IDEA and the IEP Process PDF

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IDEA and IEP Process...

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Cassie Niemeyer August 20, 2020 SPD-200-0501 Shannon Reisbord IDEA and the IEP Process The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, also known as IDEA, is a law that allows individuals with disabilities to receive the appropriate education at no cost. The students’ rights to be entitled to a free and appropriate public education are also known as FAPE. If we break down the FAPE piece by piece, free means without charge to parents or children, appropriate means that students get a individualized education program, public means at the public expense, and education is for all school aged children. In order for a student to receive an appropriate education, the school must first evaluate a student to see what their needs are and what services they need to be able to receive an education. These evaluations can be requested by the parent or the school but must be at no cost to the parents. If the school wants to do an evaluation, they must first receive permission from the parents in written form. According to IDEA, the initial evaluation must be done within 60 days of gaining parental consent. These evaluations cover things like the child’s health, vision and hearing, academic performance, social and emotional status, and more. They include a variety of assessment strategies and tools to get the most accurate data. Based on the findings in the evaluations, the school must then provide proper special education and related services to meet the student’s individual needs. These services vary based on the student’s needs and can include things like speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and much more. Professional educators must follow professional

practice standards made by the Council for Exceptional Children, or CEC. These standards include things like creating challenging expectations to help children reach the highest possible level of learning outcomes, acting with a high level of professional integrity and competence, and developing relationships with families with respect. These standards help special educators act professionally and build professional relationships with families to provide the child with the most appropriate and beneficial education possible. Collaboration between the members of the IEP team are very important for a successful IEP meeting. When members of the team share ideas and strategies, they can come up with the most beneficial ways to help the student receive the best education possible. Teachers, special educators, principals, specialists related to the child needs, and parents should be involved in the IEP meeting. All these people should attend the IEP meeting and be active participants in the discussion and planning. These people are the ones who see the student and the help needed and can make the most accurate decisions for the benefit of the student. Parents know their children and often have insight that will help the school staff make decisions for their children. Teachers often only have students for one school year whereas parents have their children a lifetime. The CEC standards that were discussed above have a huge role on the IEP process and how the members of the team collaborate. Team members should create challenging expectations for students to help them achieve the highest possible learning outcomes and maintain a high level of professional integrity and competence. Educators should create meaningful and inclusive participation and communicate with others who are providing services to the student. This allows educators to communicate professionally with the parents and other staff to help plan the student’s needs during the meeting. The families should have an established relationship that is respectful with the members of the IEP team. This allows the collaboration to run smoother and

everyone to feel heard and valued. When the CEC standards are followed the IEP team can collaborate efficiently and come up with the most beneficial plan for the student. The IEP stands for individualized education program and is a statement that is written for a child with a disability. The IEP is developed, reviewed, and revised and must follow certain requirements and regulations of the law. The individualized education program establishes measurable annual goals and state the special education and related services that will be provided for the child. The IEP is developed in a meeting the IEP team that consists of a team of school personnel and the parents of the child. The IEP team collaborates to create address what the child’s individual needs are and how to have the child participate in general education and activities. The IEP will be put in writing during the meeting and will also have a plan on how the IEP will be implemented. The IDEA law requires the IEP to contain various things for the team members to discuss to come up with the most beneficial plan for the student. These requirements are a statement of the child’s current academic performance, a statement of measurable annual goals, and how the child’s progress toward the annual goals will be measured and when reports will be given. The IEP must also include the services, modifications or support, and individual accommodations that will be provided to the child. A projected date must be included for when the services will begin and the frequency, location, and duration of the services and modifications covered in the IEP. IDEA states that the IEP must be implemented as soon as possible but does not give a specific amount of time. IDEA also states that the school system ensure that all teachers, special education teachers, service providers have access to the IEP, are informed of their specific responsibilities, and are informed of the accommodations, modifications, and support that must be provided to the student according the their IEP. The IEP team members are required to meet at least once a year to address the child’s progress towards

the annual goals stated in the IEP, add new goals if necessary, and decide if any changes need to be made to the services provided. While watching the “FIEP: A Facilitated IEP Meeting,” I noticed many different aspects that I could use when being a new teacher and participating in the IEP process. Coming to the meeting prepared and having notes of what I feel is important that I need to discuss. It is important to wait your turn to speak and make sure you stay on topic so that way the meeting can be as beneficial as possible to the student. When I am talking during the meeting, I need to make sure that I am talking clearly and backing what I am saying with data.

Ethical Principles and Practice Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved August 20, 2020, from https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards/ethical-principles-and-practice-standards

Evaluating School-Aged Children for Disability. (2017, September 09). Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/evaluation/

When the IEP Team Meets. (2016, September 10). Retrieved August 20, 2020, from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/meetings/...