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- What is an IEP?
- What is Special Education?
- What must be done prior to a special education evaluation?
- Evaluation
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What is an IEP?
Individual Education Program (IEP) plan
When a student is eligible for and needs specialized instruction, an
Individual Education Program (IEP) plan is developed at an IEP Team meeting
that includes parents, school personnel and others who might have input into
the student’s special education needs.
An IEP is a plan that spells out the special education services a child will
receive based on the results of the evaluation. The IEP Team develops goals
as targets for the child to achieve and determines the instructional
strategies needed so that the student can make progress in their educational
program. An IEP is generally in effect for one calendar year, although the
parents or school can request the IEP Team review the plan as needed.
The size and composition of IEP Teams varies depending upon the unique needs
of the student. Generally, an IEP Team consists of:
One or both parents (Parents are STRONGLY encouraged to attend all IEP
meetings. However, the final decision to attend or not is up to the
parents.);
The student, beginning at grade 9 or age 14 (If the student chooses not to
attend, the IEP Manager must insure that the student’s preferences are
reported.);
A special education teacher;
A “representative of the school district” who is empowered to make decisions
on behalf of the school district;
Regular education teacher(s); and
Others at the invitation of the parents or district.
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What is Special Education?
Special education is specially designed instruction and related services that
enable a student with a disability to access and benefit from their program
of education. Special education addresses the individual needs of the child
that arise from a disability and is provided at no cost to the parents. These
services can include specialized personnel, special instructional supplies
and materials, modification to curriculum and other special accommodations.
Specially designed instruction means adapting the content, methodology, or
delivery of instruction (i.e. what we teach and how we teach it) to address
the student’s unique needs that arise as a result of their disability, and to
ensure access to the general education curriculum.
Related services are a broad array of services that assist a student with a
disability to benefit from their program of specialized instruction. Related
services includes such things as:
• adaptive equipment and/or technology
• audiology
• occupational therapy
• orientation and mobility services
• physical therapy
• psychological services
• school social work services
• special transportation
• speech/language pathology
While many of these services appear similar to or have the same title as
medical and/or mental health services that might be provided in a clinic or
hospital, there are significant differences between a related service
provided by the schools and the services that might be provided by another
agency.
While the goal of a medical or mental health provider is to improve the
health of the patient, the purpose of a related service is to facilitate the
student’s access to and allow them to benefit from their program
of “specialized instruction.” Stated in reverse, if a student can access and
benefit from the specialized instruction (i.e., meet their IEP goals) without
a particular procedure or therapy, then it does not qualify as a “related
service.” It is therefore possible that:
• A particular intervention or therapy may be medically necessary, but may
not be needed within the schools in order for the student to access and
benefit from their specialized instruction. In such instances, the medical
community would be responsible for providing the needed intervention.
• A student may need a particular intervention to both address their medical
needs and to access and benefit from their specialized instruction. The
student would then receive that service both from the medical community and
the schools. In such instances, it is important that the school and
medical/mental health provider communicate with one another to insure their
services are coordinated and supportive of one another.
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What must be done prior to a special education evaluation?
To assure that students are given ample opportunity to succeed within the
general education program, Minnesota Statute 125A.56 requires that schools
implement and document at least two “instructional strategies, alternatives
or interventions” within the general education classroom prior to referring a
child for special education evaluation. This stage is called the ‘pre-
referral process.’ In many instances, the child’s needs can be met by
changing instructional strategies or through other interventions within the
general classroom.
The duration of the pre-referral interventions are based on the individual
child’s needs. The interventions must be of sufficient duration to allow the
child to succeed from the new instructional strategies and/or interventions.
However, the pre-referral process must not be used to unduly delay a special
education evaluation if it becomes apparent the interventions are not
successful.
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Evaluation
The district will conduct the evaluation as soon as possible after written
consent is obtained from the parents. The purpose of the evaluation is to
determine if the child is eligible for and needs special education services,
and if so, to identify the special education needs that will be the focus of
the specialized instruction.
Districts have forty-five (45) calendar days from the referral date to
complete the evaluation of a child age birth to three, and thirty (30) school
days from the date written permission is received to complete the evaluation
for students age three and above.
While the District is not financially responsible for the costs of a parent-
initiated assessment conducted by a physician, clinic or other agency, the
evaluation team will review and consider such assessment data. However, the
District is not required to accept the results nor implement the
recommendations of an outside assessment unless the evaluation team agrees to
do so.
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