The Individual Education Plan IEP: Guaranteeing your rights in special education

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The Individual Education Plan (IEP)Guaranteein
g your rights in special education

• Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc.
• www.spiritlakeconsulting.com

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Does Someone You Know Have Special Education
Needs? Do They Know Their Rights?

• Do they need help in ...
• Understanding their rights under federal special
  education laws (IDEA - Individuals with
  Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the
  Rehab Act)?
• Obtaining appropriate special education services
  for a student?
• Accessing and understanding students
  evaluations?
• Preparing for meetings on students Individual
  Education Plans?
• Accessing students records?
• Preparing for hearings when they disagree with
  school decisions?
• You can find the answers to these questions and
  more by attending a
• free three-hour workshop on Special Education
  hosted by Spirit Lake
• Consulting,

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Attending Spirit Lake Consulting Special
Education Workshop you will receive ?

• Information on special education rights
• Step-by-step instruction on preparing for
  evaluation, access to student records, IEP
  meetings, due process hearings, and other special
  education meetings
• Basic training on how to get the services you
  need from school districts
• Free special education materials on CD-ROM
• And much more

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• Stop right there! How am I supposed to see what
  he needs is on an IEP when I dont even know what
  I can ask for? Why dont you start with what
  should be on an IEP and what a good IEP looks
  like, so I can even know if my son has a good one
  or not?
• -Spirit Lake mother

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Definition of an IEP

• A written statement of what the disabled child
  should be taught, who will teach it, and how much
  time the child will spend with children who do
  not have disabilities.

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Who is allowed at IEP meetings?

• The parents, teachers, and someone who can
  explain test results should be at the meeting.
  The student is also welcome to come, as well as
  anyone else the family wants to invite.

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What is Included in anIEP?

• A statement of what the student is doing in
  school now
• Yearly goals related to the students needs
• When services will start, how often the student
  will receive services, and how long they will
  last

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An IEP also contains

• An explanation of services of the services to be
  provided to the student (speech therapy, physical
  therapy, counseling, etc.)
• An explanation of how much the student will be in
  a regular classroom and how much in a special
  program

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IEP contents continued

• Details about how often parents will be told
  about how their child is doing
• Details about any important tests the student
  will take
• A discussion of whether the student will have the
  same requirements for high school graduation as
  other students

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IEP contents continued

• Results of the most recent tests taken by the
  student
• Proof that the team addressed parent concerns
• Transition planning. This is for students 14
  years or older and means the IEP should discuss
  how the student is going to move from the world
  of school to the world of working

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Facts about the IEP process

• Every student in special education is required to
  have an IEP
• The IEP should be completed before services are
  provided to the student
• The parents should get a free copy of the IEP or
  other information
• If neither parent can attend the meeting, the
  school must ensure parent participation by phone
  calls, etc.

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What can a student/parent do at an IEP meeting?

• Ask for what the student needs!
• Ask for different goals, extra services, anything
  you feel is necessary
• Encourage the student to attend their own IEP
  meeting