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

1. The Individual Education Plan (IEP):Guaranteeing your rights in special education Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc. www.spiritlakeconsulting.com

2. 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,

3. 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

4. “Stop right there! How am I supposed to see what he needs is on an IEP when I don’t even know what I can ask for? Why don’t 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. What is Included in anIEP? • A statement of what the student is doing in school now • Yearly goals related to the student’s needs • When services will start, how often the student will receive services, and how long they will last

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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