IEP Goal Tracking IEP data tracking and progress monitoring in special education are among the most important things about an IEP. And yet tracking IEP goals is one area that I find parents cannot wrap their heads around it, so it gets neglected. I am eternally grateful for admin Michelle and what she has contributed…
IEP For as much time as I spent talking and teaching parents about IEPs, I don’t think I’ve ever actually explained what an IEP and FAPE are. If your child is struggling at school (and not just in academics!) then perhaps someone has suggested that you pursue an IEP for your child. The IEP process…
Let’s Just Wait and See I’d be willing to be my house and my car that 99% of all IEP parents have experienced the “Let’s just wait and see.” It’s one of the most common and most effective stall or delaying tactics when a parent asks for something on the IEP. It goes like this….
Is your head spinning at IEP meetings because of all the acronyms? Here are some of the most commonly used Disability and Special Education Acronyms. Free printable!
IEP Present Levels Ask almost any Special Education Advocate, and they’ll tell you that Present Levels is the most important section of the IEP. Present Levels has several corresponding Special Education Acronyms, depending on what your school or state uses. PL Present Levels PLOP Present Levels of Performance PLP Present Levels of Performance PLAAFP Present…
Special Education Terms Look, since this is a monster of an article, I’ll be brief. I’ve been sitting on this for literally years–years ago someone asked if I would publish it on my site. I am just now getting around to this giant PDF list of special education terms. Not all IEP terms and acronyms…
How to Stop Stressing over IEP Meetings I was waiting in the lobby. Mom pulled into the parking lot, made her way towards me. “I’m so nervous!” she whispered. “Don’t be. We got this.” And we did. My mind drifted to other parents in our Facebook group who often express similar sentiments before a meeting….
Sample Letter to Request IEP Evaluations You will definitely want to bookmark or pin this post. I have often said that one of the biggest IEP mistakes that parents make is not doing everything in writing. The worst case scenario is that you end up in a Due Process Hearing. And then, what will matter…
IEP Evaluations Different variations of questions come up about IEP evaluations all the time. Parents are unclear about timelines, what tests to ask for and sometimes get confused with the IEP re-evaluation process. As a result, after 8 years of this blog, at one point I had a dozen posts about IEP evaluations, IEP re-evaluations,…
IEP Advocate “$2000?!?!” my husband exclaimed. “Do we really need this for him?” “Become an IEP/Special Education Advocate!” the flyer said. We were looking at a brochure that my son’s preschool had sent home to parents. It was a 12-week course on how to become a Special Education Advocate. It looked thorough. And, Kevin was…
Interpreting IEP Evaluations For me, both as a Special Education Advocate and a Parent, I find the hardest part of the IEP process to be the IEP eligibility evaluations. For each re-evaluation, my son (or my clients) may receive upward of 10-12 assessments. That’s a dozen protocols I have to look up, read and understand….
Getting Started in the World of IEPs IEP stands for Individual Education Plan. It is just what it says. Children with disabilities are entitled to a “free and appropriate education” but what that looks like for each child is Individual. The concept of Special Education has only been around at the national level since 1975….
RTI Response to Intervention | MTSS What is RTI at school? Who determines what RTI looks like for a kid? Can a parent refuse RTI? So, before you read this and say, “Hmph, you’re so negative! Not all schools do this!” let me save you the time and email. What’s the difference between RTI and…
What to Expect at an IEP Meeting My first IEP meeting did not go well. Well, wait. Kevin has been receiving services since he was 6 months old. So I had IFSP meetings and then preschool meetings. The whole time period, honestly, is foggy. But I definitely remember that my first IEP meeting with my…
IEP Meetings This is a really old post that I have been meaning to update for ages. I see the image show up on Pinterest and I just cringe because I know that the information that is on this site now is just so much better than it was in 2013. The old post didn’t…
What are IEP Related Services? According to IDEA, these are the related services in Special Education. audiology counseling services early identification family training-counseling and home visits health services medical services nursing services nutrition services occupational therapy orientation and mobility services parent counseling and training physical therapy psychological services recreation and therapeutic recreation rehabilitative counseling services…
IEP Timelines How long does a school have to: respond to IEP email? schedule an IEP meeting? evaluate my child? begin services in a new school year? send me the final draft of the IEP? All those questions and more are answered below. I’ve compiled the common questions that parents ask about IEP timelines below….
Does it matter what you wear to an IEP meeting? Yes. “I have an IEP meeting tomorrow, should I dress as a Storm Trooper?” Uh, no. No, you should not. One of my friends asked that on Facebook a while back. Not to a Parent Teacher Conference either! It matters. I wish it didn’t, but…
Parent-Teacher Conference Like other areas of our life, Parent-Teacher conferences can look different for a child with an IEP. A Parent-Teacher meeting can be stressful even in a normal year and now we have distance learning. Most schools only allow 15-20 minutes, so we’re rushed. Chances are you and your spouse had to split up…
Can an IEP be changed without parental consent? For the purposes of this post, it assumes that you (parent) already have an initial IEP in place. Your child went through the evaluation process, you had your IEP meeting and there is an agreed-upon IEP in place. And then the fun begins! (Seriously though, most of…
IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Several years ago, I was at a fundraiser. It was for an agency that assists disabled people. So, naturally, they had a few people who used the agency speak and give testimonials about how much this agency means to them. I will never forget the story that this one…
IEP Eligibility Your child has an IEP. Or they do not. Perhaps they were found ineligible. Maybe you were offered a 504 or RTI instead of an IEP. Or, maybe nothing at all. You were just informed that your child does not qualify for special education and that’s it. In this post, I’m going to…
What to Ask for on your IEP “I don’t know what to ask for on my IEP!” That question comes up often in our Facebook group. And, I can tell a lot about a parent who asks that question. It tells me that you are either a newbie or you don’t know the IEP process…
How to get an IEP. Gather your thoughts about your child and their struggles at school. Decide if meeting with the teacher is appropriate to discuss these concerns. Formalize those concerns into a letter to the school. Write a letter to your school (teacher and principal) asking that your child be evaluated for Special Education…
Special Education Placement Not only is IEP placement one of the most debated topics among parents, it’s also one of the most contentious issues you will have with your school district. So what are the placement options for learning disabled students? How do I get my child into a private placement? IEP placement is one…
Draft IEP Timelines “Well, Mrs. Lightner, we are not going to be making any changes to this IEP today.” Oh lordy. Do I remember that day! Kevin was still a toddler and it was one of my first IEP meetings. That woman really tapped a sleeping bear. I had read about IEPs, as much as…