A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO THE IEP

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A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO THE IEP

http://jraworld.arthritisinsight.com/feature/school/iep.html

This article has a lot of valuable information. I hope the formatting

doesn't get lost. If so, please follow the link provided above to access

the article on the ArthritisInsight website.

~Georgina

A publication of NICHCY... the National Information Center for Children

and Youth with Disabilities

P.O. Box 1492

Washington, DC 20013

1-800-695-0285 (Voice/TTY)

(202) 884-8200 (Voice/TTY)

E-mail:nichcy@...

URL:http://www.nichcy.org

Welcome to Your IEP!!

This guide will tell you:

-- what an IEP is

-- why you need to be part of your IEP team

-- how to help write your IEP

-- and much, much more!!

Being a part of the team that writes your IEP is an exciting, important

thing to do. It's your education -- be in on planning it!

Table of Contents

Section I:

What is an IEP?

Section II:

How Do I Develop My IEP?

What to Do Before the IEP Meeting

Writing the IEP

Getting Ready for the IEP Meeting

Participating in the IEP Meeting

After the IEP Meeting

SECTION I: What is an IEP?

1--What is an IEP?

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is a

written document that describes the educational plan for a student with

a disability. Your IEP talks about your disability, what skills you need

to learn, what you'll do in school this year, what services your school

will provide, and where your learning will take place.

2--Why Do Students With Disabilities Need an IEP?

First, it's the law. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA) requires each student with disabilities who receives special

education services to have an IEP -- an educational program written just

for him or her.

Second, the IEP helps the school meet your special needs. It also helps

you plan educational goals for yourself. That is why it is called an IEP

-- because it is an individualized education plan.

3--What is the Purpose of an IEP?

The purpose of the IEP is to make sure that everyone -- you, your

family, and school staff -- knows what your educational program will be

this year.

4--Where is the IEP Developed?

The IEP is developed during an IEP meeting, where the people who are

concerned with your education meet, discuss, and develop your IEP goals

and objectives for the next year.

5--Who Comes to the IEP Meeting?

Your meeting can be attended by:

-- You

-- Your parents

-- Your teachers

-- Your therapists

-- Your counselor

-- Your principal

-- Others you or the school think can help plan your program.

6--How Often is the IEP Meeting Held?

The law requires that your IEP is reviewed and revised at least once a

year. This means attending at least one IEP meeting each year. However,

you, your parents, or the school can ask for more IEP meetings, if any

of you think that it's necessary to take another look at your IEP.

7--How Long Does an IEP Meeting Last?

Approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.

8--Why Should I Participate in the IEP Meeting?

It's your educational program everyone will be discussing in the

meeting. Your opinions are an important part of this discussion.

9--What Should I Do if I Want to Participate in Developing my IEP?

There are five basic steps:

1. Talk to your parents and teachers.

2. Review last year's IEP.

3. Think about your strengths and weaknesses in school.

4. Write your goals for this school year.

5. Practice what you want to say at the meeting.

More details on these steps are given in this booklet. Read on.

SECTION II: How Do I Develop My IEP?

What to Do Before the IEP Meeting

1 -- Tell your family and teachers that you are interested in

participating in your next IEP meeting. It is important that you have

the support of your parents and teachers, because they will play a major

role in helping you.

2 -- Ask your parents or teachers when your next IEP is due to be

revised. Write the date below.

Next IEP Date: ____________________________

3 -- Ask your parents or teachers for a copy of your current IEP.

4 -- Read your IEP carefully. The IEP has different sections. These

sections are listed between the lines below (labeled " Sections of the

IEP " ). Look at the information between the lines. Look at your IEP. Can

you find the different sections or this information in your IEP?

5 -- Ask your parents or teachers to explain what is written in your

IEP, section-by-section. Ask questions. Make sure you understand the

sections and information in your IEP

Sections of the IEP

By law, your IEP must include certain information about you. This

information is usually organized into the sections listed below. When

you look at your current IEP, you will probably see these sections or

information. The new IEP you help develop will also have these sections

or information.

