IEP

IEP=Individulaized Education Program
 * The **Individuals with Dissabilities Education Act** (IDEA) requires public schools to develop an IEP for every student with a disability who is found to meet the federal and state requirements for special education. (wikipedia.org)
 * IEP must provide a child with a **FAPE**= Free Appropriate Public Education
 * **When developing** an IEP the educator must look and assess every area related to the suspected disability(ies). Once a thorough assessment has been made the educator must determine the least restrictive environment for this specific student. This environment must accommodate the student in every way possible to maximize the student's ability to learn.
 * **The purpose** of creating an IEP for a student is to help facilitate lesson planning for any teacher who is trying to teach him/her. For whatever reason this particular individual is not able to keep up with the rest of his/her peers and therefore needs to be taught at his/her own pace. The IEP helps the teacher know how to best adjust his/her lesson plans in order to accommodate this student's learning.
 * **To qualify** for an IEP, the student must meet the requirements to be admitted to the special education program. Merely having a disability does not automatically qualify the student for the special education program.
 * A team of individuals, including the student's parents, work together **to create** the IEP and ensure it's success. This team is constantly assessing the student's progress and modifying the IEP as necessary. The parent's role is critical because they have the unique opportunity to continue the student's education in the home. However they can only do this effectively if the student it receiving the same instruction in the classroom as he/she is in the home.
 * An IEP is a living, working document that is constantly being revised and reviewed to meet the changing needs of the developing student. The process is very much accountability based and required many parties to be involved in creating and carrying out a successful IEP. The team of individual who will work to form and execute the IEP are shown below. [[image:file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/JOYVAN%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.jpg]]
 * [[image:IEP-team.jpeg.gif align="center"]]


 * An IEP is performed for parents, students, and teachers to form an agreement concerning the least restrictive environment possible for a student to be educated in. Each child will have his/her own goals, in which are specified in the IEP. IEP’s are often updated, in which new goals are formed and the student’s progression is held on record.


 * The participants of the IEP meeting should include:

1. the student’s parents;

2. the student, if appropriate;

3. at least one of the student’s regular education teachers;

4. the student’s special education teacher;

5. an individual who can interpret what the student’s evaluation results mean (this person may be one of the other listed individuals)

6. an individual representing the school system;

7. representatives from transition service agencies, when the student is of transition age;

8. any other individual with knowledge or special expertise about the child, if necessary;

9. an advocate for the parents and student, if necessary.

([|F.Y.I. Service IEP Checklist for Parents Law-in-Brief: Special Education #6 Date: December, 2000 Prepared by: Beth Stevens, Legal Advocacy Team.])