Reviewing your Child's IEP's

Once you have received you child's IEP in the mail, write down the date you received it (keep the envelope, that has the date stamped on it).

Page ADM 1:

• Check the dates: the date range of the IEP  (1 year time frame)?
• Is the Annual Review Meeting date is 1 years from the date of your team meeting?
• Is the your child's Re-evaluation date is 3 Year from the date of your child's testing/evaluation team meeting?

Page IEP 1:

• Are all your concerns written down under "Parent and/or Student Concerns" section?
• If you have a concern about your child's education, this is where it should be noted. (This is very important, if you end up in mediation.) 

• Teenagers, students age 14 or over, are invited to attend their Team meeting.  There is article on the LD-Online website, titled:

Involving Teens in the IEP (1991), click here to review this article and form.

• This form can be fill out, by your teen to help involve them in the development of their IEP.

• What are the student’s educational strengths, interest areas, significant personal attributes and personal accomplishments?
   What is the student’s type of disability(ies), general education performance,  including MCAS/district test results, achievement towards goals and lack of expected progress, if any?

Are all six questions addressed in this sections and is there a summary of the results for each of the evaluations included?

• Key evaluation Results Summary - Is there a summary of the each of the evaluations (Neuropsyc, Educ, S&L, OT, PT, etc.) reports?
  
• A summary is condensation of the essential or main points.  Is the summary for each evaluation report one paragraph, of 4-8 sentences per evaluation report?  A summary that states the students strengths and weaknesses found through the evaluation.  Most evaluations reports have a 'Impressions' or 'Summary' section, that already pulled that information together.  The summary can include what the diagnose (ies) for the student (Even though there is a place in the IEP in this same section, that ask what is the disability (ies).
• You do not want a list of scores (these scores are meaningless without the interpretation).

• Does your "Vision Statement" state what you see your child doing in 1-5 years into the future?
• Does this include your long term goal for your child (Your dreams, your hopes)?
• Review some examples, see our Vision statement webpage.
  

Page IEP 2 (PLEP A):

• Review each of four sections, and answer the questions on this form.

• Content: What modifications are needed?
  

• Methodology/Delivery of Instruction: If any specialized educational program is to be used, it should be stated here.  Delivery of Instruction is where, the size of instructional group is listed (i.e. small group), any strategies for the teacher/aide that would assist in this student's learning in the classroom.

• Performance criteria: How will the student's performance, in the general education curriculum be measured?

Are there any exception or ways of measuring the students knowledge of a subject that would not be limited by their disability?

• Do NOT feel limited by the amount of space provided, multiple copies of this page can be used.

• At the high school level, it is not unusual to have one page per subject, depending on the child's needs.

Page IEP 3 (PLEP B):

• Other educational needs are referring to nonacademic classes (art, music, gym, library, etc.), extracurricular activities (recess, before/after school programs, school sport programs) and therapy sessions (OT, PT, etc.).
  

• Review each of four sections, and answer the questions on this form.

First section:
Review each of the 13 boxes, and make sure all the boxes that apply are checked.

Consider: "Social/emotional needs", "Assistive Tech devices/services", "comminication (all students)",
  "Travel training", "Nonacademic activities" and "Vocational education".

Adapted physical education	Assistive Tech devices/services	Behavior
Brille needs (blind/visually impaired)	comminication (all students)	Communication  (deaf/hard of hearing students)
Extra curricular activities	Language needs (* LEP student)	Nonacademic activities
Social/emotional needs	Travel training	Vocational education
Other______________________

* LEP = Limited English proficiency

The "IEP Guide" manual refers to the boxes above, page 16, for IEP 3 (PLEP B), :

"The Team must also take a broader look at the student's overall involvement with the school including participation in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities ...."

"The Team may consider how the student communicates with others, how the behavior affects their learning or the learning of others, how assistive technology could support effective progress or how the disabilities affect transition to post-secondary activities."

