Benefits of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) helps children with disabilities receive personalized educational assistance. It is a written plan with specific goals in which special resources are delivered to a child for free to help them succeed at school.

After an IEP referral is made, an evaluation is performed to assess multiple factors, such as the child's schoolwork and ability to pay attention. Once a child qualifies, a plan is developed and shared among a team of providers, including school officials, counselors, therapists, and the parents or guardians. 

This article explains who qualifies for an IEP, how the evaluation is performed, and how (and which) services are provided. It also describes the legal right of parents to not only access IEP services but also direct how those services are delivered.

What Is an IEP?

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document provided under Federal law that is used for children in public schools who need special education. It is developed with the child's parents and members of the school system who are trained to administer IEP according to the law.

An IEP is intended for children with disability. An eligible student is any child in public school between the ages of 3 and 21 with a specific learning disability.

The IEP is based on an evaluation of the child describing their current levels of performance, strengths, and needs. Based on the evaluation, a written document is prepared outlining:

• The goals of the plan
• What special accommodations and services are needed
• Who will provide these services
• When and how progress is measured

The IEP is reviewed every year to assess the child's current level of performance, whether goals have been met, and what, if any, modifications are needed to improve performance.

Who Qualifies for an IEP?

A child is eligible for an IEP if they have a qualifying disability that requires special education. Under the definitions outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA), the disability must have a negative impact on the child's academic performance. 

There are 12 categories of qualifying disabilities:

1. Intellectual disability
2. Hearing impairment
3. Speech or language impairment
4. Visual impairment
5. Emotional disturbance
6. Orthopedic impairment
7. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
8. Traumatic brain injury
   
9. Specific learning disability (such as dyslexia)
10. Deaf-blindness
11. Multiple disabilities
12. Any other health impairment affecting strength, energy, or alertness (such as asthma, ADHD, diabetes, or sickle cell anemia)

In addition, IEPs may be available (in many but not all states) for "gifted students," meaning those who are academically advanced compared to their peer group. This is often referred to as a "Gifted IEP" and exists to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of these unique students.

Who Is Involved in the IEP Evaluation Process?

Depending on the child’s specific needs, the team members involved in the evaluations may include the parents and guardians, along with:

• Counselors or psychologists
• Healthcare providers
• Hearing specialists
• Occupational therapists
• Speech therapists
• Teachers or special education educators
• Physical therapists
• Vision specialists
  

Implementing the IEP

The implementation process starts with the referral of a child for evaluation and continues until the IEP is reevaluated.

The IEP process can be described in the following 10 steps:

1. "Child Find": This is the system the state uses to identify and locate children with disabilities, called "Child Find." Parents may be contacted and asked if their child should be evaluated, or parents can call the "Child Find" system and ask for their child to be evaluated.
2. Evaluation: The evaluation by members of the school system and others assess the child in all areas related to the suspected disability.
3. Decision: A group of qualified professionals along with the parents review the evaluation and decide if the child has a disability as defined by the IDEA Act.
4. Eligibility for services: After a child is determined eligible, the IEP team has 30 calendar days to schedule a meeting and start drafting the IEP.
5. Meeting with stakeholders: The IEP meeting is conducted with all participants, including the parents, teachers, school counselor, school administrator, and any healthcare providers or therapists.
6. Formulating the IEP: The IEP is written, providing details about which services are needed and how the program goals are to be measured.
7. Delivery of services: The services and accommodations are rolled out in the manner described in the IEP.
8. Progress report: The parents are updated as to how their child is progressing. Written progress reports are mandated per the terms of the IEP.
9. Annual review: A review is conducted by the IEP team at least once yearly or more often if the parents or school ask for it.
10. Reevaluation: This evaluation, called a "triennial," is performed every three years to determine if the child still has a "disability" as defined by the IDEA Act and what ongoing services, if any, are needed.
    

Your Legal Rights for IEP

Under Federal Law, every child with a disability in public school is entitled to receive a "Free Appropriate Public Education" (FAPE) in the "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE). This includes the right to special education at no cost when deemed necessary.

