When your child has a diagnosis of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and they are school age, most likely they will have an IEP.
My oldest C, has had an IEP since he was in preschool at 3 years old. We started with one after his speech and language delay diagnosis and then continued with one once he had his microdeletion diagnosis. You can read more about our story here.
An IEP is an Individualized Education Program.
Your child is unique and they need a unique education program to help them learn and succeed in school.
There is so much that goes into planning the IEP.
I want to start with the basics. I will continue with a couple more posts where we can go into a little more detail on what exactly can go into an IEP.
Here is a summary of Who, What and When of an IEP.
You can find detailed information on www.wrightslaw.com and https://sites.ed.gov/idea/.
Who should be attending?
-the parent of the child
-at least one regular education teacher
-at least one special education teacher
-the child with the IEP if applicable
A member can be excused if everyone including the parent agrees in writing and their area of expertise is not being modified.
When is an IEP meeting scheduled?
-Parents need to be notified early enough so that they have an opportunity to participate in the meeting.
-The meeting needs to be scheduled on a date, time and place that is agreed upon mutually.
-An IEP meeting is first scheduled when your child starts school and is eligible based on their disability.
What is discussed in an IEP meeting?
(The following list is taken directly from wrights law website)
Developing the IEP
In developing the IEP, the IEP team shall consider:
· the child’s strengths
· the parent’s concerns for enhancing the child’s education
· the results of the initial evaluation or most recent evaluation
· the child’s academic, developmental, and functional needs
The IEP team shall consider special factors for children:
· whose behavior impedes learning
· who have limited English proficiency
· who are blind or visually impaired
· who are deaf or hard of hearing
IEP, Individualized Education Program is an amazing thing. Make sure you schedule an IEP. Have the right people attend the IEP meeting. And make sure all of your child’s needs are met.
When you have the right team, goals, and modifications, your child will thrive!
Your child deserves and has the right to a good education. You as the parent have rights and you can make amazing things happen for your child.
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