Understanding IEPs: A Guide for Parents and Guardians

What is an IEP?

What is an IEP? Understanding IEPs can be quite difficult so we’ve compiled this guide for parents and guardians to help you through the process. An IEP is an Individualized Education Program. When a child is identified with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) a child has a right to a Free, Appropriate, Public Education, FAPE. For a child to receive FAPE there has to be an IEP developed for the child to progress in the general education curriculum.

IEP Team members

• Parents
  • There is no other person who knows your child better than you.
• Regular Education Teacher
  • Under federal law, there should be a Regular Education Teacher who has had or will have your child in their classroom. The purpose of including the Regular Education Teacher is because of their knowledge of the general education curriculum.
• Special Education Teacher
  • This should be the Special Education Teacher who has served your child or will be serving your child. The information they share with the team is vital to understanding how your child learns. They will assist in helping the regular education teacher asses what accommodations and or modifications your child will need in a regular classroom.
• District Representative
  • The District Representative is anyone who knows what resources are available in the district and can make money decisions.
    • EX:  Your child might need speech therapy. This may be an additional cost to the school system. The District Representative is responsible for knowing how they will provide this service and can commit to the expense of this service.
      • If the district representative says they do not have the authority to commit resources during the IEP, then you may need to reconvene another IEP meeting when someone with authority can attend.
• Psychologist
  • If there has been any testing or evaluations done before the IEP meeting by the school district, the law says there must be someone in the IEP meeting who can explain the evaluation to you. The law does not state this has to the psychologist, but the regulations require someone who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results. The evaluation must be explained so everyone involved understands it.
    • If you do not understand the evaluation, you cannot give informed consent. The parent must understand the evaluation to make good decisions in having their child identified and to make decisions about the IEP.  
• Student
  • The student is a very important part of the IEP team. IDEA states when a child is 14 years of age the IEP team must take into account the student’s concerns and interests. If the student cannot be present or does not want to attend the meeting, efforts must be made to establish the interests and concerns of the student.
    • As a parent, one of the most important things you can do to prepare your child for the future is to teach your child to advocate for themselves. Help them to understand their disability so they can ask for accommodation for themselves. Teach them to be as independent as possible.
• Therapists
  • If your child is receiving therapy or you suspect your child will need therapy of any kind, it is important to have the therapist attend the IEP meeting. Their expertise is vital to planning an appropriate IEP.
• Community Members, Service Providers
  • When a child is 14 years old, it is advisable to bring community members into the IEP to look at how this young adult can transition into the adult world. Are there any service providers in the community who can help these young adults be as independent as possible by the time they graduate?
• Who else can attend the IEP meetings?
  • The parent can bring any person to the IEP meeting that they need to feel supported and comfortable.
    • These people must be knowledgeable about your child or their disability.
  • The school district can bring anyone they feel will be a support to them, but again the law requires the person to be knowledgeable about your child or their disability.

The law mandates that a minimum number of persons attend an IEP meeting.

1. Parents
2. District Representative
3. Regular Education Teacher
4. Special Education Teacher
5. Students if they are 14 years old or want to attend.

If these people are not available at your IEP meeting, then the meeting cannot take place.  An IEP meeting time frame should not be limited. It is required to be held at a time and place that is convenient to all team members. The process can sometimes take longer than is expected.

Regulations

• 300.345 Parent Participation
  • (A) Public agency responsibility- general. Each public agency shall take steps to ensure that one or both of the parents of a child with a disability are present at each IEP meeting or are allowed to participate including 1. Notifying parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend and 2 scheduling the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place.
  • If you arrive for a scheduled IEP meeting and are told that the meeting can only last 15 minutes for some reason, ask the team to schedule another meeting. An IEP meeting is important and you should not be rushed. This meeting will result in a legal document that will directly affect your child’s future.
• Prior Written Notice (PR-01)
  • You should receive this written notice in the mail, asking for your attendance at the IEP meeting. There should be alternative dates and times from which to choose. If none of these dates work for you, write in the time and date that will work and send it back to the school. It is always a good idea to make a copy of your letter to the school. If you deliver it to the school, have someone sign it to prove they received the letter. This is important because sometimes schools get busy, and things get misplaced or forgotten. If a school attempts to get you to come to an IEP meeting and they document that you have not responded, they can write your child’s IEP without you if it is not your child’s initial IEP. For your child to have an appropriate IEP the school needs your input. The best way for a student to receive an appropriate education is through parents and schools working together.