-- Current levels of educational performance:

This section includes precise information about how

you are doing in school and sometimes in other

aspects of your life

-- What special education and related services

the school will provide to you

-- How much of your school day will be spent

in regular education classrooms

-- Goals for the year

-- Short-term objectives (the individual steps

that make up the annual goals)

-- When the school will start providing

services to you and how long the services are expected to

last

-- How the school will find out if you are

accomplishing the goals and objectives set for you (called

" evaluation criteria " )

-- Assistive technology devices (such as a

computer or communication board) the school will provide

to help you

-- Transition services you need to get ready

for life after finishing high school.

Writing Your IEP

1 -- You'll need several sheets of clean

paper, and a pencil or pen. (If you like using a computer,

that's fine, too. So is a tape recorder! You

can also have a friend take notes for you.)

2 -- Start by describing your disability.

What is your disability called?

How does your disability affect you in school

and at home? (For example, what things in school are

harder because of your disability?)

What do you think is important for others to

know about your disability?

If you aren't sure what to say, think about

what the students on the tape had to say. How did they

describe their disabilities?

3 -- Look at your old IEP goals and

objectives. Do you think you have met those goals and

objectives? (This means you can do the things

listed there.) Put a check next to the goals and

objectives you have met.

4 -- What goals or objectives have you NOT

met? Write these down on paper. They may be

important to include in your new IEP.

5 -- What are your strengths and needs in each

class or subject? Make a list. This can be hard to

do. Here are some suggestions to help you:

-- Start with clean sheets of paper. Title one

sheet " Strengths " and another sheet " Needs. "

-- Ask yourself the questions between the

lines below (called " Ask Yourself " ). These can help you

think about your strengths and needs. Write

your ideas down on your " Strengths " and " Needs "

worksheets.

Hints: If you're not sure how to answer a

question, look at the examples given. Also, think about

what the students on the tape had to say. How

did they describe their strengths and needs? What

accommodations did they ask for? What did they

say they needed to work on in school?

Ask Yourself

-- What classes do you take? Make a list.

-- Which is your best class?

-- What can you do well in this class?

These are your strengths. (Example: read,

write, listen, work in groups, work alone, draw, do your

homework...)

-- What helps you do well?

These can also be your strengths. (Examples:

Your interest in the subject, your memory, patience,

determination, effort, the help of others

(what, specifically?), the way the teacher presents new

information...)

-- What class is hardest for you?

-- What's the hardest part of this class for

you?

These are the areas you need to work on during

the school year. (Examples: Paying attention,

reading the book, listening, staying in the

seat, remembering new information, doing homework, doing

work in groups...)

-- What accommodations would help you do

better in this class?

Look at the list of accommodations presented

below the line of asterisks (***) and labeled " List of

Accommodations. " Write down the ones you think

would help you in this hard class.

-- What do you need to work on in your other

classes?

Go class by class and make a list of what is

hard for you in each one. Be specific -- for example, in

math class, you might find " fractions, " " word

problems, " or some other math skill very difficult.

-- What accommodations would help you in each

class?

For each class, list what accommodations, if

any, would help you.

List of Accommodations

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

is another important federal law for people with

disabilities. This law states that reasonable

accommodations must be made. But what are reasonable

accommodations?

Reasonable accommodations are things the

school or your teacher can do to make it easier for you

to learn -- adapting or adjusting what you're

learning or how they're teaching.

Some common accommodations schools make for

students with disabilities are listed below.

Note-taking Accommodations

-- Use a tape recorder in the classroom

-- Use another student's notes

-- Have a notetaker in the class

-- Use teacher's notes

-- Use computer or typwriter

Test Taking Accommodations

-- Extended time on test

-- Take test in quiet area

-- Have test read to you

-- Take test orally

Additional Accommodations

-- Use textbooks-on-tape

-- Have extra set of books for home and school

-- Restroom use (medical accommodations)

-- Use a calculator or dictionary in class

-- Have additional time to get from class to

class

-- Have seating in front of class

-- Have extended time to take PSAT or SAT

6 -- Show the goals in your old IEP to your

parents and your teachers. Do they think you have met

these goals? What goals haven't you met? Add

their ideas to the list you started in Step 4 above.

