navigating the iep process presented by: natalie vlna and kim smiley

NAVIGATING THE IEP PROCESS

Presented by: Natalie Vlna and Kim Smiley

WHAT IS RTI?

Response to Intervention Per the Illinois State Board of

Education “Response to Intervention (RtI) is an approach

for redesigning and establishing teaching and learning

environments that are effective, efficient, relevant, and

durable for all students, families, and educators.

*A process that is designed to help provide high quality

instruction and interventions to students who may be

struggling.

MORE ABOUT RTI

Various reasons students may be in RTI or “problem solving”.

Include but are not limited to: speech articulation, reading

concerns, fine motor or gross motor concerns etc.

Interventions should be monitored closely and reviewed

approximately every 4 weeks.

No progress—change intervention!

Interventions changed and still no progress? Look at possible

case study evaluation

IEP ELIGIBILITY

If you request a case study evaluation—you can NOT be denied the

case study due to response to intervention. In other words, if you

request it—the school needs to meet (WITH you) and consider the

need for a case study evaluation.

http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/html/categories.htm

Areas: Autism, deafness, deaf/blindness, emotional disability,

hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities,

orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, speech and

language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment

SPECIF ICS FOR ANNUAL REVIEW MEETINGS

If you have concerns, this is the time to state them!

There is a specific spot on the paperwork for this

purpose.

Notes—ANY concerns should also be documented

in the notes page of the IEP.

Best practice for schools is to present paperwork

ahead of time in DRAFT FORM for discussion and

review at the meeting. (3-5 days)

ANNUAL REVIEW

Goal areas should match disability areas—e.g. if a

student has a learning disability in reading, math

and written expression they should have goals in

those areas.

Other areas to improve in can also be goal areas

(e.g. executive functioning etc.)

SUPPLEMENTARY A IDS/ACCOMMODATIONS

This area of the IEP refers to all of the

accommodations and supports that aid in your

student’s success.

Always remember that the end goal is to FADE

most of these as we are working toward

independence.

There are MANY accommodations and supports

that schools provide. (examples on next slide)

EXAMPLES AIDS/ACCOMMODATIONS

Preferential seating

Copies of notes

Study guides

Visual support provided throughout day

Break assignments into chunks

Extended time on homework, tests quizzes etc.

ASSESSMENT

This page of the annual review refers to all classroom,

district and state assessments.

If a student has extended time on classroom based

assessments and is utilizing that accommodation, it should

be provided on state assessments.

All of the accommodations for assessments should also

be listed in the supplementary aids/accommodations

section.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES/PLACEMENT

Special Education teacher minutes

Related services minutes

Placement Considerations:

There are generally 3 discussed at each meeting—one

that does not provide enough support, one that best meets

the students needs and one that is more restrictive than the

student requires.

E D U C AT I O N A L E N V I R O N M E N T

C O N S I D E R AT I O N S

If the student has any special education class, self

contained class or is pulled from the general

education environment—that is listed on this page as

well as the reasoning why.

Does this student attend his/her home school? If

not, it needs to be explained why on this page.

TRANSPORTATION

Specialized transportation around school listed

here, if needed.

Specialized transportation to and from school

listed here, if needed.

Specialized supports for transportation needed

listed here as well –e.g. harness on bus, buckle

guard, transportation assistant etc.

EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR

Extended School Year—The IEP team determines

eligibility for ESY for a student. Generally speaking,

ESY is an option for students who are not making

adequate progress on their IEP goals and/or will

likely regress on skills if they don’t attend ESY.

If eligible, goals and services are discussed.

RESOURCES

Wright’s Law wrightslaw.com

Council For Exceptional Children……cec.sped.org

Autism Society of Illinois……..autismillinois.org

Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois

Illinois State Board of Education…..isbe.net

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

Feel free to contact us!

Natalie VlnaNatalie.Vlna@yahoo.com

Kim SmileyKwsslp@yahoo.com