IEP article

[Guest guest]

Getting the individualized out of your child's IEP

by Dr. Tim Barrett

Feeling anxious about your child's upcoming IEP? Hoping that you get the

services you know your child needs? Don't leave it to chance. There are four

strategies every parent can do to advocate effectively in the IEP meeting. One

Place for Special Needs contributing writer Tim Barrett will tell you how to get

the " individualized " out of your child's IEP.

What is an IEP?

Individualized education programs (IEP) are designed to meet a child’s unique

educational needs. Individualized plans may be time-intensive, difficult to

administer, and require more resources for a school district, but are crucial

for academic success. In fact, for every child eligible for special education

services, school districts are required by law to address the unique needs of

the child.

An IEP includes sections such as present levels of performance, Least

Restrictive Environment (LRE), etc. While these are important, a section not to

overlook is the related services section. Related services include therapies

such as speech therapy, physical therapy, etc. Qualifying for Related Services

is just one part of the equation – determining how much, how often, where, and

by whom are crucial decisions all too often overlooked.

The bottom line is parents are in the best position to advocate for their

child’s related services in the IEP. Here are four tips:

Be proactive

Proactive parents will have the most success ensuring their child’s individual

needs are met. To be proactive, parents need to plan before the IEP meeting.

Successful parents know what their child needs and how the school system

operates. Do not wait until a week before your meeting to review last year's IEP

and think about new goals.

Be prepared

Proactive parents prepare in advance of the IEP meeting. Independent evaluations

are conducted if necessary, and supplemental documentation from related

professionals (e.g., licensed speech pathologist) have been gathered outlining

their child’s needs and recommended services. Bring in highlighted information

from books or national disability websites that help validate the need for

particular accommodations for your child.

Be an active participant

Many parents find themselves unsure of the rules and engagement in an IEP

meeting but frankly, parents know their child better than anyone. Parents, to be

a successful advocate, you must play an active role in determining what

services, how often, how much, etc. are provided to your child. Prior to your

meeting check in with teachers, aides and support staff to get a guage on how

your child is progressing on an academic as well as social-emotional level. This

will give you examples to use when requesting services or accommodations.

Be persistent

Special education is expensive and in the business of running schools, bills

must be paid, pupils and teachers accounted, and the bottom line met.

Disagreements will occur deciding appropriate services; what matters is how

parents respond. Responding with documented evidence to support an argument is

an effective strategy.

For example, how much speech therapy should a child receive per week? The

Illinois State Board of Education published a Speech/Language Eligibility

Criteria Matrix describing how much therapy is recommended based on the severity

of the speech disability. Parents can bring this matrix to the IEP meeting to

support their rationale for a particular amount or type of therapy.

To ensure an IEP is individualized remember the four P’s: Proactive, Prepare,

Participate and Persistence.

Learn more

All about IEPs - Educator Wong, member of the Council for Exceptional

Children, explains how to choose the right special education program for your

child, factors considered in an IEP, what occurs during the IEP meeting, can you

have your child's IEP re-evaluated and more.

Educator's Guide to Accommodations in Classrooms - List of all types of

disabilities and learning difficulties along with the types of accommodations

that can help these particular students - From Special Connections

Guide to IEPs - Free online training to understand the IEP process from Learning

Abled Kids.

Guide to Preschool Services under IDEA - Explains the options and procedure for

eligibility once your child turns three - From the National Center for Learning

Disabilities

Guide to your First IEP Meeting - 27 page overview from Schwab Learning

IEP Meeting: Preparation and Participation - This article offers organizing

suggestions in order to be effective at an IEP meeting - From Celebrating

Special Children

Least Restrictive Environment - Not sure what LRE means? Here's a translation of

the key requirements from Pacer Center.

Related Services for School Aged Children with Disabilities - An overview of

IDEA and 504 provisions with respect to related services to help students with

disabilities participate more fully in the learning process - From NLD on the

Web

Speech/Language Eligibility Criteria Matrix - Determines units of service based

on severity of the speech or language disorder - From the Illinois Speech,

Hearing, Language Association.

Tim BarrettAbout the writer:

Tim Barrett, Ph.D. has been an educator for more than 17 years. Dr. Barrett has

taught special education in public school, and was a professor at several

universities, including The Ohio State University. He is currently taking a

hiatus from teaching while working with his daughter who has special needs.

Email your question or comment to Dr. Barrett at drbarrett.examiner@....

Read other articles from Tim Barrett at the Examiner.

http://www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_getting_individualized.html

The 4Ps parents can do to advocate effectively in the IEP meeting.