What are the areas that must be addressed in an IEP?

• Present levels of performance
  • If the present level is written in school terminology that you do not understand request that it be rewritten more clearly so you do understand it.
    • EX: “Mary can read CVC words independently.” If you do not know what CVC words are, ask them to rewrite that statement.
    • EX: “Mary can read consonant vowel consonant words independently” If you’re still confused don’t be embarrassed. Ask again for them to make it understandable for you.
    • EX: “Mary can read consonant vowel constant words like cat, dog, and rat, independently”
  • This way you can keep track of their progress. Without knowing exactly what your child can do, you will never know if they are progressing in the general education curriculum.  
• Measurable annual goals
  • 300.347 Content of the IEP.
    • General. The IEP for each child with a disability must include (2) a statement of measurable annual goals, including benchmarks or short-term objectives, related to – (i) meeting the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum (i.e. the same curriculum as the nondisabled children), or for preschool children, as appropriate, to participate in appropriate activities; and (ii) meeting each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability
• Measurable objectives
  • What are Objectives?
    • Objectives are small measurable steps toward the annual goal.
•  
  • When reading a goal ask the question: Can this be measured?
    • EX: John will improve in writing
      • This is not measurable – ask yourself, how will John improve his writing skills? From what level to what level?
    • Ex: John will improve his writing skills from writing a simple sentence to being able to write a complex sentence with correct capitalization and punctuation.
      • A goal is something that can be attained in one year.
• How the objectives will be measured
  • The criteria tell us how we know if the student is progressing toward their annual goal.
    • EX: Work samples, tests, quizzes, charts, and teacher observations with work samples, charting, or testing.
      • This will eliminate misunderstandings later. The teacher may not observe the same behavior the parent observes. If the criteria are in some type of written form it will help avoid misunderstandings.
  • Who will measure the progress?
    • The IEP needs to address who is going to monitor the progress of your child and who will be delivering the services to your child.
      • EX: Your child receives speech therapy two times a week for twenty minutes, are those twenty minutes provided in consultive services by the regular education teacher and monitored by the speech therapist, or in a small group pulled out of the regular classroom?
        • For you to give informed consent you must understand who and how the services will be delivered. Always ask who will be providing the service and where the services will be delivered.
  • Transition Services
    • 300.347 (b) Transition Services. The IEP must include- (1) For each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team), and updated annually, a statement of the transition service needs of the student under the applicable components of the student’s IEP that focuses on the student’s courses of study such as participation in advanced-placement courses or a vocational education program.
    • At age 14 a transition statement must be written on the IEP. Transition is looking at what the student wants to do with their life and what course of study best fits the student.
    • At age 16 there must be a transition plan written on the IEP. The purpose of the transition plan is to have students with disabilities become independent tax-paying adults, making a smooth transition from school to competitive employment, independent living, and community involvement.
• Services
  • Any type of services your child is receiving must be documented on the IEP.
    • EX:
      • Support by an Intervention Specialist
      • Services for Speech and Language
      • Services for Occupational Therapy
      • Interpreter for hearing impairment
      • Orientation and mobility services
      • Services for Physical Therapy
      • One-on-one aide
      • Services in Braile
      • ETC.
    • All services listed should be accompanied by the amount of time per week the child will be receiving the services and who will be providing the services.
      • EX: Speech 2x a week for 20 minutes with a speech therapist.
• Date services, accommodations, and or modifications begin including frequency, location, and duration.
  • What does the word “Accommodations” mean?
    • “Whatever it takes” to make sure that a student with disabilities can participate as fully as possible in the academic content standards.
    • Accommodations are the changes in the way that materials are presented or in the way students respond to the materials, as well as changes in setting timing and scheduling.
    • Accommodations can be provided for:
      • Instructional methods and materials
      • Assignment and assessments
      • Physical learning environments
      • Time demands and scheduling.
      • Special communication systems
    • Accommodations refer to “How” the general education curriculum will be presented to the students with disabilities so that they can understand the general education curriculum.
      • EX:
        • Reader
        • Scribe
        • Computer
        • Books on Tape
        • Braille
        • Interpreter
        • Study Buddy
        • Large Print Books
        • Extended Time
        • Copy of teacher’s notes
        • FM System
        • Peer Tutor
        • Etc.
• Modifications
  • What does the word “Modifications” mean?
