Developing an IEP:  The Five “W”s

Who?  What? When? Where? And Why?

If you know that the IEP is like a contract with the school…and you know that the IEP is the document that drives your child’s education…Wow, the IEP can be overwhelming!  Understanding the basics of IEP development will increase your confidence and help you become an effective member of your child’s IEP team.

Who Develops the IEP? 
IDEA 2004 requires the following individuals to participate in the development of your child’s IEP:

  • You (the Parent[s])
  • The Student (when appropriate).  
    • Students should be included in all or part of their ARD meetings as soon as it is appropriate.  Younger students might attend to share their interests or their portfolio with the committee; older students can take a more active role in the meeting and IEP development.   The earlier a student becomes involved in the process, even if it is just 5 minutes at the beginning of every ARD meeting, the easier it will be when the student is required to attend.  See Resources at the end of this article for more on Student-led IEPs.
    • The Student MUST be invited if the meeting will cover any discussion about transition services, goals after high school, or other transition issues.
  • At least 1 regular education teacher who is or will be working with your child (if your child will be in regular education for any part of the day)
  • At least 1 special education teacher (must meet the requirements for a Highly Qualified Teacher)
  • A representative of the school district (often a principal).  This person must be knowledgeable about the general education curriculum and the resources available in the school district and must be qualified to supervise or provide special education services.  We personally like for this person to be a decision-maker…someone who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the school. 
  • A person who can interpret the results of the evaluations given your child and explain how they apply to your child’s education (often a diagnostician)
  • Other persons who have knowledge about your child or special expertise to offer (specific to your child) can be invited by you or by the school.  This might include related services personnel (physical therapist, psychologist, or speech therapist for example), professionals who work with your child outside of the school, or even a friend you trust to support you in the meeting.  There is flexibility here. 

      • A matter of etiquette: Remember, the most effective ARD Committees are built on open communication and respect, which works both ways.  In order to create and maintain trust, be sure to let the school know if you will be inviting anyone to attend with you, and ask them to do the same for you.
      • Should you invite an advocate? First, you may want to consider bringing “Child’s Sunday School Teacher” or “Our Next Door Neighbor” or “A Family Friend” to support you at the ARD meeting and to take notes for you.  Anyone can be your child’s “advocate”, but using that term can be counter-productive in certain situations.  The word “advocate” may put school personnel on the defensive and shut down effective communication.  If you must bring a special education advocate, you should notify the school that you are bringing that person.  Also before the ARD meeting, you should clearly define your expectations of the “advocate’s” role at the meeting, whether it is your neighbor holding your hand or someone you paid, so that you will have the support you really need.
      • Attorneys?  In any case where you are bringing an attorney with you, you must notify the school in advance because the school will need to have an attorney there also.  Likewise, a school district cannot invite their attorney to a meeting without also notifying the parent.

  • An ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) Representative if your child is entering school from an ECI program – this must be requested by the parent.

NOTE!  IDEA 2004 made some important changes to the IEP Team requirements.  The changes allow for times that someone can be excluded from the ARD meeting or be dismissed before the meeting has ended.  More specifically:

  • A member of the ARD committee is not required to attend all or part of the meeting if everyone (school and parent) agree in writing that this person’s attendance isn’t required because their area of expertise is not going to be modified or discussed in the meeting. 
  • A member of the team may be excused from all or part of the meeting, even if the meeting will involve modification to or discussion of that person’s area of expertise.  This applies only if everyone (parent and school) agree in writing AND if that member provides written input to both parent and ARD committee before the meeting is held. 
    • Note:  The law does not define what is meant by “prior to the meeting.”  We recommend you request any written input well enough in advance to allow yourself time to review what’s submitted and ask any questions you may have about it before you get to the ARD meeting.

The ARD notice notifying you that a meeting has been scheduled will include a list of those invited to the meeting.  It won’t have the individuals’ names, only their titles or areas of expertise.  In smaller districts you’ll probably know who those folks are.  If you’re in a larger district you can always ask for specific names so you will know who to expect at the ARD meeting.  The ARD notice is a great opportunity to be sure that those you think should be invited are on that list.

What’s an IEP? (Be sure to see “What an IEP is NOT” as well!)
An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is the written document that is completed by an ARD Committee for every child receiving special education services.  IDEA 2004 has a clear list of requirements that the IEP must address.  They are:

