IEPs: breaking it all down
Maybe you are considering if your child needs an IEP. Maybe you have completed the process of having your child evaluated. Maybe your child is due for their annual IEP meeting, or transferring to a new school.
Regardless of where you are in the process you want to ensure you are being your child’s biggest advocate. But where do you even start?
The IEP process can be confusing and complicated. Here is your guide to navigating the IEP process including tips for how to get your child evaluated, preparing for IEP meetings, questions to ask, and a reference list for all of those new words and acronyms!
Table of Contents
Psychoeducational evaluations for IEPs
What to expect and how to participate in an IEP meeting
What is an IEP? The basics.
“IEP” stands for Individualized Education Program. An IEP is a legally binding document developed by you, your child, and your child’s school to ensure that they receive the academic, behavioral, or socioemotional support they require to achieve at their highest potential.
When an IEP is implemented for a student, there will be IEP Meetings where all of the stakeholders of the agreement (parents, teachers, administration, the student, etc.) will meet to ensure that the IEP document is developed and updated appropriately to be responsive and tailored to your child’s needs.
Many parents may be aware that their children have already IEPs, but with all the jargon and pages and pages of information, it can be hard to know how to utilize it or what to focus on to most benefit your child. By orienting yourself to your child’s specific learning profile, the document can become more digestible and more impactful. Zooming in on areas such as “goals”, “recommendations”, and “diagnoses” can help distill what you and your child (and your child’s teachers) need to focus on.
Keep in mind that all IEPs are NOT created equally. Just because the document might list several accommodations or modifications, does not mean your child receives them consistently or in every class.
Also, not all goals are created equally. Ensure the goals in your child’s IEP are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) such that evidence of your child’s progress (or stuckness) will be evident to everyone involved. It is important that your child is also aware of what they need to succeed under their IEP to ensure they feel empowered to ask for support, self-monitor if something isn’t working, and utilize the tools, strategies, and resources that they are taught.
Psychoeducational evaluations for IEPs
If you are concerned about your child’s academic progress, you may consider having a psychoeducational evaluation conducted. This evaluation will explore your child’s cognitive and academic abilities, behavioral and socioemotional functioning, and strengths and areas of growth. If there are any specific concerns (e.g. physical ability differences, modality specific learning differences, etc.) we recommend working with your child’s care team to ensure the evaluation is curated to them specifically to yield the most accurate and helpful results.
We know evaluations are a significant time commitment and financial investment. Parents often ask: Why should I subject my child to all that testing? What if it raises more questions than answers? How will it even make a difference?
The primary goal of completing a psychoeducational assessment to be used in the IEP process should be to develop a comprehensive picture of your child’s functioning or gain diagnostic clarity. This evaluation can be completed by your child’s school or with a trusted clinician in the community. However, one benefit to pursuing independent testing outside of school is that external evaluators are often able to increase the scope of the testing beyond academic functioning to gain a more holistic picture of your child.
We think of it as working to build a road map of your child’s mind and abilities. Once you have the GPS coordinates, you still have a journey to complete, but all the twists and turns to get there are more clear and you know which direction to start driving.
Once this evaluation is completed, you will receive a report with the findings and recommendations, and attend an IEP Meeting with school stakeholders to discuss how to use the reported findings to support your child within the school setting.
Preparing for an IEP meeting
If your child is being evaluated for the first time through their school, you will want to request the evaluation report before attending the first meeting. If you access an outside provider, be sure to share the report and findings with your child’s school ahead of time.
If your child already has an established IEP, it will typically be reviewed annually to assess progress towards goals, areas in need of further support, and determine any adjustments that may be needed to ensure optimal support.
Scheduling IEP meetings can be tricky, but the goal is to have as many stakeholders as possible present. If there is a specific teacher or staff member at your child’s school that you would like to attend the meeting, feel empowered to request their participation. If they are not available, you can often request any notes or comments be shared with them after the meeting.
Your child’s IEP meeting may be held virtually or in person. Meetings tend to be scheduled for about an hour with the goal of reviewing any new evaluation results, your child’s current academic progress, and to develop recommendations that are responsive to their needs.
Here are a few things you can do to best prepare for your child’s IEP meeting.
Review recent evaluations and their established IEP. You want to be familiar with results, current accommodations or modifications, and any diagnoses that have been recognized. Use your road map to guide the interventions that will best support your child.
