An individual education plan (IEP) is an individual
programme for a student with a disability
This guide was written to help you feel comfortable with
the IEP process as it can sometimes feel intimidating.
The guide provides tips to help you feel confident because
as parent you know your child best and your ideas and feedback are essential
for good IEP
Partnership
The IEP process offers an opportunity for families and
schools to work together to develop the best possible programme for an individual
child.
Partnership between parents and education providers is
essential overcoming barriers to learn
Ministry of Education Special Education Policy Guidelines
Who needs an IEP?
IEP are not just for students funded through the ongoing
and reviewable resourcing scheme (ORRS). Students who need an IEP include
students with a disability, learning difficulty or behavior difficulty who
requires any or all the following:
. Extra assistance
. Adapted programmes or learning environments’
. Specialized equipment or materials
You can request an IEP if you think your child would
benefit from extra support
The reason for
having an IEP is
. To make sure that your child’s learning needs are meet
. To discuss what you want your child to learn with the
teacher and other stuff
. To discuss how your child will be supported so they can
learn
. To identify resources that will be needed to support your
child
. To share information about your child’s progress
An IEP is
. A partnership between parents/caregivers/whanau and school
.About valuing, respecting and using each other’s expertise
. Focused and business –like
. An opportunity to problem-resolve
. Confidential
. A map which identifies your child’s learning needs and
how they can be met
. Written on paper put not set in concrete
An IEP is not
. Just about getting resources
. A time to hear totally new information
. For detailed programme planning
. An endurance test or marathon
Schools have the responsibility
to
. Identify one person to coordinate the process
. Involve you with planning 3-4 weeks before the IEP
. Share reports and ideas in advance
. Hold the IEP meeting at the venue and time of your choice
. Give you a clear agenda with an identified facilitator
. Ensure that there is an opportunity for everyone to speak
and that no one dominates
. Find solutions to resourcing issues
How to prepare
. Talk to your child and find it out how they feel about –school
as they get older consider their participation in part of or the entire IEP
meeting
. Look at the previous IEP – think about what has been
achieved and what still needs work
. Consider what you think your child should learn,
including social skills share this with support people who will be attending
with you
. Write notes so you don’t forget anything – decide if you
will share these notes with everyone at the meeting and make copies to
distribute if so
Meeting Process
Welcome
Review the agenda of the meeting –decide
how long will spend on each item
Go over the previous IEP and discuss
how it went
Talk about and decide your child’s
current strengths and areas of need
Discuss information that has been
gathered on your child
Set long term goals and specific
learning goals
Decide how the school will communicate
with you about your child’s learning
Set a date for the next meeting
. The role of an Advocate Support person
An advocate or Support can assist by:
. Meeting with you beforehand to plan
. Speaking alongside you, especially if there are issues
you find difficult to talk about
. Providing moral support – they may not need to say
anything
. Providing information about systems, expectations and processes
. Providing advice or assistance on complaints processes
Strategies to feel
confident at the meeting
. If you do not understanding something, ask for it to be
clarifed
. Check your notes frequently to make sure all important
issues are discussed
. Ask yourself if what is planned matches your knowledge of
your child, have courage to say if does not
. Feel free to ask for five minutes break to clear your
head
. If you feel pressured about agreeing to a decision you
feel uncertain about say you can’t make a decision immediately and will need
some time to think about it
After The Meeting
. Ask for a photocopy of the draft IEP and check this
against the final when it arrives
. Encourage staff to contact you if they want to discuss
anything
. Complete any tasks you agreed to do
. Keep track of progress or concerns to bring up at the
next meeting
. If you are unhappy about the meeting, first contact the
meeting facilitator or school Principal
. If your concerns are still not resolved use the school’s
complaints procedure or contact your local Ministry of Education Officer or an
advocacy service for advice