Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for Autism
The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a written contract between the family and the educational entity that outlines the child’s educational goals. Children with autism or other developmental disabilities over the age of 3 receive an IEP in a public educational setting. Each IEP must be tailored to meet the needs of that individual child, so it is important to review the contract to ensure these needs are being met.
Who Attends an IEP Meeting
In order to develop an IEP, it is required by law that specific people attend the IEP meeting, including the parents, the child’s teacher, other collaborating professionals, and the child (if appropriate). Other persons are welcome if they are a part of the team, such as an advocate or a representative, or a non-public agency, etc.
The Parents’ Role in the IEP Process
The parent is a big part of the IEP team, so they must be a part of the process in developing the IEP for their child. As a parent, it is important to also share information regarding your child’s needs, expectations, and current skill set. Consider the vision that you have for your child for the school year, your child’s strengths and weaknesses, any educational or maladaptive behavior concerns, and any other information that will give them a greater understanding of your child. The parent can certainly have recourse in the IEP if they do not agree with the one that was developed.
Three Major Components of an IEP
The IEP consists of three important components to develop a plan that ensures the child receives the most beneficial and individualized plan for their needs.
Component 1: Assessment
The first major component of the IEP is the assessment. The assessment process is crucial when developing goals for the child with autism or other developmental disabilities, as it will give a solid baseline of the child’s current functioning. For example, it wouldn’t be appropriate to start off a goal to have the child engage in conversational turn-taking of 3-4 exchanges if they are unable to emit single words at the time of assessment. Once the evaluation is complete, the IEP meeting will be scheduled with everyone in attendance. An ample notice for the meeting date needs to be given to the family, and the parent should obtain a copy of the evaluation results before the meeting so that they can review them. The parent is entitled by law to attend and participate in this meeting.
Component 2: Goals
The second major component in the development of the IEP is the goals. The goals are developed based on the assessment results and typically cover self-care skills, maladaptive behaviors, language and communication, academics, play, social interaction, etc.
Component 3: Placement and FAPE
Lastly, the third major component in the development of the IEP is the placement of their child (otherwise known as the offer of FAPE, which stands for Free and Appropriate Public Education). Your child should be placed in the least restrictive environment that will help him or her best meet the goals in their IEP. The IEP must include specific content for placement, such as the setting in which the services will be provided and the list of professionals who will be providing the services. If your child is 16 years of age or older, the IEP must include a description of transitional services, such as moving from the school setting to post-school activities.
Ensuring Your Child’s IEP Meets Their Needs
Overall, if you receive governmental funding for education or support, you will have some sort of plan with assessment goals or placement or services that are going to be given. You want to make sure that what’s in the IEP is individualized – remember it’s a contract, so you want to make sure it meets the needs of the child. Furthermore, it must be based on the child’s assessment and include goals to address the family’s priorities. The goals are typically set for a year, so every year they will come up with new goals and talk about placement for the upcoming year.
When to Request an IEP Meeting
A parent can always request an IEP meeting if the child is making a lot of progress, displaying new maladaptive behaviors, exhibiting safety concerns, not making progress on current goals, etc. Parents should advocate for the most important IEP for their child. In closing, an IEP is extremely important for a child with autism or other developmental disabilities to receive quality education.