For students age 14 - 22, what would be needed for transition after high school?
Under "Age-Specific Considerations" a transition statement for preschool age children, student age 14 - 16, and students age 17- 22 should be included.  To view some examples, visit the Wrightslaw website.
Did the following questions get answered?

• Do NOT feel limited by the amount of space provided, multiple copies of this page can be used.

Page IEP 4:

• Do you have a goal for each area of need for your child (i.e. Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math, Social/Emotion, etc.)?
• There are three sections to each goal:

1. Current Performance Level: what can the student currently do?
2. Measurable Annual Goal: What challenging, yet attainable, goal can we expect the students to meet by the end of this IEP period?
• Are your child's goal measurable?, check our webpage on goals (Make sure you check the Nebraska  (ESU-10) examples.
• The link is on the bottom of our Goal web page.
  
3. Benchmark/Objective: What will the student need to do to complete this goal?

Page IEP 5:

• Check the 'Service Delivery' page, look at all three sections.
• Check where each service is to take place, is it correct?

A. Consulting services: are not a direct service to your child.
Consulting can be a phone conversation or meeting.
Some examples would be:
• the classroom teacher consulting with an outside therapist or other member of the team.
• the aide meeting with another members of the team (therapist or parents).
• planning time for the team (that could be use to discuss your child program).

B. Services within the classroom: services listed here mean your child will be receiving these services in their regular classroom setting.

C. Services to take outside the classroom:  services listed here mean your child will be receiving these services outside their regular classroom (i.e. learning center).  These are the direct services to your child.


• Check if there is a service for each goal in your IEP, under the heading of "Focus on Goal #'?
• Check what is listed under "Type of Personnel", it should be the specific type of provider.
  (It is not the person name providing), it needs to be specific:

According to the Special Education Regulation:
28.06(2)(d)(1):The school district shall determine specific instructional personnel
and shall work jointly with the Team to arrange the specific classroom or school,
in order to implement the placement decision and to assure that services begin 
promptly when parental consent to the IEP and placement has been received.

• Check what is listed under "Frequency and Duration/Per Cycle", it should be clearly written,
  make sure you understand the amount of time your child will be receiving for services.

• Always check the dates that are listed for the time period.
• Are summer services listed here or on separate page?
  

Page IEP 6:

• Under 'Non participation Justifications' review what the school wrote.
• There are two questions under  'Schedule Modification', one about shorter school day or school year.
• One about longer school day or school year.
• For summer services or Extended School Year (ESY), the question on the form is:
'Longer: Does this student require a longer school day or longer school year to prevent substantial loss of previously learned skills or substantial difficulty in relearning skills?'  Yes or No?
• For more information on ESY, click here to visit our webpage on the subject.
• Does the student require transportation as a result of the disability (ies)?
• What is checked for Transportation Services, Yes or No ?

• Our state assessment is Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS).
• The subject areas being tested depend on the students grade level.
• Any test accommodations that your student receives on MCAS should also be listed on IEP 2 - 'A: General Curriculum' for the matching academic subject, under accommodations section (the third section).
• Does your student uses these accommodations on a regular basis?
• The MCAS tests are based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
• For more information on MCAS, click here to visit our webpage on the subject.
  

Page IEP 8:

• Under 'Additional Information' is used to include any information that has not been document any other place within the IEP.  The form lists 3 questions:
  "1. Include the following transition information:
  
• the anticipated graduation date;
• a statement of interagency responsibilities or
• needed linkages;
• the discussion of transfer of rights at least one year before age of majority;
• and a recommendation for Chapter 688 Referral.

• This is a good place to list your attachments.
• Behavior Management Plan (BMP),
• Statement about discipline policy to be used for your child.
• Assistive Technology Plan (ATP)
  
• Transition Plan for this student next step in life (i.e. after high school)
  
• When the team will begin to discuss summer recommendations.
• This section should not include goals, (there is a separate page for goals, IEP 4) If goals are listed in this section, it means no requirement for goal measurement, benchmarks or progress reports. 
  

