Student Blurbs:
What’s inside the cover
By Elfie Schwiderson
Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy
What is a blurb?
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A book blurb is a quick
summary of a story that
is designed to pique the
reader’s interest.
It is usually found on
the back cover or on
the flaps of a book.
It gives the reader an
idea of what the book
will be like.
What are student blurbs?
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Student blurbs are a quick, usually one-page
summary of the IEP.
They contain the information from the IEP
that general education teachers need to
understand.
They are written in easy-to-understand
language.
Why write a student blurb?
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To assure understanding and implementation
of IEP by all involved school staff:
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Classroom accommodations
Services, supports, and supplemental aids
State- and District-wide test accommodations
Is there another reason why I should write
a student blurb?
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To enhance involved school staff’s
understanding of the student and his/her
unique needs
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What kinds of behaviors to expect
How to deal with these behaviors
Academic level of the student
Inclusion of goals/objectives may help staff
understand current level of student
When should I write a blurb?
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After every new IEP
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At the beginning of the
new school year
Who should get a blurb?
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Special Education coordinator/director
Grade-level classroom teacher(s)
Parapro
Specials teachers (gym, art, music, etc.)
School Social Worker (if behavior is an issue)
Special Education file
Accountability
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Blurbs can be used to document staff
familiarization with the IEP
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Provide 2 copies and have staff sign one and
keep one for own use; keep signed copy in central
location
Shared drive on school network? E-mail copy to
staff and have them save to their shared drive
(GroupWise)
How to write a blurb
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Student’s name at top
of page
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14 point font
Centered
Sample Student
Your Name, Special Education teacher
IEP Date: 3/23/07
General Ed. Teacher’s Name, 4th grade teacher
Classroom Parapro’s Name, teaching parapro
Student’s Name is eligible for Special Education based on (eligibility
category).
 Information from PLAAFP which will help general education teachers
understand the student and provide the teacher with clues regarding the
student’s behavior which impacts his/her education.
 Mention the ancillary services here.
 Here are his goal, objectives, and accommodations:
Goal: Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Obj. 3: Third objective
Second Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Supplemental Aids/Services/Personnel Supports (these are the classroom
accommodations that are provided in the general education classroom)
 List of classroom accommodations
 Etc.
 Etc.
State- and District-Wide Assessments:
 Statement of state and district tests that student will take (including grade
level if different from grade placement)
 list accommodations for tests
Instructions to staff person indicating what should be done with this blurb.
How to write a blurb
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Your name and title
Homeroom teacher
name and
grade/subject
IEP Date
Classroom parapro’s
name
10 point font
Sample Student
Your Name, Special Education teacher
IEP Date: 3/23/07
General Ed. Teacher’s Name, 4th grade teacher
Classroom Parapro’s Name, teaching parapro
Student’s Name is eligible for Special Education based on (eligibility
category).
 Information from PLAAFP which will help general education teachers
understand the student and provide the teacher with clues regarding the
student’s behavior which impacts his/her education.
 Mention the ancillary services here.
 Here are his goal, objectives, and accommodations:
Goal: Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Obj. 3: Third objective
Second Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Supplemental Aids/Services/Personnel Supports (these are the classroom
accommodations that are provided in the general education classroom)
 List of classroom accommodations
 Etc.
 Etc.
State- and District-Wide Assessments:
 Statement of state and district tests that student will take (including grade
level if different from grade placement)
 list accommodations for tests
Instructions to staff person indicating what should be done with this blurb.
How to write a blurb
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Student’s name
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is eligible for Special
Education based on (add
eligibility category)
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14-16 point font
Bold face
12 point font
Eligibility category in bold
and/or italicized
Information from PLAAFP,
ancillary services, introduce
goal and objectives
Sample Student
Your Name, Special Education teacher
IEP Date: 3/23/07
General Ed. Teacher’s Name, 4th grade teacher
Classroom Parapro’s Name, teaching parapro
Student’s Name is eligible for Special Education based on (eligibility
category).
 Information from PLAAFP which will help general education teachers
understand the student and provide the teacher with clues regarding the
student’s behavior which impacts his/her education.
 Mention the ancillary services here.
 Here are his goal, objectives, and accommodations:
Goal: Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Obj. 3: Third objective
Second Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Supplemental Aids/Services/Personnel Supports (these are the classroom
accommodations that are provided in the general education classroom)
 List of classroom accommodations
 Etc.
 Etc.
State- and District-Wide Assessments:
 Statement of state and district tests that student will take (including grade
level if different from grade placement)
 list accommodations for tests
Instructions to staff person indicating what should be done with this blurb.
