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Individualized Education Program

Prior to the mid-1970s, students with disabilities had limited access to public education. In 1975, the U.S. Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (later reauthorized as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]) to provide a free appropriate public education for all students with disabilities. Congress mandated that an individualized education program (IEP) be developed to ensure that students with disabilities receive an individualized and appropriate education.

The IDEA established a process for school-based teams to develop IEPs that includes (a) assessing the student’s educational needs, (b) developing meaningful and measurable annual goals, (c) developing and implementing the special education program and services, and (d) monitoring progress toward the goals. Throughout this process, the IEP teams must ensure they follow both procedural and substantive requirements of the law. Procedural requirements include the process IEP teams use to develop a student’s special education program and the document itself. Substantive requirements refer to developing special education programs that lead to meaningful educational benefit for students with disabilities. This entry describes the procedural and structural requirements for the IEP.

Procedural Requirements

One procedural requirement is that the IEP meetings must be scheduled at a mutually agreeable time and place for the parents and school IEP team members. This requirement includes procedures for contacting parents, such as using at least two different types of contact (e.g., phone, letter, and e-mail). Another requirement involves the IEP team members. These include (a) the student’s parent or guardian, (b) the student’s special education teacher, (c) at least one of the student’s general education teachers, (d) a representative of the local education agency, (e) a person who can interpret the evaluation results, and (f) the student, if appropriate. Others with special knowledge or expertise also may be invited to the meetings.

An additional requirement spells out certain components that must be included in the IEP. These are (a) present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP); (b) measurable annual goals; (c) special education services; (d) the method for collecting and reporting the student’s progress; (e) the student’s participation in statewide or district-wide assessments; (f) the extent to which the student will not participate in general education settings; (g) the projected date for beginning services, anticipated frequency, location, and duration; and (h) transition services if the student will be 16 years old during the period for which the IEP is developed (many states require transition services at a younger age).

In general, the IEP must sufficiently describe the following: (a) the student’s specific educational needs, (b) the services needed to meet these needs, and (c) how to determine whether the needs were effectively addressed. The IEP is the centerpiece for IDEA and the process that ensures a free appropriate public education is provided for students with disabilities. Procedural violations of the IEP are frequent sources of litigation against school districts. It is crucial that the IEP team members are knowledgeable in the required components of the IEP.

IEP Components

PLAAFP

The component of the IEP that describes PLAAFP includes statements that provide the starting point and foundation for the student’s entire IEP. The PLAAFP information must be based on a full and individualized assessment to determine a student’s unique educational needs, and parental perceptions and concerns must be considered. These statements must (a) describe the impact of the student’s disability on the student’s performance in all areas that are affected by the disability (e.g., reading, math, and behavior), (b) be written in objective and measurable terms that are easily understood by all members of the IEP team, and (c) describe how the student’s disability affects the student’s involvement and progress in the general curriculum.

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