THE IEP PROCESS: PARENT EDITION
If you are a parent to a child with special needs, it's important that you're familiar with the term IEP. An IEP is an acronym for an Individualized Education Program. An IEP can help your child learn in their least restrictive environment and allow them access to a lot of different special education services. Your child's IEP is developed over time and before this process can begin, meetings and evaluations must be held. The steps involved in getting your child qualified for special education services are as follows:
1.) First, your child must be identified as a student with a disability. Children can be identified in multiple ways. Sometimes, they are identified by a professional like a pediatrician. However, the state itself is required by law to identify children with disabilities through a process called Child Find. For more information on Child Find and what it does, please click here: http://archives.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/160-4-7-.03_Child_Find_3-31-10.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F639AED53108800B27E0E8D731317E796571B68B422215B974&Type=D. The school may also request that your child be evaluated. When this occurs, a professional is brought in and your child may be evaluated by way of classroom observations or examinations.
2.) If your child is evaluated, they will be tested in all areas of ability. These tests will tell the school system whether or not your child will qualify for special education services. These evaluations may also be requested, either by yourself or your child's teacher. I recommend that you make your requests in writing so that you will have physical evidence that you requested an evaluation should you ever need it.
3.) After your child has been evaluated, you and a group of qualified professionals will come to a mutual agreement regarding whether or not your child qualifies for special educations services. If you cannot come to a mutual agreement, you may request a hearing to have their decision questioned and possibly overturned.
4.) If your child is found eligible for services, the school has thirty days to convene and write out an IEP plan for your child. Once the IEP Team has finalized the IEP for your child, you must be given a copy of the IEP. You have the right to revoke your consent for your child to be given special education services at any time.
5.) After the IEP Team has compiled your child's IEP, a meeting is scheduled. You are invited to this meeting. If for some reason you cannot attend this meeting, you will be invited again. You are invited a minimum of three times. If three invitations and meetings come and pass without you present, the school may go on with the meeting after you have been sent a forth invitation.
6.) At the IEP meeting, the IEP Team will tell you about your child's IEP. They will explain to you what the IEP contains and what everything means. The IEP should contain information about the services that your child will be provided, when they will be provided, and where. You must give your consent for services to begin. Once you give your consent, the services should begin as soon as possible. You may revoke your consent at any time. If you do not agree with something that is in your IEP, you may work with the IEP team to try and come to a different agreement that will benefit everyone involved.
7.) After everyone agrees on your child's IEP, the services are provided. As soon as you give consent and agree to the IEP's terms, services should begin immediately. Each of your child's teachers will have a copy of the IEP. At this point, you should receive a finalized copy of your child's IEP and the services that they will receive.
8.) As the school year progresses, your child's progress is observed and measured. As the data is gathered, the IEP team will converse about your child's progress and what changes, if any, need to be made. You will be regularly informed of your child's progress throughout the year. It is the job of the school to inform you of your child's progress.
9.) Unless you request otherwise, your child's IEP must be reviewed once a year. If you want it to be reviewed more often, all you have to do is make the request. It's recommended that you make any and all requests in writing. As a member of your child's IEP Team, you may request changes in services, placement, and when reviews of the IEP occur.
10.) Your child must be reevaluated every three years. However, just like with IEP reviews, you can request that this happen more often. The reason that your child is reevaluated is to see if their services need to be adjusted. If not, your child's services will continue on as they have, their progress will be measured, and you will be kept informed of their progress.
If you would like more information on how your child's IEP is formed, please click on the following link for more: http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Special-Education-Services/Documents/Parent%20Fact%20Sheets/IEP%2010-30-12.pdf. This fact sheet is provided by the Georgaia Department of Education.
If you are a parent to a child with special needs, it's important that you're familiar with the term IEP. An IEP is an acronym for an Individualized Education Program. An IEP can help your child learn in their least restrictive environment and allow them access to a lot of different special education services. Your child's IEP is developed over time and before this process can begin, meetings and evaluations must be held. The steps involved in getting your child qualified for special education services are as follows:
1.) First, your child must be identified as a student with a disability. Children can be identified in multiple ways. Sometimes, they are identified by a professional like a pediatrician. However, the state itself is required by law to identify children with disabilities through a process called Child Find. For more information on Child Find and what it does, please click here: http://archives.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/160-4-7-.03_Child_Find_3-31-10.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F639AED53108800B27E0E8D731317E796571B68B422215B974&Type=D. The school may also request that your child be evaluated. When this occurs, a professional is brought in and your child may be evaluated by way of classroom observations or examinations.
2.) If your child is evaluated, they will be tested in all areas of ability. These tests will tell the school system whether or not your child will qualify for special education services. These evaluations may also be requested, either by yourself or your child's teacher. I recommend that you make your requests in writing so that you will have physical evidence that you requested an evaluation should you ever need it.
3.) After your child has been evaluated, you and a group of qualified professionals will come to a mutual agreement regarding whether or not your child qualifies for special educations services. If you cannot come to a mutual agreement, you may request a hearing to have their decision questioned and possibly overturned.
4.) If your child is found eligible for services, the school has thirty days to convene and write out an IEP plan for your child. Once the IEP Team has finalized the IEP for your child, you must be given a copy of the IEP. You have the right to revoke your consent for your child to be given special education services at any time.
5.) After the IEP Team has compiled your child's IEP, a meeting is scheduled. You are invited to this meeting. If for some reason you cannot attend this meeting, you will be invited again. You are invited a minimum of three times. If three invitations and meetings come and pass without you present, the school may go on with the meeting after you have been sent a forth invitation.
6.) At the IEP meeting, the IEP Team will tell you about your child's IEP. They will explain to you what the IEP contains and what everything means. The IEP should contain information about the services that your child will be provided, when they will be provided, and where. You must give your consent for services to begin. Once you give your consent, the services should begin as soon as possible. You may revoke your consent at any time. If you do not agree with something that is in your IEP, you may work with the IEP team to try and come to a different agreement that will benefit everyone involved.
7.) After everyone agrees on your child's IEP, the services are provided. As soon as you give consent and agree to the IEP's terms, services should begin immediately. Each of your child's teachers will have a copy of the IEP. At this point, you should receive a finalized copy of your child's IEP and the services that they will receive.
8.) As the school year progresses, your child's progress is observed and measured. As the data is gathered, the IEP team will converse about your child's progress and what changes, if any, need to be made. You will be regularly informed of your child's progress throughout the year. It is the job of the school to inform you of your child's progress.
9.) Unless you request otherwise, your child's IEP must be reviewed once a year. If you want it to be reviewed more often, all you have to do is make the request. It's recommended that you make any and all requests in writing. As a member of your child's IEP Team, you may request changes in services, placement, and when reviews of the IEP occur.
10.) Your child must be reevaluated every three years. However, just like with IEP reviews, you can request that this happen more often. The reason that your child is reevaluated is to see if their services need to be adjusted. If not, your child's services will continue on as they have, their progress will be measured, and you will be kept informed of their progress.
If you would like more information on how your child's IEP is formed, please click on the following link for more: http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Special-Education-Services/Documents/Parent%20Fact%20Sheets/IEP%2010-30-12.pdf. This fact sheet is provided by the Georgaia Department of Education.