As special educators and therapists know, an Individualized Education Program plan (IEP) is a written plan that allows children with disabilities to receive special education or other services. By implementing a unique IEP plan, educators and parents can jointly determine students’ needs and prepare them to excel in K-12 learning institutions. Extensively, there are six steps to an IEP process, which starts with a pre-referral intervention and ends with revisions.
1. Pre-Referral Intervention
During this stage, parents and educators express concerns about a child’s academic progress and collaborate to keep track of challenges shown by the student. They also attempt to informally resolve issues within the classroom and consider options for classroom-based interventions.
2. Referral
The student is formally evaluated using a referral if pre-referral interventions do not resolve the issue. Referral requests can be provided by educators, parents, or other school staff. Parents or legal guardians must give written consent to allow a student to be evaluated.
3. Evaluation
A comprehensive, personalized assessment is administered by qualified school district personnel to determine if a child is eligible for special education services. This evaluation is conducted in each area of concern, such as academic and functional performance.
4. IEP Meeting
After the evaluation, the parents gather with school staff to discuss the child’s needs and review the results. The IEP team then determines goals and what services the child should receive if they qualify, and the IEP team completes an IEP plan.
5. Implementation
The student will receive the services once the IEP is finished and signed. Generally, IEP progress is formally reported every five weeks unless a parent conference occurs. In this case, results will be disclosed during the meeting.
6. Revisions
Finally, the federal government mandates that the IEP team reevaluates each special education student’s IEP at least annually, specified as an annual IEP review. Generally, these IEP reviews occur during the regular school year.
In conclusion, while it may seem challenging to determine and address a child’s special education needs, the IEP process is essential to provide students with access to valuable educational resources. Through collaboration and determination, IEP team members can ensure that students are ultimately successful in academic settings.