History of Student Participation in the IEP
There is a range of opinions about a student’s participation in their IEP. Like many hot button issues in special education it is often highly individualized and there is no one clear answer for all students. There are many factors that impact a person’s opinion including but not limited to; the age of the student, the severity of the student’s disability, and emotional maturity of the student. This website is designed to develop a community of parents and school professionals that want to see students and parents have a greater role in the IEP process. This website is designed to give teams resources to help students gain the best post school outcomes based upon their unique circumstances and goals.
Legalese
IDEA has very little to say about student participation in an IEP, other than it is encouraged. Schools are not mandated to let students lead their meetings. The team is mandated to consider the whole child and their needs when developing a program (IDEA, 2004), but not mandated to include them in the meeting where plans are made to address these needs. Students can be instrumental in identifying their needs, even at a very young age.
It is the authors’ opinion that students benefit from greater participation in their IEP meetings but understands how an IEP team could have reservations about a student’s inclusion. Additionally, the authors believe that most teams will progress and students will gain a greater say as time goes on. It is not the expectation of the authors that a 5 year old being identified for special education services would lead their meeting, or even necessarily attend their meeting.
Why should students participate or even
lead their own IEP?
As previously stated there is no clear legal mandate that students have to participate or lead their IEP, like there is for parent participation (IDEA, 2004). IDEA only states that students have to be invited once they are 16 years old, but legal guardians can request that their child not attend the meeting, even after the age of 16.
Even though students are not required to attend their meetings there is a provision in IDEA that students who are younger can be invited to the meeting if the IEP team determines it is appropriate to do so (IDEA, 2004, 300D.322.b.2). The law gives leeway to the team to do what they feel is appropriate for the student.
Even thought there is not a clear legal mandate there is a significance amount of literature that supports the inclusion of students in their IEPs, especially at the high school level.
Even though students are not required to attend their meetings there is a provision in IDEA that students who are younger can be invited to the meeting if the IEP team determines it is appropriate to do so (IDEA, 2004, 300D.322.b.2). The law gives leeway to the team to do what they feel is appropriate for the student.
Even thought there is not a clear legal mandate there is a significance amount of literature that supports the inclusion of students in their IEPs, especially at the high school level.
Research to Support Student Participation in their IEP Meetings
When high school students with mild disabilities were involved their own IEPs they “tended to be more aware of their disability, its impact on their school performance, and their need for self-advocacy” (p.188).
Students self report and teachers agree that when students lead their own IEP they know more about their disability.
(Mason, McGahee-Kovac, Johnson, & Stillerman, 2002)
When students lead their own IEP meetings they talk significantly more during their IEP then if it is teacher led.
(Martin, Van Dycke, Christensen, Greene, Gardner, & Lovett, 2006)
“Student participation had several positive affects on the IEP process: (a) meetings became student centered, (b) elementary students had the opportunity to use self-determination skills in an authentic setting, and (c) adult participants noted increased collaborative problem solving.”
(Danneker & Bottge, 2009, p. 228)
The Goal is Active, not Passive Participation
The goal of student inclusion in their IEP is to help them be more active and not just passive spectators. The first barrier is just getting a student in the room. We cannot underestimate the importance of this simple step. After a student is in the room they often need to be prepped. There are a variety of resources that people can use to help students be more actively involved in their own IEP.
Mason, McGahee-Kovac, & Johnson’s (2004) article in Teaching Exceptional Children entitled, “How to help students lead their IEP meetings,” is a great resource on how to have students lead their own IEP meetings. They also discuss three levels of participation starting with a student only discussing their goal from the future to level 3 of them leading their own IEP. Leading an IEP like most things in school is a skill that is learned over time.