How to write a blurb
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Add first student goal
and objectives
Add subsequent goals
and objectives
Sample Student
Your Name, Special Education teacher
IEP Date: 3/23/07
General Ed. Teacher’s Name, 4th grade teacher
Classroom Parapro’s Name, teaching parapro
Student’s Name is eligible for Special Education based on (eligibility
category).
 Information from PLAAFP which will help general education teachers
understand the student and provide the teacher with clues regarding the
student’s behavior which impacts his/her education.
 Mention the ancillary services here.
 Here are his goal, objectives, and accommodations:
Goal: Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Obj. 3: Third objective
Second Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Supplemental Aids/Services/Personnel Supports (these are the classroom
accommodations that are provided in the general education classroom)
 List of classroom accommodations
 Etc.
 Etc.
State- and District-Wide Assessments:
 Statement of state and district tests that student will take (including grade
level if different from grade placement)
 list accommodations for tests
Instructions to staff person indicating what should be done with this blurb.
How to write a blurb
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Add information from
supplemental aids/
services/personnel
supports from IEP
You may want to add
an explanation that
these are the
accommodations in the
general education
classroom, and as such
are the responsibility of
the classroom teacher
Sample Student
Your Name, Special Education teacher
IEP Date: 3/23/07
General Ed. Teacher’s Name, 4th grade teacher
Classroom Parapro’s Name, teaching parapro
Student’s Name is eligible for Special Education based on (eligibility
category).
 Information from PLAAFP which will help general education teachers
understand the student and provide the teacher with clues regarding the
student’s behavior which impacts his/her education.
 Mention the ancillary services here.
 Here are his goal, objectives, and accommodations:
Goal: Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Obj. 3: Third objective
Second Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Supplemental Aids/Services/Personnel Supports (these are the classroom
accommodations that are provided in the general education classroom)
 List of classroom accommodations
 Etc.
 Etc.
State- and District-Wide Assessments:
 Statement of state and district tests that student will take (including grade
level if different from grade placement)
 list accommodations for tests
Instructions to staff person indicating what should be done with this blurb.
How to write a blurb
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Add student’s participation
in state-wide (MEAP,
MEAP-Access, or MIAccess) and district-wide
assessments.
Note if student will be taking
district-wide test at different
grade level
Note testing
accommodations
Note instructions for saving
this blurb
Sample Student
Your Name, Special Education teacher
IEP Date: 3/23/07
General Ed. Teacher’s Name, 4th grade teacher
Classroom Parapro’s Name, teaching parapro
Student’s Name is eligible for Special Education based on (eligibility
category).
 Information from PLAAFP which will help general education teachers
understand the student and provide the teacher with clues regarding the
student’s behavior which impacts his/her education.
 Mention the ancillary services here.
 Here are his goal, objectives, and accommodations:
Goal: Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Obj. 3: Third objective
Second Student Goal.
Obj. 1: First objective
Obj. 2: Second objective
Supplemental Aids/Services/Personnel Supports (these are the classroom
accommodations that are provided in the general education classroom)
 List of classroom accommodations
 Etc.
 Etc.
State- and District-Wide Assessments:
 Statement of state and district tests that student will take (including grade
level if different from grade placement)
 list accommodations for tests
Instructions to staff person indicating what should be done with this blurb.
Sample blurb
Student Sample
Special Education teacher: Jane Doe
IEP Date: 7/13/07
4th Grade teacher: Mary Jones
Teaching Parapro: Alice Smith
Student Sample has been identified as having a Learning Disability in the
areas of Basic Reading and Oral Expression. Student is reading at a level
about ½ to 1 year below her grade placement. She has particular difficulty with
unfamiliar material but does much better on material that has been read to her
and that she is able to re-read several times. She does not read fluently; she
frequently pauses while figuring out a word, or she may have to re-read the word
to say it correctly. Here are Student’s Goal, objectives, and accommodations:
Goal: Student will increase her reading skills from GE 2.6 to GE 3.6 on the
STAR-Reading or other standardized test.
1. Student will read unfamiliar grade-level text with 95% accuracy.
2. Student will answer comprehension questions about appropriately leveled
texts.
3. Student will read familiar grade level text fluently.
Supplementary Aids and Services (classroom accommodations)
 Student may have tests and directions read and explained to her.
 Student may have extra time for classroom tests and assignments.
Student will take the GLAD and MEAP, same as her peers. For those tests,
Student:
 May have the directions re-read to her
 May ask for clarification of directions
 May have the test read to her (within test guidelines)
 May have extra time
Student will be coming to the Resource Room for 1 hour per regular school day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please read this student blurb/information sheet and save a copy to your eportfolio.
Contact information:
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Elfie Schwiderson
Special Education teacher
Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy
1301 Marquette Ave.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
(906) 635-5055, ext. 409
elfies@jklschool.org