  • A statement of your child’s Present Level of Academic Achievement & Functional Performance.  This statement tells you how your child is doing, both academically and functionally, at this time.  Academic Achievement refers to educational types of achievement, such as math skills (addition & subtraction) or language skills (writing a complete sentence).  Functional performance refers to a different set of skills, the practical skills one needs to function day to day.  Functional skills will vary greatly from one child to another, but a few examples of functional skills might include dressing oneself (buttoning a button, tying a shoe), social skills (such as eye contact, age-appropriate conversation), or even skills like being able to prepare a simple meal,   Think about the things your child will need to do to function in the world, and you’re thinking about functional skills. The PLAAFP statement will be based on a variety of sources of information about your child, including any assessments that have been done, your child’s strengths and needs, and a summary of his involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (TEKS).
  • A set of Measurable Annual Goals (and possibly objectives) – both academic and functional.  This establishes what your child will learn this year.   It’s important to ensure that the goals are truly measurable, so you and the school will know if/when your child has achieved the goal.  See the Writing Goals & Objectives section to learn more about writing goals,
  • A statement of specific special education and related services to be provided.  A new addition to IDEA 2004 is the requirement that special education and related services be based on peer-reviewed research.  In other words, schools must ensure that the instruction and related services they provide to your child use strategies that have been proven successful, rather than just trying this method or that to see if something works. 
  • A statement of any individual accommodationsthat will be necessary for how the curriculum will be taught, made accessible (i.e. by changing materials presentation), or assessed (ie large print).  Accommodations should be things that are used by the student on a regular basis in the classroom.  These same accommodations may be used on State and district wide assessments.  For more information on allowable accommodations, review the Accommodations Resources that TEA provides.
  • A statement regarding participation in Statewide and District assessments.  All Texas children are required to take annual tests over basic academic skills.  While many things related to testing change every year (everything from what we call the test to what subjects are tested at which grade), one thing is likely to stay the same – your child WILL take a statewide assessment every year.  Currently Texas students take one of four versions of the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills) depending on the needs of the individual student.  The ARD committee will need to address what test is appropriate and what accommodations will be provided during the test.  For more information on those four test versions, see our TAKS information.  Information specific to test accommodations can be found at TEA Accommodation Resources.  When discussing statewide assessments – don’t forget to discuss how your child might participate in other district wide assessments that all other students are participating in at your child’s grade level (ie benchmark testing, Reading assessments, physical fitness, etc.). 
  • A statement regarding any Transition services that will be needed to successfully prepare the student to move into life after high school.  This piece of the IEP is required for students who are 16 years of age, although the Committee and/or the parents can choose to address the issue earlier than that.   Once the student turns 16, the IEP becomes even more specific, in an effort to help the student and family prepare for the eventual move to adulthood. There are detailed elements the IEP must include for the transition-age student.  See Transition Services for more information.
  • Other concerns the IEP may address (depending on the needs of your child):
  • Assistive technology
  • Autism.  Texas has specific rules for what must be included here for students with autism.  Click here for more on Strategies for Consideration for Students with Autism
  • Positive Behavior Supports, Behavior and Behavior Intervention Plan
  • Braille services (for students who are blind)
  • Communication Needs (for students who are deaf or hard of hearing or have other communication needs)
  • Extended Year Services
  • Limited English Proficiency (for students whose native language is not English)
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Graduation
  • Transportation (although a “related service” this topic is often discussed as a separate issue in the ARD Committee)        
  • A statement about the Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment.  This is a critical stage in the IEP development, the time when you and the Committee decide where your child will go to work on the goals you’ve designed in the IEP.  Ask yourself this question:  What type of classroom would your child be in if there were no disability?  Where can your child work on his/her goals or objectives? Federal law requires that your child be educated in the “least restrictive environment.”  Be careful here!  Too often schools place children in settings that are dictated by their disability label rather than their strengths, needs, and IEP goals.  Placement MUST be an individualized decision and needs to give your child every opportunity to learn alongside her non-disabled peers.  See the article on Placement to learn more on this topic.

What an IEP is NOT
Now that we’ve told you what an IEP is, let’s take a minute to consider what an IEP is NOT:

  • An IEP is NOT a shopping cart to push down the aisle of education goals, services and supports and throw in whatever looks good.  We sometimes see parents who consider the IEP a “wish list” of sorts, and here’s a promise – this approach is a recipe for disappointing outcomes.  Ask yourself “what does my child need?” rather than “what do I want for my child?” 
  • An IEP is NOT a guarantee of your child’s success.  There are no guarantees in life, are there?  However, there are safeguards built into the IEP process to help ensure that your child has every opportunity to succeed. 
  • An IEP is NOT the parents’ decision alone.  The decisions must be made collaboratively, with collective agreement.
  • An IEP is NOT the school professionals’ decision alone.  The decisions must be made collaboratively, with collective agreement…including you, the parent.
  • An IEP is NOT intended to replace our duties as parents.  What would we be teaching our children at home if there was no disability?  Shouldn’t we still be teaching those things at home, in spite of the disability?   Goals that focus on self-care skills, for example, are sure to lead to more segregated classroom settings and less focus on the general education curriculum.   Carefully consider what goals should be addressed at school (IEP) and what goals should be addressed at home (You).
  • An IEP is NOT written in stone.  You can always go back and make changes as necessary.

When Is the IEP Developed? 
In this day of hectic schedules, tight timelines and even computerized ARD documents, your child’s IEP can become a “checklist” of sorts and unintentionally lose the “individualized” part of the IEP – truly the most important part!  Your job as the Parent is to safeguard against that happening and ensure that the individual (your precious child!) doesn’t get lost in the paperwork.  What can you do?

