For Schools & Educators

With help from you and the family, the student can learn how to become part of their IEP process. Learning how to be part of, and eventually lead, their own IEP process is one of the best ways to help the student learn to self-advocate. “Self- advocate” means the student is able to share about their life, what they need, what they like or don’t like, and is able to work with others to get the supports they need to succeed. The student can practice using their advocacy skills in a safe and friendly environment. The student will join you, and the other members of their team, to plan special education services to help them learn and grow. Click below to get ideas on how to start on your own, with the student, with the family, or with your administration.

On Your Own

With the Student

With the Family

With Administration

The Student-Led IEP process benefits YOU - the educator and school!

A pyramid containing 6 circles that depict how getting involved in the IEP benefits the school/educator. Three circles on the bottom of the pyramid represent the student, family, and school/educators. Access the link of a word document What’s in it for Schools/Educators. For more information

Word Document of the Student-Led IEP Process: What's In It for Schools/Educators?

An Assessment for you and your school to look at baseline data and create an Action Plan for future goals:

Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond_ SLIEP Assessment of PracticesEditedFillable.pdf

This document is used to reflect upon SLIEP practices and determine an action plan to improve how SLIEPs are facilitated with your school and staff.

Create a widely representative team who will be responsible for completing this document – administrators, classroom teachers, special educators, related service personnel, counselors, school psychologists, families, students...
Provide them with a copy of this document ahead of time to increase their understanding of the content that will be considered and that they can gather the evidence they will need to appropriately respond to and consider the guiding questions.
As a team, score each element as Not in Place (1), Partially in Place (2), or Always in Place (3). Calculate the total score of each component and include it in the Action Plan (see page 6).
The Action Plan will help you determine how you use this information to shape planning, goal-setting, and steps to improve SLIEP processes.

Here is a quick introduction to the Student-Led IEP process:

You are an important member on the IEP team. Check out the video to learn how YOU can play a role on the team.

Your student, the student's family, school staff, and others may be on the team. Click below to see a playlist of the many people who could be on a student's IEP team.

Animated IEP Team Member Video Series

Use the list below to decide where a student is now with their involvement in the IEP meeting. (a tool from I'm Determined.org)

How would you describe their awareness of the IEP process?
How are they participating in the IEP? What are they doing to participate?
What do they know about the IEP? How can they show what they know?

The first step is to know what the student is doing at this time. Then, look at the next level to see where they should be going for a future goal. Work with the IEP team to plan what steps and supports need to be put in place so that next year, the student has moved up a level in one or all of the IEP areas.

Table listing a student’s involvement in an IEP in the following areas: IEP awareness, participation, and knowledge of IEP content. Access the link of word document Student Rubric for IEP Participation for more information.

Word Document for Student Rubric for IEP Participation

Listen to school staff and a student talk about his experience with his SLIEP: