Individualized Education Program (IEP) Basics
Who: Who develops an IEP? Who is an IEP for?
 IEP’s are incredibly individualized and created by a group or team of individuals who
together fully understand the child’s particular needs.
 The child is considered a child with a disability, meaning after evaluation he or she was
identified as having special needs relating to education and related services.
 The “team” is made up of at least one general/regular education teacher, at least one special
education teacher, parents, school administrators (such as a district/system representative),
and other related services professionals (including a school psychologist, occupational
therapists, physical therapists, behavioral specialists, etc.).
What: What is an IEP?
 An Individualized Education or IEP in its most basic form, it is a specifically designed plan
for a singular child that is later reviewed and revised by meetings of a team of professionals
and the child’s parent(s).
o More elaborately an IEP is an education plan that shows a child’s present levels of
performance (PLOP) with results from various tests and evaluations, and uses the
information obtained from those to lay out a strategy for the next year. Special
education and other related services that will be provided for that child are explained
within the IEP, and it shows how those services will help a child reach their annual
educational goals. Overall, the IEP is a legally binding document that seeks to
maintain a child with a disability’s education at their grade level.
 The nation's special education law entitled the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act”
(IDEA) is where guidelines for developing IEPs stem from.
Why: Why is an IEP developed?
 In Public Schools in the United States, in order for a child to receive any sort of Special
Education or similar services they must have an Individualized Education Program or IEP.
 IDEA requires that children with disabilities receive any type of early intervention, special
education, or related services that they need.
How: How is an IEP developed?
 The Special Education Process in which IEPs are created under follow 10 major steps
(Below are the steps verbatim from a guide by the U.S. Department of Education)
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Step 1: Child is identified as possibly needing special education and related services.
Step 2: Child is evaluated.
Step 3: Eligibility is decided.
Step 4: Child is found eligible for services.
Step 5: IEP meeting is scheduled.
Step 6: IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written.
Step 7: Services are provided.
Step 8: Progress is measured and reported to parents.
Step 9: IEP is reviewed.
Step 10: Child is reevaluated.
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Step One: entails the use of Child Find Services. Before any type of special education or
related services can be provided to a child, the state must identify and assess the child.
Step Two: is when an IEE is completed. Evaluations must be completed to see what the
most appropriate course of action is for this specific child, and to what extent special
services are necessary.
Step Three: After all assessments and evaluations are completed a decision is made to
determine whether or not a child is a child with a disability.
Step Four: If found to be a child with a disability in the previous step, then the child is
eligible for special education and related services.
Step Five: is when the first IEP meeting is planned and set up. All members of the team are
established and contacted, including the parents. Ample time must be provided so that the
parents can attend, if they want to. Parents are informed of the purpose, time, and location
of the meeting as well as, who will be there. Parents can invite anyone they believe to be an
expert on their child.
This is when the IEP is fully developed.
Step Six: is when the IEP team meets, discusses the child’s needs, and begins the actual IEP.
Once the IEP is completed, then the child’s parents read it over and give consent if they feel
the appropriate services will be provided. Services would consequently begin if the IEP is
approved. On the other hand, if the parents do not agree with the IEP they can voice their
concerns with the other team members. In worst case scenarios a mediator is required with
the state education agency to have a hearing.
Step Seven: When services begin, the school must ensure that the IEP is being followed. All
members of the team have access to the IEP, and each of the child’s teachers and other
service providers know their responsibilities to guarantee the carrying out of the IEP.
Step Eight: Parents receive reports on the progress being made toward annual goals as they
are measured throughout the year. The child’s teachers and service providers make note and
inform the parents whether or not the progress will be enough to complete the goals by the
year’s end.
Step Nine: ensures that there will be review of the IEP at least once a year. The school or
parents can ask for an earlier review as they see it fit. Revisions can be made to the IEP, and
at any IEP meetings to review or revise the parents must be invited. Similarly to step six the
parents can agree or disagree with the IEP goals and placement, and if they do not agree
then they can make suggestions or at worst go to the state education agency with mediation.
Step Ten: At least every three years the child is reevaluated as a “child with a disability”. A
reevaluation can occur earlier or more often given the situation.
