Individualized Education Plan (IEP) General Guidelines

Diagnosis and Solutions—the IEP Process

An IEP is a legal document that sets goals and objectives for students with disabilities. The IEP describes the programs and services that will be offered to help the student reach those goals.

If a goal and/or objective in an IEP require the student to use an assistive technology device and service, the school district must supply them. The need and responsibility for assistive technology devices and services should be specifically written into an IEP.

The IEP is formulated by a team of professionals employed by the school district and the parents or guardians of the students. Parents must consent to an IEP and may appeal an IEP if they find it unacceptable.

The IEP Team consists of the student, the IEP Case Manager/counselor, parent(s), homeroom teacher, special education teacher, and when appropriate, speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist, assistive technology specialist, or school psychologist.

A child needing an IEP will have one of the following types of disabilities, or a combination of disabilities:

• PI-physical impairment (motor coordination, eye sight, hearing, etc.)
• SD-speech disorder
• LD-learning disorder
• BD-behavioral disorder
• EMH-educatable mentally handicapped

Diagnosis and Solutions—the IEP Process
When a child is struggling with learning and needs special assistance, it may be time to conduct an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Very often a teacher who observes the student all day and his/her difficulty with lessons, behavior or attention deficit, they initiate a case study. Sometimes the student's parents experience their child's difficulties first, and ask the school or school system for guidance.

An IEP team will first evaluate the situation to decide if the student qualifies for special services. First, a case study is performed to review all aspects of the student's learning and environment. The case manager looks at such things as anecdotal notes from the teacher, other school records, parent contacts, attendance, etc. The impact of the homeroom teacher on the student is also evaluated. Many aspects of a child's school experience and health (eyesight, hearing, speech, etc.) are evaluated. Then, where appropriate, a student will see a specialist or specialists to evaluate areas thought to be problematic. Parents must consent to a student's psychological evaluation. Subsequently, the student may be diagnosed as having a learning disorder, deficit in speech and communication, behavioral, or other problem.

Sometimes an individual is already receiving services or medical treatment, or taking a prescribed medication such as Ritilin for ADHD or hyperactivity that is also noted in the case study. Some problems are situational: something occurs in the student's family that negatively impacts his/her performance, such as a divorce or something causing excessive absenteeism, leading to the problem. (It may be determined that the problem is now gone and the student doesn't need special services after all.)

Once problems or deficits are diagnosed, the student is classified as entitled to special education services and if so, the emphasis is turned to helping the student overcome challenges and brought up to the appropriate scholastic level. The homeroom teacher and special education teacher accomplish this by writing specific goals and objectives into the IEP. For instance, one goal may be for the student to read or pronounce sounds.

Then the means of accomplishing the goals are formulated. For example, the student may need to see a speech teacher each week and a special education teacher a certain number of hours per day—one hour or more. Outside services such as the need for assistive technology is determined, as needed. Goals for the student are geared for reasonable learning and achievement.

It is a priority whenever possible to keep a student mainstreamed, so an IEP determines how much time each week the student will leave their homeroom to receive special services, whether it's an hour or more or the whole day. In some cases, it's necessary for the student to drop down an entire grade level or drop down a grade level in one area, such as in reading or math.

Then it is determined how often the case manager will evaluate the student's progress or difficulties and meet periodically with the student's IEP team. The IEP is re-evaluated each year or more often, if needed, to discuss ways to improve it. An IEP can even be deemed successfully completed and the student becomes reclassified.

It is vitally important that team members communicate with one another and cooperate so that the student will have the best possible outcomes. To avoid problems, team members must work together, even though time may be limited, or the student's performance may suffer. Parents are also vital team members who need to stay involved with their child's progress.
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