Reviewing your child's IEP:

• You have 30 calendar days to response to the school (30 calendar days, even during the summer months and vacations).
• It is in your best interest to review the IEP and contact the team chair about any issues that you understood differently from the team meeting (refer to your notes, tape recording, or other team members).  Put these changes in writing to the team chair.
• Changes can be made to the IEP as long as your response within the 30 calendar days.

Meeting with the Special Educational Director or Team chair, according to the Special Education Regulation:
28.05: The Team Process and Development of the IEP ...

28.05 (7)(a) No later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the proposed IEP and proposed placement, the parent shall:

 1. Accept or reject the IEP in whole or in part; request a meeting to discuss the rejected portions of the IEP or the overall adequacy of the IEP; or if mutually agreed upon, accept an amended proposal; and

2. Accept or reject the proposed placement.

(b) Upon parental response to the proposed IEP and proposed placement, the school district shall implement all accepted elements of the IEP without delay.

• After you receive the revised IEP you need to keep track of how many days it has been since you signed the consent for the initial evaluation or reevaluation. You now have up to the 45 school days since that date. This informal updating progress stops when the school district is not willing to make any more changes.

Unsigned IEP:

Have no legal significance, they mean nothing.  An IEP not signed can't be implemented (unless the school district implements them unilaterally). You can either object in writing or will lose at due process.

Signing your child's IEP:

After you have gone through the 30 day review period, and you have put your changes in writing to the Team chair, if the Team chair is not willing to make any other changes to your child IEP, it is time to start the formal process, signing your child's the IEP.

Below are the possible chooses: 

1. 'I accept the IEP as developed'
   
2. 'I reject the IEP as developed'
   
3. 'I reject the following portions of the IEP, with the understanding that any portion (s) that I do not reject will be considered accepted and implemented immediately.
   Rejected portions are as follows: (add your statement or you write 'See attach letter, dated nn/nn/nn')'
   
4. 'I request a meeting to discuss the rejected IEP or rejected portion (s)'.
   It is suggested that you write on the "see attach Parent Addendum page" and attach a "Parent Addendum page" with your issues stated. (This is from The Complete IEP Guide : How to Advocate for Your Special Ed. Child book by L. Siegel, M. Stewart (1999)), and also is suggested by Wrightslaws.
   
5. The next choice is no longer listed (taken off in 2000) but can still be added:
   'I postpone a decision until the completion of an independent evaluation.' or until the completion of the school evaluations.  This will be considered a rejected IEP by the school, so also check off the rejected box as well. 
   

Sign your child's IEP, after you have already gone through the 30 day review period with the Team chair and you have written down all your concerns, you have ensured that are added to the IEP.  

If you do not sign your child's IEP, and you have a pervious IEP, then the last signed IEP is in effect.

Page PL 1:

• Team Determination of Placement
• PL 1 and PL 2, New Placement forms (to be used no later than January 2003) 
  

 

Actual IEP Forms (IEP 1-8, PL1, etc. ) This is a link to DOE forms (available in two formats, WP and PDF).

Annotated IEP Checklist is a table that references were in the Federal law each item in the IEP can be found, (WP format).

  IEP Process Guide (June 2001), is a manual that was created by the DOE, click here to view/print your own copy, (PDF format).  You can call an order your own copy of this guide, DOE (781) 338-6203.




Wrights law articles:
IDEA 2004 Roadmap to the IEP, IEP Meetings, Content, Review & Revision, Placements, Transition & Transfers

(Please note: That PDF files require a program called Adobe Acrobat.
   To get a free version of this program,  click here.)

	One of our original webpages, created July, 2001, by Melody Orfei Webpage last modified on January 27, 2008 - V22, by Melody Orfei
o.mel@verizon.net