Individualized Education Program

What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the foundation of special education services.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public school districts to provide students with disabilities with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Once made eligible for special education services under one of the disability categories under IDEA, an IEP is developed. The IEP is legal documentation of how that FAPE is provided for a particular student across a program of special and related educational services, as well as how specially designed instruction will be provided to the student to meet his/her individual learning needs.

Each IEP is unique to the specific student in which it serves and includes:

- - Present levels of performance in content areas, functional skill areas, work-study/habits, communication, and more
  - Information from the student's eligibility reports that address specific learning needs
  - How the student's disability impacts his/her ability to access the curriculum
  - Goals and objectives that address the specific deficits and needs of the student
  - Service minutes that the student will be provided specially designed instruction in content/functional areas
  - Accommodations and modifications specific to the student's needs and disability, including assessment accommodations where applicable
  - The least restrictive environment in which the student will be provided SpEd services (according to the continuum of services in which the student is served)
  - Transition services, goals, and plans (if the student is of transition-age)
  - Behavioral plans and interventions when required

The IEP is a collaborative document developed between the school and a student’s family. IEPs are reviewed annually, with changes made as appropriate to ensure a student is meeting his/her educational goals. Addendums can be completed prior to the annual due date to ensure that a student's needs are met or if a change needs to be made to any current information within the IEP (such as goals or service minutes).

The IEP team consists of:

Building administrator(s)
Special Education teacher
General Education teacher
Related Service providers (if/when applicable - this could include OT, PT, SLI, HI, VI, AT, and other specialists if required)
The student's parent/guardian
The student (formally invited for ages 14+ but welcome to participate in any meeting pertaining to his/her Individualized Education Plan)
Other parties of HCS and/or persons invited by parent/guardian may be in attendance depending on specific circumstance and/or student need

The education, services, and supports outlined in a student's IEP do not necessarily cover that student's entire education. The IEP addresses those educational needs resulting from the student's disability or specific deficits/learning needs. If a student requires special education support throughout the school day, for all activities, the IEP will cover all these needs. If the student does not need special education support/specially designed instruction in one or more areas (for example, physical education, music, or science), the IEP will not include these subjects as the student is able to access them through the general curriculum/class with no additional special education services/supports provided in those specific areas. Each IEP is unique, individualized to each student, and should meet the needs of the student and the services required to access the curriculum. This may change as the student progresses and grows throughout the school year and his/her educational career.

Progress Reporting

Students receiving special education services will receive a progress report noting the students' progress toward IEP goals and objectives at the same intervals as their non-disabled peers. These reports will be issued when HCS distributes interim progress reports and quarterly report cards.

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