What's New in the New IEP Form

What’s Changed 

One exciting change is that the new IEP form encourages and requires more dialog between the school, the student, and the family. It is very student-focused, starting with the statement of concerns. This has now been labeled, “Student and Parent Concern Statement.”  In the new form, Student Vision takes precedence, and students as young as age 3 can share what they want to learn.  Older students can share their vision for life after high school. Another positive change is that there is no longer a separate Transition planning form. Instead, the Postsecondary Transition questions are built right into the new form.

In addition, the form goes beyond describing Present Levels of Academic Performance (PLEP-A and PLEP-B) by asking in more parent-friendly language about a student’s academic needs as well as how they function. The IEP team is required to discuss not only academic abilities but also about other interests, strengths, abilities and needs. The specific areas of functioning listed here are: Academic, Behavioral/Social/Emotional, Communication, and “Additional Areas.” 

“Additional Areas” of functioning that can be captured in the new form include things like Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) as well as needs related to vision and hearing impairments. 

The new IEP form includes more specific prompts designed to ensure teams discuss the following issues, when appropriate: 

• Autism-related needs 

• English Learner needs

• Assistive Technology needs

• Skills needed to avoid and respond to bullying

IEP teams were legally required to discuss these issues in the past, but the form itself did not have a way to explicitly capture the information. 

Once the team has discussed what the student can do and what they need to do to make effective progress, the form asks about what Accommodations and/or Modifications are needed for this student in the classroom, in nonacademic settings, and in extracurricular activities and the community. It is notable that extracurricular and community settings are explicitly mentioned in this new IEP form.

Finally, the new IEP form includes a dedicated Service Delivery Grid specifically for Extended School Year Services. This change eliminates any confusion for students and families about what will happen during the summer program, and which service providers will be involved. Additionally, the issue of transportation during those months is addressed right below, ensuring that all aspects of the summer program are clearly outlined. 

What Stayed the Same 

Some aspects of the IEP have remained the same, including the discussion around whether your student should take the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) or an alternative assessment. As always, it’s crucial to remember that passing the MCAS is a state graduation requirement. If your student takes the Alternative Assessment instead of the standard assessment, it is very difficult to meet the requirements for receiving a diploma. If they do not earn a diploma, they will receive a certificate of attainment. A diploma is necessary for many postsecondary activities such as college. So, families and other members of IEP teams are encouraged to consider this decision carefully.  

Another area that remains unchanged is the requirement to include Measurable Annual Goals. The process that I recommend for families and teams to follow are:

1. 1. Teams should have a strong understanding of the baseline or what a student can currently do before these goals are set. You cannot think about what a student needs to work on to acquire a skill until you clearly understand what they can do currently. 

   2. We also need to identify the specific skills that need to be addressed in order for the student to improve and make effective progress. And, what services will help the student build those skills.

   3. Next, the team needs to figure out how to measure the student’s progress. What data can be collected, who will collect it, and how often will it be collected?

While the concept of Measurable Goals isn’t new, the updated form asks these questions in a way that makes it easier for everyone, including students and parents, to follow and understand. 

Some Things are Gone!

You might be wondering, “Where is the Key Evaluation Results Summary?” This section has been removed from the IEP document, but that does not mean that evaluations are no longer required. In fact, discussing student evaluations remains an important part of understanding the student’s strengths, growth, and needs. Evaluation results can be added to each of the present performance level sections to support what the student can currently do and provide data for the baseline of a goal. 

Evaluations are typically designed to identify areas of need, but the new IEP form is all about being strengths-based. We’re now focusing on what the student can do and what skills they need to achieve their goals. If there are specific areas from the evaluations that you feel should be highlighted, the “Additional Information” section is the place for that summary.