Special EducationSpecial Education

William Allan Kritsonis, PhDWilliam Allan Kritsonis, PhDIEPIEP

What is an IEP?What is an IEP?

• The Individualized education The Individualized education Program is a written statement for a Program is a written statement for a student with a disability that is student with a disability that is developed, reviewed and revised in a developed, reviewed and revised in a meeting of a committee on Special meeting of a committee on Special Education. Education.

The law requires that the IEP The law requires that the IEP must contain:must contain:• A statement of the child’s present levels of A statement of the child’s present levels of

educational performanceeducational performance• A statement of measurable annual goals including A statement of measurable annual goals including

short terms objectives if the student is assessed short terms objectives if the student is assessed below grade levelbelow grade level

• A statement of the special education, related A statement of the special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, program services, supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and support for school personnel that modifications, and support for school personnel that will be provided to, or on behalf of, the child;will be provided to, or on behalf of, the child;

• An explanation of any exclusion of the child from the An explanation of any exclusion of the child from the regular classroom and extracurricular activitiesregular classroom and extracurricular activities

Cont.Cont.

• A statement of any modifications the child will A statement of any modifications the child will need to take statewide or district-wide need to take statewide or district-wide assessments, such as the TAKS. If the student is assessments, such as the TAKS. If the student is assessed in some other manner (such as through assessed in some other manner (such as through the SDAA or LDAA) the IEP must specify why this the SDAA or LDAA) the IEP must specify why this decision was made and how the student’s decision was made and how the student’s progress will be assessed.progress will be assessed.

• Dates for services to be provided, a long with the Dates for services to be provided, a long with the frequency, duration, and location where services frequency, duration, and location where services will be provided; andwill be provided; and

• A statement of how the parents will be regularly A statement of how the parents will be regularly informed of the child’s progress toward achieving informed of the child’s progress toward achieving the annual goals.the annual goals.

IDEAIDEA

• In 1997 IDEA provided details and In 1997 IDEA provided details and specific guidelines about how an IEP specific guidelines about how an IEP should be developed, reviewed and should be developed, reviewed and altered as necessary. altered as necessary.

(The IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to make sure (The IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to make sure that children with disabilities had the opportunity to receive a free that children with disabilities had the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children. )appropriate public education, just like other children. )

IEP represents:IEP represents:

• IndividualizedIndividualized stands for the program is stands for the program is focused on the unique needs of that focused on the unique needs of that specific student, specific student,

• EducationEducation means that the means that the programprogram is is geared toward learning activities and geared toward learning activities and program refers to specific and clearly program refers to specific and clearly formulated annual goals and objectives formulated annual goals and objectives and the means of reaching those goals and the means of reaching those goals and objectives.and objectives.

IEP example:IEP example:

IEP ProcessIEP Process

• Grade level content considerationGrade level content consideration• Cultivate a present level of academic Cultivate a present level of academic

achievement and functional performanceachievement and functional performance• Craft measurable annual goalsCraft measurable annual goals• Create or identify a method to measure Create or identify a method to measure

progressprogress• Connect instruction with Connect instruction with

accommodationsaccommodations• Conclude with state assessmentsConclude with state assessments

Who attend IEP meetings?Who attend IEP meetings?

A team including: A team including:

• ParentParent

• student if appropriate student if appropriate

• general education teacher general education teacher

• special education teacher special education teacher

• Local Education agency (LEA) Local Education agency (LEA)

• supervisor for the specially designed supervisor for the specially designed instruction, instruction,

(34C.F.R. §300.321) (34C.F.R. §300.321)

Conclusion:Conclusion:An IEP determines placement and An IEP determines placement and

consists of seventeen components. It consists of seventeen components. It must contain statement of the child’s must contain statement of the child’s

current level, measurable annual goals, current level, measurable annual goals, any modifications that is needed and any modifications that is needed and

how the parents will be regularly how the parents will be regularly informed of the child’s progress.informed of the child’s progress.