What is an IEP?
Individual education planning (IEP) is the process whereby teachers, support personnel, and parents work together as a team to meet the needs of individual students who require a range of supports. The team develops outcomes or goals based on a student’s current needs and skills, and writes the plan for the school year in the student’s IEP. The written plan is called an IEP.
Who needs an IEP?
All teachers are encouraged to consider the potential benefits of individual education planning for a wide range of students with very different needs. Most IEPs are written for students who need support for behavioural and learning or cognitive skills. An IEP will be developed when parents and staff together decide that this is the best way to meet a student’s specific needs.
What is the purpose of an IEP?
The purpose of an IEP is to provide a plan to help a student meet individual outcomes or goals beyond his or her current skills. For this reason, an understanding of what a student can and cannot do is essential to the individual education planning process. Each IEP is individual to the student for whom it is designed. As members of the IEP team, parents should be part of the individual planning process and sign the IEP for their child.
Components of an IEP
All IEPs, regardless of the individual needs of a student, contain certain essential components:
student identification and background information current levels of performance that reflect team
consensus on the student’s abilities and needs
student-specific outcomes or goals
performance objectives
teaching methods, materials, and strategies
the names of team members who will implement the IEP, and the setting(s)
where it will be implemented
plans and timelines for evaluation and review stages
What kind of support can this provide?
Depending on the students' needs, the IEP will outline specific supports that will helpful for that student to be successful.
This can include some of these supports:
one-on-one support with a Support Teacher
additional reading and writing support 2-3 times a week
extended times for test writing
modified tests/assignments; meaning the questions/tasks may be different
projects are broken down into smaller chunks
use of technology (text-to-speech, speech-to-text, laptops, etc.,)
The IEP process is complex, but it's also an effective way to address how your child learns and functions. If you have concerns, don't hesitate to ask questions about the evaluation findings or the goals recommended by the team. You know your child best and should play a central role in creating a learning plan tailored to their specific needs.