to prepare your student as well.
- Prepare Questions & Recommendations: Once you have reviewed your official documents requested, met with your guest, and talked to your student, you may want to make a list of concerns, questions, and/or suggestions. Bring the list with you. You may refer to the list during the meeting.
  When creating your list, consider the following:
  - Where has your student made progress?
  - Where has your student experienced challenges?
  - What supports and services have been helpful?
  - What supports and services have not been helpful?
  - Are there new challenges that your student is experiencing? At-home? In school?
  If you're attending an annual or re-evaluation meeting, you may write a Vision Statement for your student’s IEP and bring it with you to the IEP meeting. It can contain your and your student’s goals for their individual success. If you prefer, you can take notes at the meeting and share your vision with the IEP team.
During the IEP Meeting
- Share Observations About Your Student: Share the observations you have about your student’s abilities and interests. Consider topics like academics, peer relationships, medical needs, sports, and other activities. Your contribution is very important.
- Collaborate: The team members will share strengths and areas of concern about your student. If you are unsure about what is being shared, ask questions and/or offer suggestions. Sometimes challenges may come up at school that you may not see at home. Together, you can collaborate in making a plan that will be effective in supporting your student’s needs.
  
  Consider the following:
  - What goals do I have for my student?
  - What suggestions do I have to support my student’s learning? Is there something that I feel may work best?
  - How can I support my student’s learning at home?
- Ask Questions: As the team discusses your student’s needs, be sure to ask any questions that you may have. If you hear terms that you may not be familiar with, please be sure to ask any questions you may have. If interpretation during a meeting is unclear, please ask for the meeting to be rescheduled. You are an important member of the team and should understand what is being discussed in detail.
  
  Consider the following:
  - Was there anything shared that was unclear?
  - What services and supports is the team proposing?
  - Did the IEP team address all of the concerns you have for your student?
- Note: Signing the team meeting summary and attendance does not mean that you have signed the IEP.
  - Signing the team meeting document indicates that you agree with what was discussed at the meeting and that you have been provided with a copy.
  - Signing the attendance indicates that you attended the meeting.
After the IEP Meeting
- Review and sign the proposed IEP: The Coordinator of Special Education (COSE) will provide you with a copy of the proposed IEP for you to review and sign. Be sure to review, sign, and return the IEP to the school. If you have any questions about your student’s IEP, you may contact the COSE for support.
- Update Your Records: Be sure to keep copies of the documents and reports shared at the meeting, your notes, and your student’s IEP. You can make notes of when progress reports will be sent out so that you know when to expect them. Keep copies of the progress reports too.
- Progress Monitoring: Your student may begin to make progress or regress. You can schedule a reconvene meeting with the IEP team to discuss concerns that you may have.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Before the IEP Meeting

During the IEP Meeting

After the IEP Meeting