Special Education Acronyms and Terms
When I first started this journey, I swore that I wouldn’t do this! I swore that I would never be one of “those people.” Those people who speak in IEP and special education acronyms. Guess what? I am one. And let’s face it, acronyms exist for a reason. To say “individualized education plan” over and over is much more cumbersome than IEP. Or NOREP, that’s a long one. What’s a NOREP? Glad you asked!
For a long time, I thought of publishing a list of acronyms on here. Pattan puts one out and I have it. But they are also available online. Some of the sites I have seen list up to 3 pages of them! So what I decided to do, poll the parents in the Facebook group about what acronyms they find themselves using frequently. So no, I haven’t statistically or scientifically verified that these are the most commonly used special education acronyms, this is anecdotal.
But there definitely was a pattern. If I was going to recommend a list of special education acronyms that you should memorize, this would be the list. In this list of special education acronyms, I also have hyperlinked most of them to a post explaining more about it. I wanted to keep the explanations brief on this list.
IEP Acronyms
For most of them, you can click on the Special Education Acronym to get more information. Also, if you scroll down I have more information and even a free printable of IEP Acronyms.
Chart of Special Education Acronyms
| ABA | Applied Behavior Analysis |
| APS | Approved Private Schoool |
| AT/AAC | Assistive Technology/Augmented Communication |
| BCBA | Board Certified Behavior Analyst |
| BIP/PSP/PBSP | Behavior Improvement Plan/Positive Support Plan |
| BASC | Behavior Assessment System for Children |
| DIBELS | Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills, an early reading assessment. |
| ED | Emotionally Disturbed |
| ER | Evaluation Report. Your child only ever receives one ER report. Everything after the first one is an RR. |
| ESY | Extended School Year |
| FAPE | Free and Appropriate Education |
| FBA | Functional Behavior Assessment |
| IEE | Independent Education Evaluation |
| LEA | Local Education Agency |
| LRE | Least Restrictive Environment |
| MA | Medical Assistance, Medicaid |
| OCR | Office of Civil Rights |
| PLOP | Present Levels of Performance or PLAAFP |
| PT | Physical Therapy/Therapist (work on gross motor skills) |
| PTE | Permission to Evaluate |
| PWN | Prior Written Notice |
| O & M | Orientation and Mobility |
| RR | Re-evaluation Report, for most every 3 years. |
| SD | School District |
| SDI | Specially Designed Instruction |
| SLD | Specific Learning Disability |
| SLP | Speech Language Pathologist |
| TVI | Teacher of the Visually Impaired |
| OT | Occupational Therapy/Therapist (fine motor skills) |
| ASD | Autism Spectrum Disorder (one of the disability classifications on an IEP) |
| ED | Emotionally Disturbed (one of the disability classifications on an IEP) |
| ELL/ESL | English Language Learner/Second Language |
| EI | Early Intervention |
| IFSP | Individual Family Service Plan |
| OHI | Other Health Impaired (one of the disability classifications on an IEP) ADHD falls under this |
| RTI/MDSS | Response to Intervention or Multi Disciplinary Supports Services, RTI is NOT special education |
| FERPA | Federal Education Records Privacy Act |
| HH | Hard of Hearing |
| IEP | Individualized Education Plan |
| AEDY | Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth |
State Specific Special Education Acronyms
- IU-Intermediate Unit, these are unique to PA and we have 29 of them, they are the “intermediate unit” that is the link between the state department of education and the school district, provide special ed services
- ARD-this is unique to Texas, stands for Admission, Review, Dismissal
- PDE-Pennsylvania Department of Education
- LTF–Local Task Force, PA only, please join yours!
- NOREP-Notice of Recommended Educational Placement. It’s what PA calls the PWN.
Printable List of Special Education Acronyms
Do you speak the language?
