What is in an IEP?

IEP's are documents that are formed by a team of school officials and the parent to ensure that a child with special needs is given an education that targets their individual and unique needs. According to federal law, an IEP has certain elements that must be included when being constructed.

An IEP must contain the child's present level of performance, annual goals, special education, related services, participation with non-disabled children, participation in state and district testing, and dates and places that the child the child will receive services, transitional needs, age of majority, and measuring progress.

While some schools IEPs may contain more services, the federal government required that all of the above information be incorporated in the IEP document.

The child's current level of performance will be assessed through testing, evaluation from teachers or individual tests. The current level of performance should include how the child's disability affects their educational progress as if they were in a general education setting.

Annual goals are constructed to make reasonable expectations of what the child should be able to achieve during that year. Goals can include academics, physical or emotional needs, or behavioral needs. The goals are short-term goals that the team believes the child will be able to achieve by the end of the school year.

Special education and related services includes supplementary aids and services that the child may need to help them to succeed. This can include support for the teaching staff or training to enable the teachers to learn how to educate your child appropriately.

An IEP must also explain when the child will be in the presence of non-disabled children which in most cases, the child will be among regular education classes at some point in the day and in addition, the IEP must contain information on whether the child will participate in state or district testing such as Standards of Learning tests. If the child will not take the tests than the IEP must indicate why the child will not participate in the testing and how the child will be tested.

Dates and places contained on the IEP are especially important. The dates need to be paid close attention to because if the services run out before forming or amending an IEP not only will the school be found negligent but the child will be the one who suffers for the loss of educational services and believe it or not, special education teachers do sometimes miss or overlook the dates.

At age 14, the IEP has to address and prepare the student for transition to high school by finding out what the child would like to be when they grow up and helping them to find courses suitable for that particular goal. If the child is under 14, this will not be addressed in the IEP. All the elements of an IEP are important and if a parent does not agree with any part of the IEP, do not sign it and if necessary call for mediation or due process. Only you know your child fully and only you know what can help to make them succeed in education. In addition, if the school is not following federal regulations, do not be scared to file a state complaint. This is the life of your child and parents need to know their rights and responsibilities to ensure the child receives an appropriate education that suits their childs individual needs