For a more holistic view of the student, a multidisciplinary team is integral to the IEP process. Each member of the team can offer a different perspective, and school counselors are often one of the team members that assists with the special education process. In some schools, the school counselor may even be the person who writes the IEP for a student. School counselors can offer many things to the IEP process, such as:

Group Leadership: 

According to Milsom (2007), school counselors are important for a variety of reasons, including their formal training in group work and ability to plan. The IEP process requires the collaboration of a group, and a group needs a leader. School counselors may be the only member of the team with formal training in group work, and may take the role of leader because of their qualification. Along with this, school counselors may also conduct team evaluations to maximize effectiveness of the group.

Group Interventions:

Along with being qualified in group leadership, a school counselor is uniquely trained to facilitate group counseling, and can offer group interventions for students with disabilities. For example, they may be able to offer group counseling services to help with both academic and non-academic needs along with individual counseling. 

Academic Success:

Special Education teachers are more qualified than school counselors in development and implementation of academic interventions, but the collaboration between a special education teacher and school counselor can provide a more well-rounded approach to a student’s concerns. For example, the school counselor may provide unique insight into the socio-emotional concerns of a student that may be affecting their academics. The school counselor may work with the student on something like social skills, which may increase the student’s participation in class. They may counsel a student on study skills and time management, which can increase the student’s homework completion and test scores. 

College/Career Planning and Readiness:

School counselors are formally trained in career development and college readiness. They can help students explore their options, access resources, make connections, and even work through the difficult transition process. Because of this, school counselors are a crucial part of the transition component in a student’s IEP. They can identify a student’s strengths and weaknesses, interests, skills, and opportunities. In many cases, school counselors will teach students with disabilities self-advocacy skills, which will help them advocate for accommodations post-graduation and better understand disability legislation too. 

Counseling Services:

School counselors are qualified to work with students on non-academic needs as well. Not only do they possess knowledge of childrens’ psychosocial needs and development, but they can also identify and address the specific concerns of their students. These can be things such as offering individual counseling for emotional needs, interventions for behavioral needs, teaching social skills, and much more. When combined with the efforts of the IEP, these services can make an enormous difference in a student’s mental wellbeing and overall success, as all of their needs can be addressed and a strengths-based approach can help them prosper. 

Advocacy:

One of the mandatory components of being a school counselor is being an advocate. Advocating for students at IEP meetings is even highlighted in the guidelines provided by the American School Counseling Association, which all school counselors abide by. At meetings, the school counselor will always seek the best interest of the student, and will advocate for their needs during meetings even when the student is not present. In many cases, school counselors can be the voice of the student. 

Family Involvement:

School counselors can be a main point of communication for families and the school. Not only do they encourage family involvement, but they may be the person who collaborates with families and faculty to understand the needs of the student and provide accommodations. They may facilitate meetings with faculty and families, provide resources for parents, and ensure that parents are included and informed in each step of the IEP process. 

Setting Goals:

The whole point of having an IEP is to help a student reach certain grade-level standards. To do this, they need measurable goals to pursue, and a way to measure and monitor progress. These goals are decided annually, and should use the SMART method. SMART goals are Specific, Measure, Attainable, Results-Oriented, and Time-Bound. School counselors are an important contributor in developing, establishing, and achieving these goals. They collaborate with the IEP team to create the goals, contact outside agencies for additional resources, recognize and emphasize a student's strengths, advocate for meaningful and attainable objectives, and may even help monitor progress and provide interventions when necessary. Having goals is an integral part of the IEP process. Here are a few examples of goals that an IEP may contain, though they may vary depending on the provider:

References

Annual goals in the IEP. Center for Parent Information and Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/iepgoals/#examples

Milsom, A., Goodnough, G., & Akos, P. (2007). School counselor contributions to the individualized education program (IEP) process. Preventing School Failure, 52(1), 19-24. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.astate.edu/10.3200/PSFL.52.1.19-24

Team, T. U. (2021, June 16). Setting annual IEP goals: What to know: Child individual education plan. Understood. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.understood.org/en/articles/setting-annual-iep-goals-what-you-need-to- know#:~:text=Effective%20IEP%20goals%20are%20strengths,the%20year%20to%20stay%20informed.