Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for Students with Disabilities
What is an IEP?
IEP stands for Individualized Education Plan. An IEP is a written, legal document that outlines special education services to support a student with a disability. It includes information about the student’s current education level, goals, services, accommodations and more.
An IEP is protected under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is the federal special education law. To be eligible for an IEP, a student must have one or more conditions within the disability categories covered by IDEA. They must also be able to show that the condition/conditions negatively impact their ability to learn.
Disability categories eligible for an IEP
- Intellectual disability (Down syndrome, etc.)
- Deafness or hearing impairment
- Speech or language impairment (lisping, stuttering)
- Blindness or vision impairment
- Emotional disturbance (anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions)
- Orthopedic impairment (cerebral palsy)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Traumatic brain injury
- Other health impairments
- Specific learning disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia)
How to request an IEP consideration meeting
- Contact your child’s school to request the name and email of the school-based Exceptional Student Education director.
- Send an email requesting an IEP consideration meeting. Include your child’s name and any information that supports the request. This may include grades, test scores, behavior data, like referrals and suspensions, medical diagnoses and evaluations from your child’s providers.
- Your child’s school has 30 calendar days to respond to your request and 60 days to complete your child’s evaluation.
- If you don’t get a response within two weeks, send a follow-up email. Include the school principal and/or a district-level Exceptional Student Education supervisor.
What to do if your child doesn’t qualify for an IEP
- Work with your child’s school to understand the reason for the denial.
- Ask your child’s school for a 504 Plan consideration meeting.
- Look into school-based tutoring programs.
- Seek community-based tutoring services.
- Explore an independent education evaluation.
- Consider community therapy providers to target learning gaps.
Helpful tips and reminders
- IEPs do not expire but should be updated annually.
- IEPs are transferable to any public or charter school, regardless of county or state. They are not followed by private schools.
- Always keep a copy of your child’s IEP on-hand and readily available.
- Maintain a working relationship with the Exceptional Student Education Case Manager that develops the IEP.
- Maintain consistent communication with your child’s teachers.
- Know how to access digital platforms for grades and attendance information.
- IEP review meetings can be requested at any time. Re-evaluations are completed every three years, as needed.
- The school district must provide a prior written notice whenever the school district proposes to begin, change or refuse the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a child.
- IEPs do not transfer to college but can be used to support a request for accommodations through a college’s Office for Students with Disabilities.