Special Education

Individual Education Planning for Students with Special Needs

DEVELOPMENT OF THE IEP

Teachers have found that it is best to incorporate the development and implementation of the IEP into the regular routines of planning, evaluating and reporting that occur for all students. For this process to work well there must be collaboration and on-going consultation among teachers, administrative and support personnel, parents, students and representatives of district/community agencies.

IEP Pre-Planning

A number of steps will usually have been taken before a decision is made that a student needs an IEP. These steps typically include:

  • systematic assessment and evaluation by the classroom teacher(s),
  • consultation between the classroom teacher(s) and school-based colleagues (e.g., learning assistance teacher, school-based team),
  • introduction of alternate strategies and evaluation of their effect,
  • referral to school-based team for specialized assessments and consultation.

Once a student has been identified as having "special needs", a team should be formed to plan for the student's educational needs.

Establishing the IEP Team

The IEP/planning team membership can and should vary depending upon the educational needs of individual students. Participants usually include:

  • the classroom teacher(s),
  • he school administrator,
  • parents or legal guardians and, if appropriate, the student,
  • other school based and district support staff if they have been involved in assessing the student's strengths and needs, or are going to be involved in the delivery of the IEP.

Members of the planning team should be chosen based on their ability to provide information or support the student's program. In some cases, such as when the student has needs in only a specific area, the team may be limited to the principal, the teacher(s), the parent and, if appropriate, the student. In other cases, such as when the student has multiple needs, the team may be extended to include educational and related services personnel required to assist the student in achieving educational goals.

Establishing an IEP team enables the members to:

  • develop a common understanding of the student's strengths, interests, and needs,
  • share information and observations of the student's behaviour and learning in a variety of settings,
  • understand programming priorities for the student and reinforce them across curriculum areas, and
  • plan in an effective and efficient manner.

Parents should be encouraged to be actively involved in decisions regarding educational services for their children. They provide a unique perspective about the student's personality, development, and learning. Open communication and cooperation between home and school increase the opportunities for students with special needs to experience success.

Coordinating IEP development and implemetation

When the IEP team is formed, a member of the team should be assigned the role of coordinating the development and implementation of the IEP. This includes:

  • ensuring that a regular process for monitoring progress is established,
  • organizing and chairing IEP meetings, and
  • ensuring that meeting records are kept and distributed.

Any member of the team can perform this function but this role is best delegated to the person who will have the most contact with the student in addressing his/her special needs. Typically the person coordinating the IEP will be someone from the school staff, such as the classroom teacher, the learning assistance teacher, or the resource room teacher. In some cases, such as when students receive most of the required additional service from itinerant staff, the itinerant staff member may coordinate the IEP development and implementation process.

When a student has multiple or severe needs, it is essential that community services (e.g., mental health, probation, public health) be coordinated to avoid duplication, and to ensure consensus regarding goals, consistency in interventions and an integrated approach to service delivery.