    • Modifications are changes that can be made to “What” Students are expected to learn.
    • For most students with disabilities, modifications should be considered only after all types of accommodations have been exhausted.
    • Modifications may include:
      • Partial completion of program or course requirements
      • Teaching less material where the following happens:
        • Modify the objective to fewer objectives
        • Modify at the unit level smaller unit/part of a unit
        • Modify at the materials level – pages, paragraphs, problems, etc.
        • Modify at the lesson level – shorter lessons, part of a lesson.
        • Curriculum expectations below age or grade level.
        • Assessment/Assessment criteria (alternate assessment being developed)
        • Alternate Curricular Goals
      • Modifications imply that the student will not reach the standards for all students and the decision to make modifications should not be made lightly.
      • Questions to ask when deciding to modify
        • What part of the curriculum does the child need to know that will help them in their adult life?
          • EX: The class is studying decimals – IEP Students would study adding and subtracting money.
          • EX: The class is studying “Parts of a Plant”- IEP students will learn how to plant a seed, add water, and the sun, and understand what is needed for the plant to grow.
      • When modifying this must be written in the IEP
        • EX: “The curriculum of the science class will be modified to John’s functioning level”
• Assistive Technology
  • Any types of assistive technology services or devices need to be addressed on the IEP.
    • EX:
      • Augmentative communication devices
      • Computer
      • Communication board
      • Pencil Grip
      • Tape recorder
      • Calculator
      • AlphaSmart
      • Franklin Speller
      • Colored sensory overlays
      • Etc.
• Anything your child needs in the regular classroom to be successful should be written under “Services” on the IEP.
  • If you run out of space on the IEP, the services page can be copied as many items as necessary to accommodate your child’s services.
  • Any therapies must be put under services on the IEP including who will deliver this service and how often and how long these services will be given.
  • Transportation needs to be put under services if the child needs special transportation.
    • EX: School bus w/ aide
  • If your child needs the support of a person, they must be addressed under services.
    • EX: One-on-one aide in the regular education classroom.   
• Each IEP should contain an explanation of the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in regular classes or nonacademic activities. LRE or Least Restrictive Environment.
  • The team should always look at the regular education classroom first.
    • Services and aides should come to the student before removing the student to a more restrictive environment.
      • EX: Regular Classroom with Accommodations
      • EX: Regular classrooms with 45 minutes in a smaller classroom with an intervention specialist.
      • EX: Small group classroom with the support of a one-on-one aide
      • EX: Residential school for children who are blind or deaf.
    • The least restrictive environment is not decided by the disability of the child or the financial ability of the school district.
• Special Factors to be considered on the IEP.
  • Behavior
    • If a child’s behavior interferes with their learning or the learning of other students.
  • Limited English Proficiency
  • Visual Impairment
    • For a child who is blind or visually impaired, the team shall provide for interaction in Braille and the use of Braille.
  • Communication
    • Deaf or hearing-impaired children’s needs
    • Opportunities for direct communication with peers and professional personnel in the child’s language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs.
  • Assistive Technology
    • Consideration of whether the child will require assistive technology devices and services.
  • Physical Education
    • Physical education classes can be specially designed, if necessary, but must be made available to every child with a disability.
  • Extended School Year Services (ESY)
    • Services are provided beyond the normal school year of the school district, at no cost to the parents.
    • ESY services are individually designed for the student, not limited to the current services available.
    • ESY services must be discussed for every child with a disability.
• Statewide Testing
  • Children with disabilities are to be included in all statewide and district-wide assessments.
    • The IEP will document the following:
      • Take the test without accommodations.
      • Take the test with accommodations that are provided daily in the regular classroom.
      • Or take an alternate assessment. (This should only be 1-2% of the population of children with disabilities.)
      • The IEP team will then decide if the student will receive a regular diploma if they do not pass the statewide testing.
• Parents are entitled to a copy of the IEP within 30 days after the IEP team meeting.
  • If the school district needs to rewrite the IEP because they feel it is not neat enough, the parent can refuse to sign the IEP until the final copy is completed or request a copy of the messy draft.
• An IEP meeting is to be held annually. However, an IEP meeting can be called to revise the IEP:
  • If there is a lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and the general education curriculum.
  • As the result of any reevaluation
  • If new information about the child is provided to or by the parents
  • If there are newly anticipated needs of the child.

