Fall 2008 Special Education Changes
These materials summarize recent changes in IEP and special education procedures. They are intended as a quick reference for
AEA staff and for sharing with LEA colleagues. Please note the continued emphasis on statewide procedures with materials
developed by the Iowa Department of Education in collaboration with all of the AEAs. This emphasis allows for consistency statewide
that is helpful to children and families, and it also makes possible the creation of high quality digital and other tools to support
educators. The new Statewide Special Education Procedures manual, the IEP quality website content, and a Web IEP 5.0 version
tutorial coming soon are examples of these tools. Please take time to explore them!
A SUMMARY OF NEW SPECIAL EDUCATION MATERIALS AND IEP CHANGES
November 2008
New Materials/Changes
Rationale
Web IEP Version 5.0, Version 5.0 Annual changes made to Web IEP to reflect programming
changes that address new IEP procedures.
manual, DVD training to assist
with Version 5 changes
Where to find resources
www.iowaidea.org – click onto “Version 5
Has Been Rolled Over”. Can access
specific information for teachers, support
staff, LEA and AEA Administrators.
DVD training at www.iowa.gov/educate/.
Click “Special Education” under PK-12,
Click “Individual Education Program (IEP)
information, then IEP tutorial.
AEA website tools under GWAEA staff,
then click Web IEP Information and Help.
Statewide Special Education
Procedures Manual
2008-09
Special Education Forms Flow
Chart
The first three chapters of the Statewide Special Education
Procedures Manual have been released. They replace what we
have previously called “the red book”. This is a statewide
document created by Iowa AEAs and the Department of
Education for clarity in procedures across all districts. Many of
the procedural changes that follow were made to increase
statewide consistency with forms and processes.
On AEA website under SPECIAL
EDUCATION – Entitled “Area Education
Agency Special Education Procedures”.
Replaces the IEP Procedures Manual from
August 2007 (please discard).
Updated to align with IEP Updates and changes. November,
2008.
On AEA website under SPECIAL
EDUCATION. Under “Flow Chart”.
New Resources available for IEP
Development
The release of Version 5.0 and a move to statewide consistency
have resulted in more materials to support IEP development.
Version 5.0 Web IEP DVD
www.iowa.gov/educate/ - click “Special
Education” under PK-12, click “Individual
Education Program (IEP) Information”
then IEP tutorial.
AEA Special Education Procedures Manual
www.gwaea.org – click GWAEA staff, then
Special Education, then AEA Special
Education Procedures
Version 5 Web IEP Assistance
www.iowaidea.org
IEP Page A: Amendment With a
Meeting and Without a Meeting
boxes added and Parental agreement
to amend without a meeting is
documented
IEP Page A: Required System
Data
IEP Page B: IEP team
considerations expanded and include
NIMAS (National Instructional
Materials Accessibility Standards)
eligibility
Clarity and documentation of team, including parent, decision
regarding need to convene team for a meeting.
www.iepquality.iow.gov – click on
“Amending the IEP”.
In AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 3 (p.4) and Section 4 (pp.67).
Correct coding of school “type” is important for reporting
purposes.
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 4 pp. 8-9.
More clarity regarding behavior, communication and health
needs and how/whether they are formally addressed in the IEP.
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 4 pp. 18-19.
NIMAS needs are clearly spelled out for funding purposes as
well as school district accountability. NIMAS eligibility is
indicated for students who are 1) blind; 2) visually impaired; 3)
unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a
result of physical limitations; or 4) certified by competent
authority as having a reading disability resulting from organic
dysfunction (See AEA procedures manual or DE website for
further explanation)
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – under “Blind or
Visually Impaired”, NIMAS eligibility,
Assistive Technology link
IEP Page D: State of Iowa Core
Content Standard and Grade Level
Benchmarks for goal added
Tied to Iowa Core Curriculum. This is a drop-down menu.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – under “Goal
page and Measuring Annual Goals”, under
Iowa Core Content Standards and Grade
Level Benchmarks
IEP Page D: Prompt to align
baseline measurement with same
measurement as goal and progress
monitoring procedures added
This is a reminder that the baseline measure, the measurable
annual goal, and the progress monitoring procedure
measurement should all three be the same, e.g., correct words
per minute.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – under “Goal
page and Measuring Annual Goals”
IEP Page D: Progress Monitoring
procedures require documentation of
the decision making rule used to
consider instructional changes
Samples of decision making rules are Trendline Analysis or the
Four-Point Decision-making rule. This is to ensure that
teachers are thinking about how to monitor the effectiveness of
instruction and to plan for the need for phase changes with
instruction.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – Under
“Progress Monitoring Procedures”
IEP Page F: Has an Early
Childhood version
When an Early Childhood Setting A-Code or B-Code is
indicated on Page A of the IEP, a different version of Page F is
present. This is to customize Page F to better reflect Early
Childhood services in both Special Education and Regular EC
programs.
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 4, pp. 46-47.
IEP Page F: Specialized Accessible
Formats (Braille, large print, audio,
digital) added as a Yes/No choice
Aligned with NIMAS (National Instructional Materials
Accessibility Standards, Page B of the IEP).
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 4, pp. 38-40.
IEP Page F/G: Specialized
Transportation needs must have a F
Page description.
Transportation question still needs to be answered on G Page
(remains the same) but a description of that service must be
described on Page F if Specialized Transportation is indicated
on Page G. This can be called a Support or Related Service on
Page F.
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 4 pp. 32-33.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – Under “Special
Education Services, Activities and
Supports”, look under Specialized
Accessible Formats
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 4, pp. 38-39.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – Under “Special
Education Services, Activities, and
Supports”, look under Related Services
IEP Page G: Boxes added to
document that student does not
participate in district-wide
assessments because not given at
grade level or because student is
incarcerated
IEP Page R: Re-Evaluation
Clear documentation is provided regarding why a student is not
involved with district-wide assessment.
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 4, pp. 50-51.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – Under
“Participation in District-Wide
Assessment”
Used when a re-evaluation process occurs. Pops up
automatically when “re-evaluation” is checked on Page A.
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 3, and Section 4, pp. 62-63.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – Under
“Reevaluations” and “Reevaluation
Questions – page R”
Add a Goal change: When wanting
to add a goal area to an existing IEP
If a student has already been determined eligible for special
education, they are not required to have an IIP written in order
to add a goal to their IEP. Data collection and instruction to
address the potential goal area is still required.
AEA Special Education Procedures
Manual, Section 3, pp. 9-10.
www.iepquality.iowa.gov – Under “Adding
a New Goal Area.”