1 The Individualized Education Program (IEP) Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

2 Purposes of the IEP Communication Management Accountability Compliance and monitoring Evaluation Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

3 The IEP Mandate An IEP is a statement of a student’s special education and related services The IEP must be in effect by the beginning of the school year LEAs are responsible for developing, implementing, and revising The IEP is developed in an IEP meeting in which an IEP team –Discusses a student’s assessment results –Develops a student’s educational program is developed –Determined a student’s placement Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

4 The IEP: The Big Picture All of the student’s unique needs arising form the disability must be addressed IEPs must be individualized A service is needed it must be provided IEPs are firm, legally binding commitment of resources from the LEA All required components must be in the IEP All services must be described and delivered Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

5 The primary job of the IEP team is to plan a program of special education and related services (including needed modifications and accommodations in the general education classroom) that is reasonably calculated to provide meaningful education benefit. Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

6 The IEP Team The student’s parents A representative of school (e.g., principal) A general education teacher A special education teacher A person knowledgeable about evaluation (can be one of previously mentioned members) Others at request of IEP participants Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

7 The IEP Process Review the Assessment -Develop the PLAAFP statement- Develop the Educational Program -Develop Measurable Annual Goals- -Develop Special Education Services- -Determine Progress Monitoring System- -Determine Student Placement- Monitor Student Progress -Communicate the student’s progress to his/her parents- -Make changes if needed- Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

8 Streamlining the IEP Process in IDEA 2004 Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

9 Team Attendance at Meetings IEP team members may be excused from all or part of an IEP meeting, if parents and school agree in writing that: 1.The team member isn’t needed because his/her services aren’t being discussed/modified, or 2.The team member must submit written input into the IEPs development before the meeting begins Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

10 Modifying Existing IEPs If an initial IEP meeting has been held and an IEP has been adopted… Parents can agree with the IEP team members to modify the IEP in writing without holding a formal meeting Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

11 Alternate Meeting Forums The IEP team may agree to conduct IEP meetings and other meetings by using alternate means (e.g., videoconferencing, conference calls). Districts are encouraged to consolidate meetings when possible (e.g., IEP team meetings with reevaluation meetings) Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

12 Transfer Students Within-state transfers: –The new LEA provides FAPE, including services consistent with the previous district’s IEP, in consultation with parents, until it adopts previous IEP or develops and implements a new IEP Between-states transfers: –The new LEA provides FAPE, including services consistent with the previous IEP, in consultation with parents, until an evaluation, if needed, and a new IEP LEAs must take reasonable steps to promptly obtain and transfer student records

13 Developing a 3-year IEP 15 states can apply for pilot programs to The LEA may offer a 3-year IEP designed to serve the child for the at natural transition points The 3-year IEP must also include the same components as a 1-year IEP and –Measurable goals that will enable the child to meet his or her transition and postsecondary needs and measuring progress toward these goals The IEP team must conduct an annual review of the 3-year IEP to determine the child’s progress to meeting his or her measurable transition goals Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

14 Content of the IEP Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

15 Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) Based on a full and individualized assessment, the IEP team determines a student’s unique educational needs to which special services must be directed and explains the effects of the student’s disability on his or her learning and involvement in the general education curriculum. Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

16 Purpose of PLAAFP Statement Describes to the parents, in understandable language, where their child is functioning in each area of need Describe how the deficit affects the child’s performance in general education Describes in a clear and specific manner the present levels of performance so that annual goals and special education services can be developed Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

17 Measurable Annual Goals Annual goals are projections of student progress in one school year Include academic and functional goals Goals must be measurable and be measured The IEP must describe how the student’s progress toward the annual goals will be measured The IEP must include schedule for reporting progress to a student’s parents as often as students in general education get report cards Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

18 Benchmarks and Short-Term Objectives Measurement tools designed to formatively evaluate and monitor student progress toward annual goals No longer required by IDEA 2004, although states may choose to continue to require them Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

19 Service Statements Service statements answer the question: What will the school do in response to the student’s needs? They include: –Special education services and related services –General education classroom modifications –Services to allow involvement in the general curriculum –Program modifications –Special factors (e.g., Assistive technology) Special education services must be based on peer- reviewed research Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

20 What Is Peer-Reviewed Research? According to NCLB it means that the research has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal (published) or approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review This means that a special education teacher is accountable for knowing what methodologies he or she is using, and whether the methodologies have support in the research Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

21 Statement of Participation in General Education The IDEA presumes that students with disabilities will participate with nondisabled students in academic and nonacademic activities to the maximum extent appropriate If a student is not in general education, the IEP must explain why the placement is necessary Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

22 Participation in State-wide Assessments The IEP must address a student’s participation in the statewide assessment Four options 1.A student will take the test as is 2.A student will take the test with appropriate accommodations (explain in IEP) 3.A student will take an alternate assessment, (explain why the student cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the alternate assessment is appropriate) 4.A student will take a test based on modified achievement standards Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

23 The Projected Date of Initiation, Frequency, Location, and Duration of Services The IEP must be initiated as soon as possible after it is written Specific information about the services must be described completely Although state laws may address timelines, the IDEA does not Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

24 Transition IEPS Beginning with the first IEP to be in effect when a students turns 16 the IEP must include: –Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based on age-appropriate assessments –The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the student in reaching these goals –Beginning prior to the student reaching the age of majority under state law, a statement that the student has been informed of his/her rights that will transfer to the student Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

25 Transition Services “A coordinated set of activities for a student, designed within an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-school activities.” IDEA Regulations, 34 C.F.R. § (a) Transition services are required in the IEPs of students at age 16 Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

26 Why Transition Services? Congress was concerned that high school students in special education are at risk for dropping out of school and leaving school unprepared for adult life and responsibility IDEA mandates that IEP teams carefully consider where each student is heading in post-school life and each student’s needs & services to help the student to reach his or her goals Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

27 Purpose of Transition Services Intended to bridge the gap between school and the “real world” where same levels of supports and services may not be available Include the acquisition of functional skills and hands-on knowledge Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

28 Transition Includes: Post-secondary education Vocational training Supported employment Continuing and adult education Adult services Independent living Community participation Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

29 Transition Plans Lifelong learning (including academics) Workplace readiness Specific occupational skills Daily living skills (money, social, and safety skills) Health and physical care Leisure Mobility Recreation and leisure Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

30 Problem Behavior & the IEP If a student’s behavior negatively affects his or her learning or the learning of others, the IEP team shall consider strategies including positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports to address that behavior IDEA 20 U.S.C. § 1414(d)(3)(B)(I) Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

31 Addressing Problem Behavior 1)When a student engages in problem behavior, determine if the behavior impedes his/her learning or the learning of others 2)If yes, conduct an assessment of the behavior and 3)Develop a plan based on the assessment, that reduces problem behavior & increases socially acceptable behaviors Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

32 Reviewing and Revising the IEP The IEP team must review the IEP periodically, but not less than annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved; and Revise the IEP to address any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and the results of reevaluations Yell / The Law and Special Education, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved