Individualized Education Program

In the United States an Individualized Education Plan, commonly referred to as an IEP, is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In Canada and the United Kingdom, an equivalent document is called an Individual Education Plan.

In the US, the IDEA requires public schools to develop an IEP for every student with a disability who is found to meet the federal and state requirements for special education. ^[1] The IEP must be designed to provide the child with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The IEP refers both to the educational program to be provided to a child with a disability and to the written document that describes that educational program.

Key considerations in developing an IEP include assessing students in all areas related to the suspected disability(ies), considering access to the general curriculum, considering how the disability affects the student’s learning, developing goals and objectives that make the biggest difference for the student, and ultimately choosing a placement in the least restrictive environment.

Definition

An individualized educational plan means one that is designed to meet the unique educational needs of one child, as defined by federal regulations. 34 CFR 300.320 The IEP must be tailored to the individual student's needs as identified by the evaluation process and must help teachers and related service providers understand the student's disability and how the disability affects the learning process. In other words, the IEP should describe how the student learns, how the student best demonstrates that learning and what teachers and service providers will do to help the student learn more effectively.

Under no circumstances should an IEP be written “to fit” a particular placement. Services for each student must be individually considered and recommended and should not depend on known or existing services. Each IEP must be designed to meet the specific needs of one student and must be a truly individualized document.

[edit] Components

The IDEA 2004 requires that an IEP must be written according to the needs of one student, and it must include the following:

• The child's present levels of academic and functional performance
• Measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals
• How the child's progress toward meeting the annual goals are to be measured and reported to the parents
• Special education services, related services, and supplementary aids to be provided to the child
• Schedule of services to be provided, including when the services are to begin, the frequency, duration and location for the provision of services
• Program modifications or supports provided to school personnel on behalf of the child
• Explanation of any time the child will not participate along with nondisabled children
• Accommodations to be provided during state and district assessments that are necessary to the measuring child's academic and functional performance

Additionally, when the student is 16 years old, a statement of post-secondary goals and a plan for providing what the student needs to make a successful transition is required.^[2] This transitional plan can be created at an earlier age if desired.

IEPs also include other pertinent information found necessary by the team, such as a health plan or a behavior plan for some students.