7 -- Ask your teachers what they believe your

strengths and needs are in each class or subject.

Write their ideas down.

8 -- Develop new goals and objectives for this

year, using the list of strengths and needs you and

your parents and teachers developed.

9 -- Describe the accommodations you may need

in each class to meet these new goals and

objectives. (See above, between the line of

asterisks (***), for a list of common accommodations.)

10 -- Think about your plans for the future

and what you'll do after you've finished high school. Talk

with your parents and teachers about what you

should be doing this year to get ready. This is called

transition planning.

11 -- Work with your parents and teachers to

write a draft IEP document that includes all the

information above. Make a copy for yourself to

take to the IEP meeting. Make copies for everyone

else who will be at the meeting.

Getting Ready for the IEP Meeting

1 -- Talk to your special education teacher

about setting a time, date, and place for the IEP

meeting. Make a list of who should be there.

2 -- Once the meeting is set, send everyone on

your list an invitation like the example below.

An Invitation

Please come to my IEP meeting and share your

ideas.

Date: Wednesday, October 23rd

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Place: Meeting Room 4

Signed,

Your Name

P.S. If you cannot attend this meeting, please

let me know when we can meet to talk about my IEP.

Thank you.

3 -- To get ready for your IEP meeting, it's a

good idea to think about what you want to say. At the

meeting, you'll want to be able to:

-- describe your disability

-- talk about your strengths and needs

-- describe your learning style (how you learn

best and what gets in the way of your learning)

-- tell team members the accommodations you

need and why you need them

-- describe any medications you are taking or

medical needs you have (if you wish to share this

information)

-- list your educational goals and objectives

-- talk about your transition plan for the

future.

4 -- It's also a good idea to practice what

you want to say. Practice with your parents, a classmate,

or a teacher. [Parents need to know what your

goals are before the meeting, so they can support

your decisions.]

5 -- One week before the IEP meeting, you may

wish to send out reminders to the people who will be

attending: your parents, teachers, counselor,

principal, and others who have been invited. The note

can be simple, such as the example below.

Just to Remind You...

I am looking forward to seeing you at my IEP

meeting.

Wednesday, October 23rd

2:30 p.m., Meeting Room 4

Signed,

Your Name

Participating in Your IEP Meeting

1 -- Make sure everyone knows each other. You

may want to introduce them or have them introduce

themselves.

2 -- Speak up and maintain good eye contact.

3 -- Talk about the things you practiced,

including:

-- your disability

-- the strengths and needs you have in each of

your classes

-- your learning style

-- the accommodations you need and why you

need them

-- your goals and objectives for the next year

-- your transition plans for the future.

4-- Ask for additional suggestions and

comments on your IEP content. Be sure everyone has a

chance to talk and share their ideas.

5-- Listen to ideas and suggestions from the

other IEP team members. If you don't understand

something, ask for an explanation.

6-- Share your feelings about the goals and

objectives the other team member suggest. Try to come

to agreement about what goals and objectives

are important to list in your IEP. (If you cannot finish

in the time you have, set a time and date for

another meeting.)

7-- Write down (or have someone else write

down) everything that's been decided, so that a final

IEP can be written.

8-- When the meeting is over, thank everyone

for attending.

After the IEP Meeting

1-- Ask for a copy of the final IEP document.

Go over it to be sure you understand what it says.

2-- Keep this copy of the IEP, so you can look

over it whenever you need to.

3-- Work to accomplish the goals and

objectives in your IEP.

4-- Review your IEP throughout the year. If

anything needs to be changed -- for example, you've

met goals in a class and want to write new

goals, or you need more help with a subject -- ask your

special education teacher to schedule another

IEP meeting.

A Final Word...

You have planned for your high school education and thought about your

future. It begins today. Good luck!

Are you a parent or teacher that would like to help a student become

involved in their own Individualized Education Program (IEP)? Try the

NICHCY's guide: HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR IEPS

http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/stuguide/ta2book.htm