Procedures for Monitoring and Reporting Student IEP Progress
October 2011
Career Connections (CC) students are served primarily by the Career Connections
program staff that are trained as employment specialists. The special education teacher
continues to be the case manager for the student’s IEP. The bridge created by having
high school educational staff and community-based employment specialist staff work
together is a critical component of the CC program.
This document will clarify: 1. The role of the special education teacher working with a
CC student in relation to IEP case management; 2. How progress monitoring
responsibilities are shared by CC staff and special education teacher; and 3. How
reporting progress is shared by CC staff and special education teacher. As we move as a
system toward using graphed data more actively to make instructional changes, this
October 2011 update includes a focus on these processes as well.
Role of the special education teacher as IEP case manager
In general, the role of the special education teacher working with a CC student as case
manager includes:
1. Writing the annual IEP with support from the CC staff (see GWAEA Flow Chart for
Special Education Forms, “Begin Career Connections or VITAL” column).
2. Working with CC staff to monitor IEP goal progress.
3. Sharing and filing progress reports written by CC staff with the IEP.
4. Scheduling and participating in IEP team meetings. The teacher role is particularly
important if the student is struggling. Note that this also includes IEP re-evaluations
if those occur during the student’s time in Career Connections and that an AEA staff
person is a required team member for re-evaluations if program changes are being
considered.
5. Completing paperwork for exiting special education services when the student
meets her/his IEP goals (see GWAEA Flow Chart for Special Education Forms,
“Graduation/Senior Staff Out” column).
Progress monitoring
Progress monitoring for CC student’s IEP goals is accomplished by:
1. CC staff collect data as described on the IEP goal pages. This is typically done every
two weeks, though it may vary by goal area.
2. CC staff submit data to the special education teacher each month. It is up to the CC
staff and teacher to determine what works best for sharing data—e.g., using the
Web IEP data worksheet, using an Excel file, by listing goal/date/data point, or some
other method.
October 2011 (Lauri Jennisch, Career Connections Program Coordinator, Grant Wood AEA
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3. The special education teacher enters the data into the progress monitoring graph as
soon as possible and no later than one week after receiving it. By keeping data
submission and entry current, both the CC staff and teacher are able to view the
graph for the purpose of considering the need for instructional change.
4. Both special education teacher and CC staff review graphed data on the Web IEP
monthly. Either the special education teacher or the CC staff member initiate
discussion—may be via e-mail, phone, or face to face—about the need for
instructional change and nature of that change.
Reporting student progress
IEP progress updates should coincide with the district reporting periods for all students
(e.g., trimester or quarters). Progress notes need not be lengthy. Options include:
1. CC staff write a brief report that includes IEP goal(s) and progress (a measurable
statement of student’s current level of performance, e.g., 69%) as well as a brief
summary of current activities (e.g., job shadows, internships, interview practice, new
linkages established such as Voc Rehab). This is submitted to special education
teacher at least two weeks prior to reporting period. Teacher uses this information
to complete the Web IEP Report Card (Section H). Alternately:
2. CC staff use the Web IEP Report Card to add progress codes and brief comments.
The progress monitoring graph should be current at time of progress reporting and
attached to the report card that is shared with student/parents (if a rubric is used
for data collection, it should also be attached).
3. The special education teacher works with the CC staff to make sure all progress
documents are shared with student, family, and AEA IMS.
October 2011 (Lauri Jennisch, Career Connections Program Coordinator, Grant Wood AEA
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