Special Education

Parent's Guide to Individual Education Planning

III. The IEP: Step By Step, Who is Involved?

Talking with the Teacher

Ideally, you and the school work together in creating an educational program to meet your child's needs. Don't be afraid to approach the school from the start so that you can establish a collaborative relationship with the educators who work with your child. Parents, the school, and most importantly, your child benefit from good communication. Often, when issues arise at the classroom or school level, they are the result of miscommunication. It makes sense to address issues immediately, so they do not escalate into problems. Try to solve issues at the school level first.

If you have concerns, but are uncertain about how to direct them, your first meeting to discuss your child should be with the teacher.
Bring notes you've made about schoolwork, significant events, even hunches about your child's educational program to refer to at the meeting.
Explain to the teacher what you hope to get out of the meeting. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I need to be heard and have my views recognized and validated? Or...
- Am I dissatisfied and want to see changes for my child?
- What action do I want taken?
- Am I wanting more information about my child's program or progress?
Keep an open mind about the reasons for the actions and responses of others involved with the child at school.
At the parent-teacher meeting, listen carefully and take notes.

Involving others

The teacher may need to enlist help to plan an appropriate program for your child. There are others in the school or school district who may be available to assist in this planning: learning assistance and/or resource teacher, principal or vice principal, school counsellor, or district-based resource personnel. Involving the school principal is particularly important.

The school-based team

Most schools in British Columbia have a structure in place for the purpose of solving problems and finding solutions related to the special needs of students. The school-based team is usually responsible for the following:

planning and coordinating services in the school for students with special needs,
providing opportunities for consultation on possible classroom strategies,
supporting teachers in providing appropriate support for students,
providing access to additional school, district, community or regional services, and
assisting with problem-solving, referral and liaison with other agencies.

If your child needs assistance beyond that which the classroom teacher can provide, a referral will probably be made to the school-based team. Parents should be involved in this consultation and planning process.

The school-based team usually includes the following:

a school administrator,
the classroom teacher,
a learning assistance teacher or resource teacher,
other specialists, such as a counselor,
district resource staff, and representatives from community services or other ministries as needed, and
other individuals who have experience with the student.

Parents may want to ask

Who are the members of the school-based team?
What are their individual roles on the team?
What kinds of assistance does each of them provide?
Who is responsible for coordinating my child's program?
When and how often will we meet?
What is my role at the team meeting?
How will I be notified of planning meetings?

The IEP team

In many schools, a group of people is appointed by the school-based team to actually plan the IEP for an individual student. In some schools this is carried out by the school-based team itself. The membership of the group who develop the IEP will vary depending on the needs of the student. A person may be appointed the case manager of the IEP and that person will coordinate and record the IEP planning and monitor its progress. This is often the classroom teacher but may be anyone appropriate for a particular student, such as a resource teacher or learning assistance teacher.

The school-based/IEP teams: roles and responsibilities

Principal

Under the School Act , the principal is responsible for administering and supervising the school, overseeing the educational program for the students in the school, placing students, assigning the staff, and making sure that parents are regularly provided with reports of the students' progress. The principal is responsible for ensuring that the IEP is developed, implemented, and reviewed with appropriate revisions.

Teacher

Teachers are responsible for the educational programs for all students assigned to them.

For most students, questions about achievement or behaviour arise from teachers' observations.
Teachers communicate about the student's progress and behaviour with the parent/guardian and, as appropriate, the student.
Teachers will first address differences in student learning and behaviour by trying a variety of strategies and materials. If necessary, they will then consult and collaborate with school-based resource personnel such as a learning assistance or a resource teacher.
If students' needs are still not met, the teachers will approach the school-based team or in-school special education personnel for consultation and possibly further assessment.
Teachers may have the support of the school-based team to develop strategies or provide services to enable them to meet the special needs of students.

Learning assistance and resource teachers

Learning assistance teachers and resource teachers are members of the teaching staff who are specialists with the training or experience to provide student and teacher support for students with special needs. These supporting teachers, located in most schools, work cooperatively with all school personnel and assist in some of the following ways:

suggesting strategies to the school and family for working with the child who requires assistance,
consulting with the school-based team to review student needs and assisting in problem-solving, and
providing school-based resource services to support classroom teachers and their students, including student instruction and assessment, if required,
helping organize, maintain and integrate services in the school and providing access to support services available at the district level.

Teacher assistant

Teacher assistants may be assigned by the school district to help the teacher in carrying out her responsibilities. Under the general supervision of a teacher, principal or vice-principal, they may be assigned to the following duties:

providing direct service to students ranging from personal care to assisting with instructional programs,
assisting in implementing the educational program, and/or
performing health-related procedures for which they must be given child-specific training by a qualified health professional. ⁴

⁴ Inter-Ministerial Protocols for the Provision of Support Services to Schools. Victoria: Province of British Columbia. October 1989.

Other special education personnel

Other personnel accessed through the school, district or community by the school-based team may include personnel in these areas:

counselling in schools,
school psychology services,
speech-language pathology services,
physiotherapy/occupational therapy services,
hospital education services, and
homebound education services.

Their involvement will vary in type and intensity according to the needs identified in the individual student's IEP.

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