All About IEPs

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An IEP (Individual Education Plan) is a written plan of services for a child with a disability developed jointly by parents and school personnel as required under Public Law 94-142.

An IEP has two general purposes:
1. to set reasonable, measurable, and obtainable learning and behavioral goals for your child; and
2. to state the services that the school district will provide for your child.

Working as a team, you and the professionals at your child's school will determine the child's educational needs. You will set goals and objectives for each need, and decide the most appropriate accommodations to be made for your child. All of these needs, goals, objectives and accommodations as well as related services will be written down in your child's IEP, usually by the special education supervisor at the meeting.

The IEP includes information about the child's present levels of performance on various tests and measures. Goals and accommodations will be specific to your individual child, reflecting current strengths and weakness as well as concerns by both you and the school professionals. If you and the school are not in agreement with the proposed recommendations or placement for your child, you do not have to sign the IEP.

How Can I Get an IEP for my Child?

Before an IEP can be developed, your child must first be evaluated in many areas. The child is normally observed in the classroom setting, and takes part in a number of standardized tests to uncover any problems in the areas of IQ, language and communication, and specific areas of learning. Psychological assessments and tests are normally administered as well.

All the testing can be done by the school system with no charge to the parent. Some parents, however, may choose to have their child independently evaluated and are free to do so if they wish. If the independent assessment discovers problems that are closer to the parents' contentions than the school's, the school may be forced to pay for the independent assessment, but it may take a hearing to recover these costs.

Developing Your Child's IEP:

When drafting your child's IEP, it is important that you and the school's staff consider not only the results of any relevant testing that has been done, but also the physical symptoms of your child's illness and any side effects of medication or treatment that may affect your child's alertness, attendance, ability to complete assignments, and participation in regular curriculum and school activities.

A regular classroom can be modified in many ways to accommodate a student with bipolar disorder. These accommodations will vary according to the frequency, severity and duration of the particular child's symptoms.

The IEP should include a statement of measurable annual goals and short-term objectives and should be focused on enabling your child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum. The IEP goals should also focus on reducing or eliminating the child's problems. An IEP should include ways for you and your child's teacher to objectively measure your child's progress or lack of progress in the special education program.

Federal law dictates that an IEP must include six required parts:

A statement of the child's present level of performance

A statement of the goals and objectives

A statement of special education services to be provided

A statement of the extent to which the child will participate in regular education

The date the special education services are to begin and the expected ending date

The criteria for determining if the objectives are being met

The IEP goals should be written in the order of priority and the language should never be vague. It is important that certain questions be answered in the IEP so that there is no confusion about the special services your child will be receiving. Make sure the IEP clearly states what services are to be provided, who will be providing those services, where and how often those services will take place, and when the services begin and end.

An IEP is never set in stone. A child receiving special education services must be reevaluated every three years, and periodic review meetings held several times during the school year are advisable. Changes can be made to the IEP at any time by requesting an "emergency" IEP meeting between you and your child's school principal, special education teacher(s), and any other professionals providing services to your child. This meeting may be requested by you or by any member of the school's staff.

Why Must My Child Be Reevaluated?

Your child must be reevaluated at least once every three years to determine if he or she still meets the requirements of a disabled child. Reevaluation also may help in bringing to light any new disabilities or limitations your child might have. Testing is redone in all areas related to your child's disability, as well as in areas that are a focus of new concern.

A parent can ask for a reevaluation more often if desired, and this is often a good idea if the child's disability appears to be worsening or if the child's IEP does not appear to be helping. For a child with a diagnosis of bipolar, new treatment or medication may cause impairments that were not a problem at the time of the last evaluation, or may have helped a child overcome some of the limitations that were causing concern in the past.

Model IEP from The Bipolar Child Website

 

Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives

The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Ed Child

How Well Does Your IEP Measure Up? Quality Indicators for Effective Service Delivery

Nolo's Iep Guide: Learning Disabilities