Ideally, the IEP should be developed by the ARD committee during an ARD meeting.  The meeting should be at a time and place that is mutually agreeable.  However, busy workdays have led many schools to create draft IEP goals ahead of time for the ARD committee to consider.  Often parents are not included in this process.  But wait!  You, the Parent, are first on the list of those required to participate in the IEP development!  Can they do that?  Should they?

There’s nothing wrong with drafting IEP goals as long as everyone – including you – knows that the goals are only a draft and that they can be changed and even deleted.  One way to safeguard the process is to ask questions.  Will the district draft IEP goals prior to the ARD meeting?  If so, how can I participate?  May I attend the staff meeting?  Be sure to request a copy of the proposed goals well ahead of the meeting so you’ll have time to review them and formulate your own thoughts and opinions.   And you can certainly draft your own goals as well.  Remember you are an equal participant on the ARD committee.  Your voice counts.

Some parents we know request an ARD Planning Conference, sometimes called a “pre-ARD” meeting to get together with school staff and draft IEP goals.    This kind of informal meeting can help create team relationships with your school professionals in a setting that is not bound to such tight timelines and regulations.  The end result can be a set of IEP goals on which everyone can agree…and the time required for the actual ARD is shortened dramatically.  Many schools will be receptive to the idea. Try it!

  • A Word of Caution:  Anything agreed upon in a pre-ARD meeting is just that – an agreement.  There is nothing legally binding about those agreements.  Be sure you get everything your child needs written into the IEP document.

One more thing about the “when” of IEPs.  Typically IEPs are developed every year.   However, that doesn’t mean they cannot be changed or revised.  Changes can be made at any time, and IDEA 2004 requires that the ARD Committee MUST address revisions when:

  • The student demonstrates a lack of expected progress
  • New reevaluation results are available
  • The parents provide new information
  • The student has (or will have) new needs

Minor revisions (a schedule change for example) to the IEP can be made by agreement without having to reconvene the ARD Committee.  The revised IEP must contain a statement about how the IEP was revised and that it was revised by mutual agreement without a meeting. 

The “Where” of the IEP
The “where” of the IEP doesn’t refer so much to where you meet to develop the IEP – that can happen anywhere, but it is usually done at the school.  In our minds, however, the bigger (most important) part of the “where” refers to the Placement decision that is made at the end of the IEP development process. 

As mentioned earlier, many children with disabilities are placed in educational settings that are determined by their “label” rather than their strengths, needs and specific IEP goals.  It’s easy to fall into the thinking that a specialized classroom for children with autism, cognitive, or multiple disabilities (for example) makes more sense than trying to place that same child in a regular education classroom with non-disabled peers.  However, we strongly encourage you to challenge that thinking – both your own and that of the school professionals working with your child.  Click here for more information on placement..

The Big Why
Why should I learn about - and participate in - IEP development?  I’m not an educator.  Isn’t that the school’s job? Haven’t I got enough to worry about?

Parenthood brings with it a world of worry.  It also brings a ton of responsibility.  While having a child with a disability certainly can add to the worry and responsibility, parents are empowered when they learn the system and participate in the process that is working on their child’s behalf.

Think about what each of us would do if our children did not have a disability.  If my child is gifted, I need to learn about the gifted and talented program, and research ways to help my child meet his greatest potential.  Say my daughter loves dance and wants to be the best dancer she can be.  Wouldn’t I need to learn at least the basics of dance and provide her every opportunity I can to improve her skills?  Don’t let your child’s disability change who you are as a parent.

Here’s one more BIG reason why you must become an IEP expert…your child’s future depends on it… and thereby your future!  If we do a good job with our kids, they have a shot at a future, a life of choice and opportunities to the greatest extent possible.  When doors to the future are open to your child, they open to us as parents as well.  And bottom line…the day will come when you cannot be there for your child.    We have no guarantees of time.  We owe it to our children to do everything in our power to prepare them for the day we can’t be there anymore. 

You are expected (by federal law) to be an equal participant in your child’s IEP development.  Equal participation is more than just showing up and signing your name.  Take the time to learn the process.  It’ll pay off in your child’s future.

Next Steps:

Go Back to:

Resources:
TEA's Guide to the ARD process

The Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Special Education Process

U.S. Dept. of Education's Guide to the IEP

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) – All About the IEP

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabiltiies (NICHCY) – Building the Legacy:  A Training curriculum on IDEA 2004 – Theme D: Modules 5-8

Wrightslaw:  IEP information

Wrightslaw: Tests and Measurements

Wrightslaw: SMART IEPs

Partners in Education - an on-line course offered by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities.  Free of charge, self-paced, designed for parents.

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition – Student Led IEPs - How to Make It Work

Arizona’s Collaboration for Student Led IEPs

Revolutionary Common Sense Articles used with permission of Kathie Snow, Disability Is Natural:

Our Actions…Their Futures

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