Do your own research! Explore available resources, literature, or common recommendations related to your child’s specific learning needs and profile.
You know your child best, and sometimes recommendations are well intended, but may not be the best fit for your child or may need to be adjusted to their specific needs. Advocate for what you think will work best.
On a related note, talk with your child about their needs! Are they aware of the upcoming testing or meeting? How do they feel about school and the support they are receiving? Do they have any concerns or questions?
Get organized. Any documentation, notes, teacher feedback, or assignments that you would like to review should be compiled so that you can reference them easily in the meeting. Remember, you are an equal team member and your feedback, suggestions, and concerns help to ensure that your child receives the most responsive educational benefits for their needs.
What to expect & how to participate in an IEP meeting
Typically IEP meeting attendees include the parent(s), a school psychologist or therapist, special education teacher(s), general education teacher(s), a case manager, and often there is someone from school leadership present such as a Dean, Director of Special Education Services, or Assistant Principal. The parent is expected to be present for the IEP meeting, however the meeting can proceed without the parent present if they consent to this change or do not respond to requests for the meeting. Finally, the child is often invited to attend the meeting, but may decline due to disinterest, missed class time, or discomfort with attendance.
Oftentimes parents are not aware that they can also request outside providers to be in attendance at the meeting. For example, at Expand Psychology, our therapists are accustomed to attending IEP meetings to report on and support children’s socioemotional progress in the school setting.
Remember: your voice is vital!
During the meeting, feel empowered to ask questions, speak up, and advocate for your child. A few questions that can shift the narrative and spur collaborative conversation could be:
Are there any concerns behaviorally or academically that we have not addressed?
How can we leverage my child’s strengths or interests to support their areas of growth?
What should I look out for at home as evidence that the IEP is working or may be in need of refinement?
In the IEP meeting, review the recommendations provided by the professionals with all the stakeholders present. Often recommendations are provided for in school support only, but occasionally out of school interventions are offered, as well. These recommendations can be a great way to maintain consistent expectations across settings, support your child as they develop new skills, and ensure you have a pulse check on which interventions yield the best outcomes.
What happens after the IEP meeting?
After the meeting there is typically a finalization process and a round of signatures to complete the document. Agreed upon support is expected to be implemented immediately and some schools hold meetings with teachers to review IEP expectations for individual students regularly.
Once the IEP is signed, your job isn’t over just yet!
Consider following up with your child and their teachers in the upcoming weeks and months to check in on your child’s progress. Change won’t happen overnight, but stay vigilant in case any adjustments should be made (especially if this is your child’s first IEP). Monitor your child’s behavior, grades, motivation, and attendance to assess if the agreed upon interventions seem responsive. Discuss with your child their experience of school and if there is anything they feel they would benefit from either at home or at school.
Know the lingo
Below are common words that show up in IEP meetings, which the professionals might accidentally assume everyone already knows.
IEP: Individualized Education Plan (or Program)
Goals: Measurable outcomes that your child is expected to achieve (make goals S.M.A.R.T. - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound)
Accommodation: Specialized supports or adjustments that change how a student learns or accesses the curriculum without reducing performance expectations. The purpose of an accommodation is to reduce barriers so that students can access the curriculum and content (e.g. extra time, reduced distraction environment, breaks)
Modification: A change to what a student is expected to learn or know by modifying the curriculum, standards, or complexity of assignments (e.g. shorter or scaffolded assignments, different testing modality, reduced curriculum)
IDEA: “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” is a federal law that mandates special education services
FAPE: “Free Appropriate Public Education” ensures the rights of students with disabilities, requiring that free, appropriate special education and related services be provided to all children that need it at public expense, under public supervision, and in accordance with an individualized education program (IEP)
Related Services: Any other supportive services that could be provided to help a student benefit from special education such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or transportation
Now that you are equipped with tips to help you navigate the process with more ease, you’ve got this! And if you ever need support, reach out to Expand Psychology to learn more about how our team can help guide you along the way. You are not alone.
Dr. Bianca Bonds has served as an educator for over a decade working as a teacher, director, bilingual instructional coach, professor, and assistant principal. As a clinical psychologist, she brings her wealth of knowledge in the educational sector to her research and practice. Dr. Bonds believes in the power of a culturally responsive and evidence-based approach to clinical work and pedagogy. She utilizes her experiences at the intersection of education and psychology to inform her work.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health treatment. If you are in crisis call 911 or contact your local crisis hotline immediately.