Before the IEP meeting

• Review the meeting notice. Who is invited? What is the purpose of the meeting?
  • Consider the future and present-year visions you have for your child.
  • List your child’s strengths, needs, and interests. The school needs to know your child’s interests and activities and what your child is like at home and in the community.
  • List your major concerns about your child’s education
  • Consider how you think your child’s disability affects their education
  • Think about your child’s educational progress. What has been working and has not?
  • Request a written copy of your child’s current evaluation results or a meeting with a school staff to discuss the evaluation before the IEP meeting take this opportunity to understand the evaluation before the EIP planning for your child.
  • Consider the evaluation results. Look for recommendations for the services or accommodations your child needs.
  • Consider a variety of ways to involve your child in planning their IEP; it’s important to help your child develop self-advocacy skills starting at a young age. Invite your child to the meeting if appropriate.
  • Make a list of your priorities and concerns before the meeting. Define the issue clearly in your mind. You may want to share your list with your child’s IEP case manager and ask that your items be included on the agenda.

At the IEP meeting:

• Make sure others at the meeting never forget that the meeting is about a real child’ remember that diagnostic tests and assessments do not present the total picture.
• Share your visions for your child, both short-term and long-term
• Discuss your child’s strengths and needs and your concerns about your child’s education.
• When you believe that the teacher and school personnel are doing a good job, tell them so; praise when deserved, is a great thing.
• Make sure you understand; if you don’t understand something, to have it explained in a way that you can understand.
• Expect that what you know about your child will be used in making decisions
• Use school data, your child’s progress reports, and other information you know about your child to help make decisions.

After the IEP Meeting

• Take the proposed IEP document home to review or ask that a copy be sent to you. You probably will not want to agree to a proposed IEP before you’ve reviewed it you have 14 calendar days from the time the IEP is sent or given to you to agree or disagree with the program in writing and return the consent form to the school.
• Your child’s IEP must be reviewed at least yearly to determine whether the annual goals have been achieved and to revise the IEP if necessary.
• You must be informed regularly about your child’s progress at least as often as parents who have children without disabilities are informed about the progress their children are making. You will be informed about whether your child is making progress toward meeting the IEP goals, and whether the progress is enough to reach the goals. If your child is not making adequate progress, an IEP meeting should be held to review the IEP and make needed changes.
• If you have concerns, you can request another IEP meeting.
• Teamwork creates better outcomes for children. You are the expert on your child and the school has expertise in education. Together you can help your child succeed in school!

IEP Questions to consider.

• Are my child’s goals measurable?
  • Does my child participate in the general curriculum all or part of the day?
  • Does the IEP list the modifications, accommodations, and other supports my child needs to succeed?
  • Is the school expecting the kind of progress I think my child should make?
  • Is the expected progress enough for my child to meet graduation requirements?
  • How often will my child’s IEP goals be reviewed?
• What if I refuse to sign my child’s IEP?
  • The school district only needs your signature for the initial IEP. This means that once your child has had their first IEP the school district is required by law to provide a free, appropriate, public education for your child.
  • If you do not sign the IEP it will not stop the school district from implementing the IEP they proposed. The only way you can stop the IEP from being implemented is to begin the due process procedure by filing an official request, in writing, with the Ohio Department of Education and your school district of residence.
• When should the IEP be implemented?
  • The IEP should state the date services will begin.
  • Once the IEP has been completed, signed, and agreed upon, the IEP should be implemented immediately or no later than the start date on the IEP.
• Transfer of Rights
  • By the Child’s 17^th birthday, the IEP team must inform the child and the parent of the child of the transfer of rights that will happen when the child reaches age 18.
  • In Ohio, children become legal adults at age 18. All rights under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act) and Ohio statute will transfer to the child.
    • The right to make educational decisions belongs to the child.
  • The student may choose to have their parent continue to make educational decisions for them, including signing the IEP. This decision needs to be written and included with other IEP documents.
  • Sometimes there are concerns about the student being able to make decisions on their behalf. Guardianship should be considered. Guardianship must be addressed before the age of majority is reached for the parents to maintain educational rights for their child.
    • Guardianship takes place through the court system.

