What is the IEP Age Range? When does an IEP end?

When does an IEP end? How do you end an IEP? What is the IEP age range?I know what you’re thinking. “21!” is what you want to yell out. And that’s what I thought.

Then a friend asked me about this. She is a knowledgeable and well-respected advocate. And I think that she was thinking that she was being gaslighted with IEP misinformation.

Ok, maybe you’re in Michigan, so then you’re thinking in your head “25!”

Turns out, it is a state specific special education regulation.

And, it turns out, it is another one of those things that is not specifically listed in IDEA. One of those things that I just assumed was in there. But since I never had to actually look it up before, I didn’t know.

IEP Age Range

I think what is important here is the phrasing of “can include…” which is very different from “must include….” A state can offer FAPE beyond 18, but they are not mandated to do so from IDEA. Your state’s department of education website should have more information. I won’t ramble on and on about this since this is directly from OSEP.

Here is the exact wording from IDEA:

• The obligation to make a free appropriate public education available to all children with disabilities does not apply with respect to children—
  • (i) aged 3 through 5 and 18 through 21 in a State to the extent that its application to those children would be inconsistent with State law or practice, or the order of any court, respecting the provision of public education to children in those age ranges; and
  • (ii) aged 18 through 21 to the extent that State law does not require that special education and related services under this subchapter be provided to children with disabilities who, in the educational placement prior to their incarceration in an adult correctional facility—
    • (I) were not actually identified as being a child with a disability under section 1401 of this title; or
    • (II) did not have an individualized education program under this subchapter.

What Age does an IEP Start?

If your child is 0-3, then they are served by IDEA Part C and receive an IFSP.

For ages 3-21 and beyond, your child is served by IDEA Part B and has an IEP.

They didn’t ask my opinion when they wrote IDEA. Ha, I was just a baby myself. Honestly, to me, it makes no sense to have the school district ‘take ownership’ of the IEP process at 3.

I think it makes more sense if they enter IDEA part B at Kindergarten. But again, they didn’t ask my opinion.

I know until I looked it up myself, I didn’t believe it either when I was told I was going to have to start working with the school district. I mean, these are changes we were preparing when he was only 2!

Here are some myths and misunderstandings about ending an IEP.

We ‘have to’ end the IEP.

If the team is trying to exit a student from an IEP before they are exiting the school district (graduating), evaluations must be done. IDEA is very clear about this. Also, keep in mind that there are no “have tos” with this.

And that is something that comes up a lot. “We have to do this….” or “We have to do that…”

No, they don’t. They do not “have to” move the child to a 504 in high school. If the child is being exited from an IEP and they are not graduating, then generally one of two situations has occurred:

• They can access and benefit from their education with just accommodations. The student no longer requires specialized instruction or special education to achieve this.
• The student has caught up to their peers in skills and abilities and no longer requires special education.

A student can have an IEP up until the day of their graduation, and still get a 504 in college. One does not prohibit the other. A student does not “have to” walk into college with an already prepared 504 from their high school.

And there you go! As always, check your state’s regs for specifics and keep a good paper trail in the event you find yourself in a dispute.