Legal 411: INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS
WHAT …
is an INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN?
An Individual Education Plan (or IEP) is a contract between a student and their school that explains how the school will meet the student’s special needs. The supports and services outlined in each IEP are 100% paid for by the school. Caregivers have a right to request changes to the IEP at any time, as they are an equal member of their child’s IEP team.
The Individual Education Plan:
is tailored to the student’s individual needs (their ”disability”) and there is no one-size-fits-all IEP.
identifies the child’s strengths and challenges and outlines a specific plan for improvement.
sets specific, measurable goals for the student to achieve, and includes data collected by the school tracking the student’s progress toward those goals.
outlines the techniques and methods teachers will use to instruct the student given their individual needs, as well as the services and accommodations the student will receive to ensure they achieve their goals, such as speech, physical, or occupational therapies, one-on-one tutoring, extended testing time, counseling, etc.
WHO …
needs an INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN?
Any child with a disability that negatively impacts their ability to learn is eligible for an IEP. The disability must be an eligible physical, sensory, intellectual, or behavioral disability, which could include but is in no way limited to ADHD, autism, and specific learning disabilities like dyslexia.
HOW …
do you request an INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN?
The first step is for caregivers to request that the school evaluate their child for an IEP. This is known as a “referral.” The request should be made in writing. Caregivers can make the request to their child’s teacher or an administrator. Caregivers should make sure to briefly explain why they think their child needs an IEP. For example, “my child is struggling to learn to read and write and I believe it may be because they are dyslexic,” or “My child is struggling to pay attention and complete their assignments in class, and I think it may be because they have ADHD.” The child does NOT have to have an official diagnosis to be evaluated. Schools have 60 school days from the date of the request to evaluate.
What to do if you need more help?
The KY Department of Education’s website is a great place to start: https://education.ky.gov/specialed/excep/Pages/FamParTool.aspx