What is an IEP?

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by Eileen Bailey
Friday, July 10, 2009

An IEP is an Individualized Education Program, sometimes called an Individualized Education Plan. This legally binding documents spells out what services, accommodations and modifications a student will receive. It also explains why a student is eligible for these services. In addition, an IEP contains information on the student's disability classification, current placement, academic and behavioral goals, current services a student is receiving, progress reports and when a follow up meeting will be held. IEPs are unique to each child, depending on their individual needs.

Identifying Students

The first step in the IEP process would be to identify students that may require special education services. School administration, teachers or parents can all request an evaluation be completed for a student. If the school is requesting the evaluation, parents should be notified of the request. The referral for an evaluation should include present educational levels, whether the student has received any services or accommodations in the past, and an explanation of why the request is being made.

Eligibility

When a referral is received, educational professionals will determine if an evaluation for special education should be completed. Evaluations include testing in the following areas:

• Intellectual and cognitive skills
• Academic levels
• Communication skills
• Psychomotor and motor skills
• Social and behavioral development
• Hearing and vision 

Once the evaluation is completed, a meeting will be set up with teachers, school personnel and parents to discuss the results. If the evaluation determined that special education services or accommodations are needed, the next step would be to create an IEP.

Determining Goals/Accommodations and Services

Ideally, school personnel, teachers and parents should meet together to decide which services and accommodations will best meet the needs of the student.

Goals should be set to meet the individual needs of the student. Goals should be specific and concise, indicate which need of the student the goal addresses, how the goal is to be measured and a target date for meeting the goal. Goals are extremely important to the IEP process. The accommodations, modifications and services provided are all created in an effort to achieve the goals. This part of the IEP process is the "heart" of the IEP.

Accommodations are special assistance a student may need to complete schoolwork or assessments, at the level of their peers. Accommodations work to allow students to work on the level they would be at without their disability. Accommodations are changes to procedures that are used, but do not change the measurement of the schoolwork. Some examples of accommodations may include: 

• Extra time for tests
• Seating in the front of the room
• Receiving study guides before tests
• Tutoring 

Modifications include changes to the procedures used within the school setting. For example, if a student were allowed to take a test orally rather than a written test, this would be a modification. Other examples of modifications include: