An IEP or Individualized Education Program, is a written plan and legal document that helps make sure a child with a disability gets the right support at school. It’s created by a team that includes teachers, school staff, and parents, and it lays out the child’s learning goals along with the special services or supports the school will provide to help them succeed. IEPs are created following a school-based evaluation. Click below to learn more about the evaluation process.
A 504 Plan is a school plan that makes sure students with medical or learning needs have the same opportunities as their classmates. It isn’t special education, but it does give students extra help or changes in the classroom, called “accommodations.” For example, a 504 plan might allow a student to take breaks, have extra time on tests, or sit in a quieter spot to help them focus. The goal is to remove barriers so the child can learn and participate just like everyone else.
A psychoeducational evaluation is a set of assessments that helps us understand how a child learns, thinks, and manages emotions and behavior. It usually looks at areas like memory, attention, problem-solving, academic skills (reading, writing, math), and sometimes social or emotional needs. The goal is not to “test” a child in the traditional sense, but to get a full picture of their strengths and challenges. This information helps parents and teachers know how to best support the child at school.
An FBA is a way for the school to understand why a child is behaving in a certain way. For example, if a child often has outbursts in class, the FBA looks at what happens before, during, and after the behavior to figure out what might be causing it.
A BIP is a plan that comes from the FBA. It lays out strategies and supports to help the child learn better ways to handle situations and reduce challenging behaviors. It includes steps for teachers and staff to follow, as well as ways to teach and encourage positive behaviors.
In short: the FBA tells us why, and the BIP tells us what to do about it.
A triennial reevaluation is a full check-up of a child’s needs and progress that happens every three years for students with an IEP. The school team looks at how the child is doing academically, socially, and emotionally, and conducts the same evaluations completed in the initial process to see if the IEP still fits their needs. The goal is to make sure the supports and services in the IEP are still the best ones to help the child succeed.
An annual review is a yearly meeting where the school and parents come together to look at a child’s progress on their IEP or 504 plan. The team checks whether the goals are being met, talks about what’s working well, and decides if any changes are needed to better support the child for the next year. It’s a chance for parents to share their observations and be part of planning the best supports for their child.