National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk
IEP Resource Guide
By Nick Read | nread@air.org
The process to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student with a disability is a fundamental part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The IEP is a written document that provides the educational and supportive foundation for the special educational services that the student will receive. The plan is customarily developed by a team of individuals that can include the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s), school staff, and others who are directly involved with the educational services of the student.
NDTAC has compiled a number of resources regarding IEPs below, specifically highlighting information from the Center and the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities’ (NICHCY’s) IEP resource page, http://www.nichcy.org/resources/iep1.asp. The compiled resources offer information on Federal regulations, IEP definitions, process walkthroughs, guidance on effective IEP construction, and more.
IDEA and the IEP
Want a brief description of the IEP process under IDEA?
www.nichcy.org/pubs/ideapubs/lg1txt.htm
NICHCY has outlined comprehensive information about the IEP process as defined by IDEA in five brief sections. The five sections discuss the following:
- Student eligibility requirements
- Student evaluation results
- The IEP process, including who develops and updates the IEP
- The re-evaluation of the student
- Additional issues in special education such as schools’ responsibilities and further supports and services for children
A more detailed and in-depth description of the IEP process under IDEA is also available at:
www.nichcy.org/pubs/newsdig/nd21txt.htm
Want to know the Federal regulations on IEPs?
http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/reg/regulations.html
IDEA was reauthorized in 2004 and new regulations are due out shortly. We will post this information as soon as it is released. Federal regulations on IEPs under the 1997 IDEA legislations are available through the U.S. Department of Education Web site. The U.S. Department of Education outlines Federal regulations concerning IEPs, as contained in the IDEA Amendments of 1997, as well as Appendix A (formerly Appendix C) to Part 300: Notice of Interpretation, issued by the Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, to provide additional clarification of the Federal regulations. A revised version of the Regulations Index published in the Federal Register on June 24, 1999, is also available.
Looking for official Federal guidance on IEPs?
www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html
New official Federal guidance has not yet been released for the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA. However, the U.S.Department of Education provides official guidance to Part B of the 1997 IDEA regulations through this comprehensive guide to IEPs. The guide provides a basic introduction to IEPs as well as a step-by-step overview of the process. Also addressed are the steps to be taken after the writing of the IEP including implementation, review, and revision. Finally, the guide provides a sample IEP form and a considerable list of additional information resources.
Especially for Professionals
What are the IEP basics and the importance of the IEP team?
www.ericec.org/digests/e600.html
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) offers a basic introduction to defining and constructing IEPs as well as putting together the IEP team. CEC provides a list of information that should be included in any IEP and emphasizes the need for the IEP team to deliver a high-quality framework that caters to the individual needs of each student.
What is the role of the regular education teacher on the IEP team?
www.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/brief3.html
The U.S. Department of Education discusses the role of regular education teachers on IEP teams, a role that is required by the 1997 IDEA legislation. This brief explains the extent to which regular education teachers must be physically present during the IEP process, teacher responsibilities when students with disabilities have more than one regular education teacher, teacher access to student IEPs so that teachers can be properly informed of their responsibilities, and the mechanisms for granting teachers this access.
How can parents get involved in the IEP process?
www.ericec.org/digests/e611.html
CEC examines the special roles parents of students with disabilities play in planning the education of their children and discusses how educators can effectively work with parents to create meaningful IEPs. CEC also identifies the many benefits of parental involvement in the IEP process as well as the barriers to their participation. CEC offers direction on facilitating meaningful participation through culturally and linguistically competent and thorough communication between educators and parents throughout the IEP conference.
CEC outlines each phase of the IEP conference, including the review of the evaluation and performance level, developing instructional goals and objectives, and determining placement and related services. The article concludes with advice on what to do when parents and others involved do not agree during the IEP process.
How can students get involved in the IEP process?
www.nichcy.org/stuguid.asp
NICHCY offers several publications focused on involving students in the IEP process, including two student guides to the IEP process and a technical assistance guide to help students develop their own IEPs. There is also a resource guide on youth with disabilities’ job experiences and an accompanying technical assistance guide on helping students with cognitive disabilities find and keep jobs.
Transition and the IEP
What is transition planning, and why is it important?
CEC offers a guide to designing IEP transition plans that emphasizes an early, long-range approach to meeting the transitional needs of youth with disabilities. This article offers suggestions on developing a comprehensive IEP plan and proposes a list of who should participate in the process. The guide also examines the transferring of rights at the legal age determined by the State as well as an overall guide to pulling all the pieces together (http://ericec.org/digests/e598.html).
The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) provides a brief on promoting effective parental involvement in secondary education and transition. The brief details the IEP plan for transition-aged youth and outlines the IDEA transition requirements. NCSET also discusses who should be a part of the IEP transition team and highlights factors the IEP team should consider including behavioral impediments, language and communication needs, and technology needs. Finally, the brief concludes with the message that increased knowledge of IDEA can create stronger self-advocacy for youth and families and help the development of needed skills for the future (http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=423).
Additional Resources
Student-Led IEPs: Take the First Step
http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/acad1/ToolKit/Articles/Parents_Families_Community/Myers.pdf
Student-Led IEPs: A Guide for Student Involvement
http://www.cec.sped.org/bk/catalog2/student-led_ieps.pdf
A Student’s Guide to the IEP
www.nichcy.org/pubs/stuguide/st1book.htm
Helping Students Develop Their IEPs
http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/stuguide/ta2.pdf
Transition Services in the IEP
http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/outprint/ts8txt.htm
Published April 2005