IEP Requirements
Though the format for an IEP varies from county to county and state to state, there are certain aspects of the IEP that are required by federal law to be included. The required components are:
· Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance
A statement about the students current functioning levels in reading, math, comprehension or any other academic area that was identified as being in need of remediation or support as identified during the students initial testing and placement in Special Education. Functional performance areas such as self-care skills may be discussed if needed.
· Measurable annual goals
This is a description of the goals that will be worked on during the school year. The goals need to be measurable, in other words, they need to be specific and verifiable. A goal that lists a student’s current reading comprehension level as 2.0(beginning 2nd grade) and has a goal of increasing the reading comprehension level to 3.0(beginning 3rd grade) by the end of the year is specific and measurable. Progress towards the goal can be measured by giving periodic comprehension tests designed for that grade level.
· Measurements of progress and how progress will be shared
Using the example above for an annual goal, the comprehension tests would measure the progress and this progress could be reported in a variety of ways including IEP quarterly updates, report cards, parent letters, etc. This section insures communication with the parents about the child’s progress towards achieving their goals.
· What special education and related services will be provided, how often, for how long, where and who will provide the service. A related service could include such things as Speech/Language, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Social Work or assistance from a paraprofessional. What service is being provided, how often the service is provided(once a week, once a month, etc), how much time(10 minutes, 30 minutes, etc) and for how long(1 quarter, 6 months, the entire school year, etc) should all be listed.
· How the child will access the general education curriculum
This section will clarify how much time the student spends in the general education classroom with their peers and how much time will be spent in an alternate setting such as a resource room, Speech/Language Therapy room, etc.
· Modifications or supports that will be provided
This section describes any modifications such as extended time when taking tests or having tests read out loud.
· Assessment Information
Which assessments if any the student will be taking during the time the particular IEP is in effect along with any modifications in testing such as having a test read out loud, using a calculator or having extended time when testing.
· Assistive Technology
Assistive technology devices such as an iPad, Dynavox, or even a specific computer program that the student needs in order to be successful at school should be listed.
· Extended School Year
If a student experiences significant regression(loss) of skills during extended breaks in the school year, the decision to provide ESY services may be discussed.
· Transition Services
Beginning when the child turns 14 ½ years old, the team needs to begin planning for the student’s transition into the post-high school world. This may include plans for attending college, the work force or supported employment. Appropriate steps to help parents access and plan for this transition need to be in place.
· IEP start date and duration
The start date for the IEP is normally listed as the day following the IEP meeting and a normal duration is one year.
For a detailed description of all aspects of the IEP in Illinois see:
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/pdfs/parent_guide/ch6-iep.pdf