My child has an IEP, now what?

We are excited to welcome Dr. Annie McLaughlin to our blog! In this post, she shares tips for parents who have a learner with an IEP!

If you are the parent of a child with special needs, you may already have an Individualized Education Plan or “IEP”. But why is it so important besides the yearly meeting that you are invited to? In this article, we’ll take a look at what an IEP is and how it can benefit your child as well as give you my top tips from being an IEP advocate.

What Is an IEP?

An IEP is a document that outlines educational goals, objectives, and services that will be provided to students with disabilities in order to meet their unique needs. The IEP includes information about the student's strengths and weaknesses, as well as accommodations and modifications that can be used to help them succeed in school.

Who Creates the IEP?

The IEP team consists of parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, therapists—anyone who has direct knowledge of the student's abilities—and other individuals who can contribute to their success in school. Together they assess the student's individual needs and create a plan that takes those needs into account when designing instruction or providing services. The goal is for the student to reach their potential both inside and outside of the classroom.

What Are Some Common Components of an IEP?

Common components of an IEP include measurable academic goals (e.g., reading fluency or math skills), behaviors specific to successful learning (e.g., following directions or staying on task), as well as accommodations such as visual aids or preferential seating arrangements. The IEP should also include information about any related services that might be necessary such as speech therapy or physical therapy; any assistive technology needed such as specialized computer software; and supplementary aids and services like note-taking assistance or study skills tutoring. It is also very common to have a Functional Behavior Assessment done if the student has behaviors that interfere with their learning or the learning of the class. From this assessment, a Behavior Intervention Plan is created to outline the behavior supports.

What are Some Common Services Provided in an IEP?

The beautiful thing about an IEP is that it is individualized so it’s important not to take this paragraph and walk into the IEP meeting. Each child’s needs must be based on your child’s specific needs. But I also have found that parents don’t know what is a possibility so here are some common services that could be in an IEP:

·       Speech language therapy services

·       Occupational therapy services

·       Psychological services: with a counselor, social worker, psychologist

·       Specialized instruction in academic areas such as math, math problem solving, math calculation, reading foundational skills, reading comprehension, written language expression

·       Social skills, study skills, organizational skills

·       Learning behaviors

·       Functional skills such as toileting, unpacking backpack, opening locker

TOP TIPS for Parents of a Child with an IEP

1.     You can call an IEP meeting any time you would like to. Often times IEP meetings are called by parents if they are worried about progress, if challenging behavior is getting worse, or if they have a test/assessment that was done by an outside provider. All you need to do is send an email to the principal and the special educator. Put it in writing so you have documentation.

2.     Read the IEP and ask questions if you do not understand something.

3.     Make sure the IEP meeting time is long enough to have a full discussion. Most of the IEP meetings that I go to are at least 2 hours long. This means that the parents can ask all their questions and have their concerns addressed as well.

4.     Read the progress report VERY carefully. Make sure that there is data to support each and every goal and objective. Don’t just read some of the highlights such as ‘making sufficient progress.’ Look carefully at the data. Is it really showing progress?

5.     ASK the questions! If something doesn’t make sense to you, ask about it and then ask for the answer in writing. Keep a log of all of the questions that you ask and the answers you get.

An IEP is an important tool for helping children with special needs reach their potential in school by creating individualized plans tailored to each student’s unique abilities and challenges. By understanding what an IEP does and engaging in meaningful conversations about your child’s educational goals, you can ensure that he or she receives all of the necessary support required for success in school—and beyond!

I hope that this short article was helpful to you. If you’d like to get more information like this, please follow me on Facebook at Annie McLaughlin Consulting or visit me at our website at www.SpecialEdGuidance.com