Writing an IEP

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C,nu11rojrh<IEP (.~300.320(t1)) . d 1 • pro""ttmor IEP means a written St

• d: ·Juttlrt tar1c11flon I)" . • atell)

rmm1I As used in rhis parr, rhe rerm ,n ,v, ~ _J and revised in a meermg m accordance wi· L erit fr..

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r:u.h d11ld wirh a d1sabiliry 1h3t 15 eve ,,. '. I de- 324 d that musr me u

§§300.320 throu.i:h 300. 'an d . al achievement and functional perforll'I

. , fevds of e ucat 10n ance

( J) A mremen1 of the cl11ld s presrnr ,

includins- h'fd' • olvemenc and progress in the general cur .

d d• bT affects rhe c • 5 mv r1cl!J

(i) ] low tht' chil 's ,sa r ,ry d' blt'd children); or lllll

• • lum as for non isa . . .

(i.e., the same cumcu . h he disability affects rhe child s part1ciparion .

'Jd appropriare, ow r in

(ii) For pmchool du ren, as

appropriate activities; .

al oals including academic and funcuonal goals designed

2 (') A smement of measurable annu g ' . to....._

( )

1 J from the child's disability to enable the child to be i

(A) Meet the child's needs_ chaht resu :ra1 education curriculum; and nvolv~

in and make progress m r e gen . , .

f h h'fd' her educational net'ds that result from the child s disability·

(B) Meer each o r e c • s or . . ,

. 'h d' b'I' • who rake alcernace assessments aligned to alternate achrevernenr

(ii) For cluldren wrc isa r mes b' . .

d • • £benchmarks or shorr-cerm o iecuves, srandards, a esmpnon o

(3) A descriprion of- . .

(i) How the child's progress coward meeting the annual goals described rn paragraph (2) of this SCctio11

will be measurt'd; and .

(ii) When periodic reporrs on the progress the child is making toward ~eetrng_ the annual goals (such

through the use of quarterly or ocher periodic reporrs, concurrent WJ(h the issuance of report tards)as

will be providt'd;

(4) A sraremenc of che special education and related services ~d supplement'.'1f aids and services, based on

peer-rr\'iewt'd research to rhe extent practicable, ro be provided co the child, or oo be~ of the child,

and a smemeoc of the program modifications or supporrs for school personnel that will be provided to

enable tl1e child-

(i) To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;

(ii) To be involved io and make progress in the general curriculum ... and co participate in

exuarurricular and other nonacademic activities; and

(iii) To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nooclisabled children in the

activities described in chis section;

(5) An explanation of the extent, if any, co which the child will DOC participate with nondisabled children in

the regular class and in the activities described pmgraph (aX4) of this section;

(6) (i) A scarement of any individual appropriate accommodations dw are necessary co measure the academic

achievement and funaional pern>nnance ri the child oo State and disttictwide assessments. ...

(ii) If cbt IEP Team dttermincs chat the child shall take an almnate assessment on a particular Stace or

disuirnvidc assessment ri student achievement, a statement of why-

(A) Tbt child annot participate in the regular assessment; and

(B) Tbt particular alter11m messmeot selected is appropriate for the child; and

(7) The ~roj~ed dare for the ~~iooiog of the services and modifications described in paragraph (a)(4)

of th_u sec::r•on, and the antmpaced frequency, location, and duration of chose services and

modaficauons.

J

TABll 2 3 contin11td

Tramition (§300.320(b)) •f . . . . l 1 • 16 r ,·ounger ,

(b) Transiuon services. Beginning not lam thm th( first IEP to be in dfect ,i.•hen the du u 1s_ • 0 1

determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and upd.ucd annu.llly, thereafter, the IEP roust mclude- • bl · • • assessments rcl:ued (1) Appropriate mcasura e postsccond,uy goals based upon age-appropm.te tr.umt10n.

to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and

(2) the transition services (including co~ of srudy) needed to assist the child in l'C3Ching those goals..

Considtratio,i of Sp,,:ial Factors (§300.324(2))

(i) In the case of a child whose behavior impedes the child's learning or tlw of others, consider ~he use of positive behavioral interventions and suppons, and other strategies, to address that behaVJor;

(ii) In the case of a child with limited English proficiency, consider the language needs of the child 35

such needs relate to the child's IEP;

(iii) In the case of a child who is blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Br:ulle and the use of Braille unless the IEP Team determines, after an evaluation of the child's reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the child's future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child;

(iv) Consider the communication needs of the child, and in the case of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, consider the child's language and communication needs, opporrunitics for direct communi­ cations with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode; and

(v) Consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services.

Source: Building the Legacy US Department of Education.

Specific guidelines govern the content of the IEP. According to current federal laws, the IEP must contain information about:

1. The student's present levels of educational achievement and functional performance;

2. Measurable annual goals; 3. Needed special education and related services,

supplementary aids and services, and pro­ gram modifications and supports;

4. The extent to which the student will not par­ ticipate with nondisabled students in the general education classroom and other school activities;

5. Procedures for the student's participation in state- or districtwide assessments of student achievement;

6. Strategies for measuring progress toward annual goals and informing parents of that progress;

7. Transition services for older students; and

8. When appropriate, special factors such as behavioral needs, language needs, instmction in Braille, communication needs, and assis­ tive technology devices and services.

Table 2-3 presents excerpts from the Final Regulations for IDEA 2004 that address the con­ tent of the IEP.

Although federal laws mandate the compo­ nents of the IEP, the IEP form itself is not. The form is developed by individual school dimicts or other educational agencies, causing some variation from one locale to another.

Several components of the lEP focus on the general education curriculum and the student's access to and participation in that curriculum. In describing the student's present levels of educa­ tional performance, the team must address the effects of the disability on the scudent's ability to

participate in the genera\ curriculum. TI,e team must develop annual goals relate<l to invoh•ement