The Anatomy of an IEP
What is the purpose of an IEP? It's a legal document that is supposed to ensure that each student is provided special education or special education and related services appropriate to individual learning needs.
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The following is a detailed explanation for each of the main parts of a typical IEP.
IEP Team Signatures: This part is simply the signatures of everyone who is attending the meeting. Many of the fields are filled in with the names of the team members. It's okay to sign this part of the IEP because it confirms that you are attending.
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Procedural Safeguards Notice: Signing this part of the IEP confirms you received a copy of the most recent Procedural Safeguards Notice.
Medical Assistance Program Billing Notice: Signing this part gives consent that the school is eligible to receive reimbursement for services. It's a one time consent meaning that each year you have to give your consent. This does not mean that the money will only benefit your child. The money is pooled to offset the cost of providing services in a school setting. While giving consent should not impact family benefits in any way, and will not limit lifetime coverage, increase premiums, or lead to the discontinuation of benefits. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time. Make sure that giving consent will not reduce your child’s available lifetime coverage, increase your premiums, or risk loss of eligibility for waivers or other services based on aggregate expenditures. Also be aware that by consenting for billing of a public benefits program, you are also consenting to have some educational records sent to the public benefits agency, to the extent necessary for billing.
Special Considerations the IEP Team Must Consider Before Developing the IEP: This includes visual impairments, communication needs, need for assistive technology, English proficiency and behaviors that may impede learning.
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Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance: This is the foundation for creating high level goals for the IEP. The levels should be stated in terms that are specific, measurable, and objective. Prioritize and identify needs that will be written as goals. Describe current performance, not past performance.Describe the effect of the disability on the child's progress in appropriate activities. It may also include parts of the evaluation or re-evaluation that was done.
This article written by the Pacer Center goes into more detail of what questions to consider when understanding your child's present levels.
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Goals: It's recommended that the team creates S.M.A.R.T. goals which are specific, measurable, attainable, results oriented and time-bound.
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Did you know there are IEP goal banks?
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These banks are filled with hundreds of examples of goals within different school subjects for parents to review. Here are just a few for you to explore.
Goals and Objectives Bank. Basic Reading. Reading Comprehension
https://usd320.socs.net/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/5a0c6b023d64b/IEP%20Goal%20Bank.pdf
IEP Goals and Objectives Bank that includes life skills.
https://www.bridges4kids.org/IEP/iep.goal.bank.pdf
500+ Measurable IEP Goals that include social goals and transition goals
https://adayinourshoes.com/iep-goal-bank/
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You can create as many goals as needed but the team will need to balance the demands of the student. Too many goals or goals that are too challenging can increase behaviors. This is where discussions within the team are critical. Goals can be academic, social, functional and even include life skills.
Goal Breakdown
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Measurable Annual Goal is the overall goal that needs to be met.
***Make sure it includes a baseline with detail of where the student is with the goal at this time.
It should include what is being worked on, how frequently, how often will this be measured, what is the measurable goal that needs to be reached over how many times. Be careful when assigning 3 consecutive probes. If the student makes one mistake, they have to start from square one. The downside of this is that a goal could potentially be in the IEP for way too long This is where students stay stuck in their IEP's and not make meaningful progress. You'll often see 80% used as a benchmark. I once asked about why this is often used and the answer I received is that it is often used as a general benchmark. You can raise it or lower it depending on how the team feels the student should achieve mastery at a certain level. -
Describe HOW the student's progress toward meeting this goal will be measured includes who will be administering the probes.
Developing a Progress Monitoring Plan -
Describe WHEN periodic reports on progress will be provided to parents documents how often progress will be given to parents on the IEP goals.
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Short term objectives/benchmarks seem to be often broken up in 4 objectives. They should also follow the S.M.A.R.T. Goal guidelines but this is where the verbiage of consecutive probes can keep the student stuck on the goal if they make even one mistake. If a goal is on there more than a year, perhaps the team should take a closer look at the progress report to determine if the goal needs to be adjusted or have other supports in place.
Special Education/Related Services/Supplementary Aids and Services/Program Modifications
This means aids, services and other supports that are provided in general education classes or other education-related settings to enable students with disabilities to be educated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate in the least restrictive environment. The IEP must specify the projected date for initiation of services and the frequency, location and duration of such services.
Transition Services: The IEP team will begin determining post school goals when the student reaches 14 years old. A student at any age has the right to attend their own IEP meeting but often is determined if appropriate by the IEP team. By age of 14 years, students are required to attend the IEP team. Transition goals are determined to facilitate the student's journey through post school activites, including post-secondary education,vocational education, integrated employment, continuing education, adult services, independent living or community participation. The student's strengths, preferences and interests need to be considered by the IEP team. It's beneficial to your child that you become familiar with transition services before this part of the IEP goes into effect. Check out Transition Services on Lehigh Valley Autism Guide.
Participation in State and Local Assessments: This section determines whether or not the IEP team determine whether or not the student participates in State Assessments like:
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PSSA (Math and LA for grades 3-8, Science in grades 4 and 8). Click here to download a list of 2019 PSSA and Keystone Exam Accommodations. If your child becomes stressed and exhibits behaviors due to the pressure of PSSA's and alternate standardized testing, to properly advocate for your child, parents need to know what the options are. Click here for guidelines of initiating the student to opt out of taking the PSSA's.
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Keystone Exam (replaces the 11th grade PSSA in high school)
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Keystone Project Based Assessment (available when student is unable to demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam or Keystone Exam Module)
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Validated Local Assessment (available when selected as an option by LEA)
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PASA (grades 3-8, 11). Click here to download a guide to interpreting PASA Student Score Reports PaTTAN.
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There is a private Facebook Group called Pennsylvania - Opt Out Standardized Testing PA that supports parents and educators who choose to opt out of testing.