How Can We Create Effective IEPs?

By Martha Majors

Why Do We Have IEPs?

(Statute)602(19) The term ”individualized education program” means a written statement for each handicapped child developed in any meeting by a representative of the local educational agency or an intermediate educational unit who shall be qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of handicapped children, the teacher, the parents or guardian of such a child, and whenever appropriate, such child, which statement shall include: a statement of the present levels of educational performance of such child, a statement of annual goals, including short-term instructional objectives, a statement of the specific educational services to be provided to such child, and the extent to which such child will be able to participate in regular educational programs, the projected date for initiation and anticipated duration of such services, and appropriate objective criteria and evaluation procedures and schedules for determining, on at least an annual basis, whether instructional objectives are being achieved.
Related Services–shall be provided on an individualized basis to assist the child to benefit from special education.

It is the Law
Parents are equal participants in the decision-making process and students may be participants in their IEP development.
It empowers parents: they are the BOSS of the final IEP

Clearly, the IEP is a very important document for children with disabilities and for those who are involved in educating them. Done correctly, the IEP should improve teaching, learning and results. Each child’s IEP describes, among other things, the educational program that has been designed to meet that child’s unique needs.

What Worked

What Didn’t Work

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By Perkins eLearning