Tips for a successful IEP meeting

• Ensure enough time is scheduled for the IEP meeting.
  • Take the draft IEP or list of what you want to have discussed in the meeting.
  • Take notes or tape record the IEP meeting.
  • Take a friend to assist you with taking notes and listening to information shared.
  • Take a positive attitude.
  • Review your child’s documentation before the meeting takes place.
    • Previous IEPs
    • Previous evaluations and current evaluations
    • Classwork
    • Reports from therapists
    • Talk with your child to gain an understanding of what their concerns and wishes are.
  • Ask for clarification if you do not understand the terminology being used or the information being discussed.
  • Be certain to discuss:
    • Strengths of the child
    • Parent concerns
    • Evaluation information
    • State and district assessment
    • Academic, developmental, and functional needs of the child.
    • Extended School Year (ESY)

Parents Responsibilities

• Keep a notebook or a file on your child’s development and educational history. Including:
  • IEPs
  • Progress Reports
  • School Evaluations
  • Outside Evaluations
  • Samples of your child’s schoolwork
  • Notes on phone calls with teachers or other school personnel
  • Medical records
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Favorite things your child likes to do.
  • Things your child does not like to do.
  • A list of things your child can do.
  • Communicate with your child about their feelings towards school, classmates, subjects, teachers, and extra-curricular activities.
  • Make arrangements with school personnel to visit and observe your child’s classroom.

How will I know if my child is making progress?

• Look at daily work.
• Teachers’ observations
• Special education sources
  • The results of a student’s most recent evaluation
  • Measurable annual goals
  • Progress Reports
  • Annual IEP review
• Regular education sources
  • Classroom teacher information
  • Districtwide assessments
  • Statewide assessments
• Information from outside the school
  • Independent evaluation

What if my child is not making progress?

• If you feel your child is not making meaningful educational progress, you can request a meeting to discuss revisions to your child’s IEP.
• The school cannot guarantee that a child will achieve the goals in the IEP; however, the school must make a “Good faith effort” to assist the child to do so.

Important Timelines

• The IEP meeting for an initial placement must be held within 30 days of a determination that your child needs special education and related services.
  • The IEP must be implemented as soon as possible.
  • You must receive a copy of the IEP within 30 days of the IEP meeting.
  • IEP annual review must be held at least once a year; often more if necessary.
  • Progress reports to parents, (not a report card), must be received as often as the progress of nondisabled children is reported in the school district.

The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. We are not legal professionals, and this content is not a substitute for consulting with a qualified attorney. For specific legal concerns or questions related to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), we recommend seeking advice from a licensed legal professional or the appropriate educational authorities. Every child’s situation is unique, and legal requirements can vary, so it’s crucial to consult with an expert for tailored guidance.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley

Since 1958, the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters operates under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential. We make meaningful, monitored mentoring matches between adult volunteers (Bigs) and local youth (Littles), ages 7 through 18, across Montgomery, Miami, Greene, and Preble counties. As the leading evidence-based mentoring organization in the Miami Valley, currently serving 344 local youth, we help children realize their full potential and build strong futures. 

In addition to one-to-one mentoring, we provide group match activities focused on STEM to build confidence and self-efficacy around science, technology, engineering and math subjects and to expose them to various related career paths to help break the cycle of generational poverty. We also provide family care packages which include nonperishable food, personal care items and cleaning supplies to the youth who are in most need.

How Can You Get Involved in the Miami Valley?

We are always looking for volunteer mentors to match with youth in the Miami Valley. If you think you would make a great mentor to a child, sign up today!