There are also legal guidelines, called procedural safeguards, that outline the rights of parents throughout the IEP process.

These include:

• The right to an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) if the initial evaluation deems your child is ineligible for IEP
• The right to a first IEP meeting within 30 days of a child being deemed eligible
• The right to give or deny consent to every facet of the IEP
• The right to request an independent mediator if an impasse with the IEP plan is not found
  

What IEP Services Are Available?

IEP services are the resources available to support a child with disabilities. Sometimes they involve assistance with traveling to and from school or mobility at school. Other children may need counseling or occupational therapy. While this is not a complete list, the following are common examples of IEP services.

Audiology Services

Audiology involves helping children with hearing loss. Services might include identifying a child with hearing problems, evaluating the level of hearing loss, speech and language therapy, and choosing the right hearing aid if appropriate.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists work with children to help them improve, develop, or restore skills or function. Examples of the types of skills occupational therapists can help children with include:

• Activities of daily living: for example, bathing, feeding, and dressing
• Play and social interaction: conversation, sharing, taking turns
• Sensory regulation: controlling stimulation levels by wearing headphones or sunglasses, using fidget toys, calming exercises
• Executive function: using organization and memory aids
• Academic skills: handwriting, coloring, drawing
• Transition to adulthood: shopping, laundry, and cooking, preparing for employment

Parent Counseling and Training

Sometimes parents need help understanding their child's unique needs or their disability. In this case, parent counseling and training may be part of an IEP plan. 

Training can range from information about how to help a child with anger management to exercises to perform at home.

Psychological Services

Psychological services are frequently provided by or coordinated by the school counselor. The counselor or other trained mental health professional can assist in identifying special needs. They might also develop strategies to help with outbursts, behavior modification, emotional coping skills, and more.

Recreation

These services help children with disabilities learn how to use their recreation and leisure time in a way that is beneficial to them. Recreation services may include after-school or community youth programs. Learning to use leisure time constructively can help improve skills related to the following:

• Physical functioning 
• Attention span
• Decision making 
• Problem-solving
• Team-building
• Anger management
• Stress management

School Health Services

Children with disabilities often require help from school health services for support, such as medication administration, special feedings, managing a tracheostomy, and chronic illness management.

Differences Between the IEP and 504 Plan

The IEP and 504 Plan both support children with disabilities at no cost to families. The IEP was created under the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act of 1990, while the 504 Plan was enacted under an anti-discrimination law called the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The 504 covers a broader range of disabilities than the IEP and is available for kids with disabilities who don’t qualify for the IEP. Although these children may have a disability that needs assistance, they are not struggling to keep up with their learning or schoolwork.

A few other key differences between the IEP and 504 Plan include:

• Consent: Both require permission from a parent or guardian before evaluation, but the IEP requires written consent.
• Eligibility: An IEP is more appropriate for a child who is falling behind academically while a 504 provides a child with disabilities accommodations. 
• Evaluation: The IEP evaluation process is more formal and lengthy than the 504.
• Family notification: Both plans require notice to parents or guardians before a change, meeting, or evaluation. However, the IEP notification must be in writing.
• Review: An IEP has to be reviewed yearly and reevaluated every three years. Typically states follow these guidelines for the 504, but it can vary.
• Document type: An IEP must be a written document while the 504 does not.
• Who creates it: The IEP is more strict about team members than the 504. 
• What’s in it: An IEP is specific about a child’s performance, goals, and timing of services provided. The 504 states who will provide services and who makes sure the plan is done.

While a child could have both an IEP and a 504, it’s unusual for them to have both. In general, an IEP plan is for a child who is falling behind academically.

Summary 

An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) helps children with disabilities by providing personalized resources to help them be more successful in school. Once a child is referred, an evaluation period helps determine a child’s eligibility for an IEP.

The school typically schedules an IEP team meeting within 30 days of eligibility. Schools invite parents or guardians to the meeting where the plan is written. They review the plan at least once a year and evaluate eligibility every three years.

Services vary based on a child’s individual needs. Examples include physical therapy, occupational therapy, anger management, speech-language therapy, and more.