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In the United States an Individualized Education
Program, commonly referred to as an IEP, is mandated by the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In
Canada and the United Kingdom, an equivalent document is
called an Individual Education Plan.
In the US, the 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.
The IEP must be designed to provide the child with a Free
Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The IEP refers both to
the educational program to be provided to a child with a
disability and to the written document that describes that
educational program.
Key considerations in developing an IEP include assessing
students in all areas related to the suspected
disability(ies), considering access to the general
curriculum, considering how the disability affects the
student’s learning, developing goals and objectives that
make the biggest difference for the student, and ultimately
choosing a placement in the least restrictive environment.
Definition of Individualized Education Plan
An individualized educational plan means one that is designed
to meet the unique educational needs of one child. The IEP
must be tailored to the individual student's needs as
identified by the evaluation process and must help teachers
and related service providers understand the student's
disability and how the disability affects the learning
process. In other words, the IEP should describe how the
student learns, how the student best demonstrates that
learning and what teachers and service providers will do to
help the student learn more effectively.
Under no circumstances should an IEP be written “to fit” a
particular placement. Services for each student must be
individually considered and recommended and should not
depend on known or existing services. Each IEP must be
designed to meet the specific needs of one student and must
be a truly individualized document.
Components of an IEP
The IDEA 2004 requires that an IEP must be written
according to the needs of one student, and it must include
the following:
- The child's present levels of academic and functional
performance
- Measurable annual goals, including academic and functional
goals
- How the child's progress toward meeting the annual goals
are to be measured and reported to the parents
- Special education services, related services, and
supplementary aids to be provided to the child
- Schedule of services to be provided, including when the
services are to begin, the frequency, duration and location
for the provision of services
- Program modifications or supports provided to school
personnel on behalf of the child
- Explanation of any time the child will not participate
along with nondisabled children
- Accommodations to be provided during state and district
assessments that are necessary to the measuring child's
academic and functional performance
Additionally, when the student is 16, a statement of
post-secondary goals and a plan for providing what the
student needs to make a successful transition is
required.[2] This transitional plan can be created at an
earlier age if desired.
IEPs also include other pertinent information found
necessary by the team, such as a health plan or a behavior
plan for some students. |