The parts of a finished Individualized Educational Program can include:
1) Header
a. Meeting Date(s)
b. IEP Effective From ___ to ___
c. Student Last Name, First Name
d. Page ___ of ___
2) Identifying Information
a. Student Last Name
b. Student First Name
c. Middle Initial
d. Date of Birth
e. Age
f. Gender
g. State Assigned Student Identification Number
h. Home School
i. Current Grade
j. Current School
k. School Contact Person’s Name
l. School Contact Phone number
m. School Contact Email
n. Is the student an English Language Learner (ELL)?
o. If yes, what is the student’s home/native language(s)?
3) Family Contact Information
a. Parent/Guardian general/identifying information
i. Home Native Language(s) of Parent/Guardian
ii. If interpreter is needed, what language?
iii. Who will attend the IEP meeting
b. Educational Surrogate: If the student has been assigned an Educational Surrogate by
the state, provide contact information.
i. First Name: Print the Educational Surrogate’s first name.
ii. Last Name: Print the Educational Surrogate’s last name.
iii. Work Phone: Print work telephone number of Educational Surrogate.
iv. Address: Print mailing address of Educational Surrogate.
4) IEP Team Meeting
a. Purpose of This Meeting – If this is the initial IEP, annual review, or reevaluation
b. Most recent evaluation date
c. Next evaluation date
5) IEP Team Meeting Participants
a. Today’s Date
b. Meeting Participants - signatures
6) Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance
7) Present Levels of Functional Performance
8) Present Levels of Academic Achievement
a. Strengths
b. Needs
9) Areas to be Addressed During the Timeframe of This IEP
10) Academic Standards Student’s Program Will Address
11) Measurable Annual Academic or Functional Goal(s)
a. Area of Need
b. Baseline (What the student can do now)
c. Goal # (Number)
d. What student can do by the end of this IEP
e. Annual Academic Goal Formula - (Annual Academic Goal = learner +
ELS/GLE/GSE/AAGSE + individual learner’s target performance + measurability)
f. Annual Functional Goal Formula - (Annual Functional Goal = learner + individual
learner’s target performance + measurability)
g. Annual Academic and Functional Goal Examples
h. How student’s progress will be measured
i. When progress will be reported to parents
12) Measurable Short Term Objectives or Benchmarks
13) Considerations
a. Strengths of the student
b. Concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child
c. Results of initial or most recent evaluations
d. Academic, developmental, and functional needs of the student.
14) Extended School Year Services
15) Special Education
a. Goal # (Number)
b. Special Education
c. Provider
d. Frequency
e. Beginning Date
f. Duration
g. Location
16) Related Services
a. Can Include: Audiology, Counseling Services, Early Identification and Assessment of
Disabilities in Children, Interpreting Services, Medical Services, Occupational
Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Parent Counseling and Training, Physical
Therapy, Psychological Services, Recreation, Rehabilitation Counseling, School
Health Services and School Nurse Services, Social Work Services, Speech and
Language Pathology Services, and/or Transportation
17) Supplementary Aids and Services/Program Modifications/Supports for School
Personnel
a. Goal # (Number)
b. Supplementary Aids and Services/Program Modifications/Supports for School
Personnel
c. Frequency
d. Beginning Date
e. Duration
f. Location
18) Educational Environments
19) Explanation of Nonparticipation in Regular Class, Extracurricular and Nonacademic
Areas
20) Continuum of Special Education Placement
21) State/District-wide Assessment Accommodations
22) Parental Consent for Initial Provision of Special Education and Related Services
23) Information for Parents
24) Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance for Preschool
Children
25) Required Early Childhood Data Collection
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Minimum Requirements for IEP Contents
o Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance
o Measurable Annual Academic or Functional Goal(s)
o Child’s progress
o Special education
o Related services
o Supplementary Aids and Services/Program Modifications/Supports for School
Personnel
o Explanation of Nonparticipation in Regular Class, Extracurricular and Nonacademic
Areas
o Individual accommodations
o Projected date for beginning of services with:
 Frequency
 Location
 Duration
References
"Archived: Guide to the Individualized Education Program." U.S. Department of Education. N.p.,
2000. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"Contents of the IEP." Center for Parent Information and Resources. U.S. Department of
Education, n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
"Individualized Education Program (IEP)." Rhode Island Department of Education. Rhode Island
Department of Education, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.