Writing Compliant IEPs

Writing Compliant IEPs

State Approved Training Module

4/2/2012 1

The Purpose of this Training

• The IDEA On-Site Monitoring will address:– Child Find– Delivery of Service– Least Restrictive Environment– Data verification (ODE-OEC will verify)

4/2/2012 2

Record Review Item:Delivery of Service (DS 1)

Does the IEP address how the child’s disability affects his/her involvement and progress in the general education

curriculum?

•Potential Source of Documentation– IEP Other Information (front page)– IEP Profile – IEP Section 6 (PLOP)– IEP Section 11(LRE)

4/2/2012 3

IEP Section 3: Profile

• The BIG PICTURE of the child– The strengths of the child– Concerns of the parents– Results of the most recent ETR– Information from Progress Reports– Needs that have been identified– Performance on district wide and statewide

assessment– Response to classroom based intervention if not

in the PLOP

4/2/2012 4

Activity

• Discussion on prioritizing needs.• Discussion on needs that were identified in

the ETR and not addressed. • The goals need to address the child’s

needs.

4/2/2012 5

Record Review Item 2:Delivery of Service (DS 2)

Does the IEP include present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLOP)

that addresses the needs of the child?

• Potential Sources of Documentation– IEP Section 6 (PLOP)

4/2/2012 6

IEP Section 6: Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

• Measurable baseline data that will link directly with the goal• Detailed summary of current daily

academic/behavioral/functional performance (information regarding skills of the child)

• How does the disability affect the child’s involvement and progress in the general curriculum in relation to peers

• Effective classroom interventions used for the child• Assessment data (formative, quarterly, etc.)• Parent concerns

4/2/2012 7

IEP Section 6: Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

• Avoid jargon• Objective information• Be specific• Current and relevant data

– Include information from assessments, teachers, parent

4/2/2012 8

IEP Section 6: ACTIVITYPresent Levels of Performance

PLOP

BASELINE DATA FOR EACH GOAL

ETR INFORMATIONCURRICULUM ASSESSMENT

PROGRESS MONITORING

STRENGTHSNEEDS

INTERVENTIONSPARENT

CONCERNS

HOW DISABILITY AFFECTS

PERFORMANCE IN GENERAL EDUCATION

CURRICULUMIN RELATION TO TYPICAL PEERS

4/2/2012 9

Record Review Item: Delivery of Services (DS 3)

Do annual goals address the child’s academic areas of need?

• Potential Sources of Documentation– IEP section 6

4/2/2012 10

Record Review Item:Delivery of Services (DS 4)

Do annual goals address the child’s functional area of need?

• Potential Sources of Documentation– IEP Section 6

4/2/2012 11

ActivityLook at your IEP, do you see an alignment with the Profile and PLOP in your goal?You have functional needs addressed in the ETR and/or Profile. Are they addressed in the goals?

4/2/2012 12


Are annual goals stated in measurable terms?


4/2/2012 13

IEP Section 6: Measurable Annual Goals

(and Objectives)

• Six components of goal (and objectives)– Who– Will do what– Under what conditions– To what level or degree– In what length of time– How will progress be measured

4/2/2012 14

Activity

Practice Writing Measurable Goals !!!

Look at the IEP you have…do you have measurable goals?

Make changes as necessary.

4/2/2012 15


Does the IEP contain a statement of specially designed instruction that addresses the need of the

child and supports annual goals?


4/2/2012 16

IEP Section 7:Specially Designed Instruction

“Adapting as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child, the content, methodology or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability and to ensure access of the child to the general education curriculum so the child can meet the educational standards that apply to all children within the jurisdiction of the school district.”

4/2/2012 17

IEP Section 7: Specially Designed Instruction

• Specially designed instruction describes the “content, methodology, or delivery of instruction”.– At least one of these elements must be present in the

description.– School personnel responsible for delivering and

supervising instruction to the child should be able to read the IEP and know what the student’s specially designed instruction is.

– Addresses the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability; and to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum.

4/2/2012 18

ActivityExample:Direct (small group) instruction (with modeling and guided practice) in using comprehension strategies including answering “why” and “what will happen next?” questions.Now….each of you will write SDI to meet the requirements for one of your goals.

4/2/2012 19


Does the statement of specially designed instruction indicate the location where it will be provided?

• Potential Sources of Documentation– Section 7

4/2/2012 20


Does the statement of specially designed instruction indicate amount and frequency?


4/2/2012 21


Goals addressed • Can all of the goals listed be attained through

the description of the specially designed instruction?– If yes, multiple goals can be listed– If no, the goals are separated and aligned

with an appropriate description of the instruction to be provided the child.

4/2/2012 22

IEP Section 7:Specially Designed instruction

Provider, Location

• Who will be providing this instruction?– Only the title of the person(s) is needed

• Where will this instruction be provided?– If it is provided in multiple locations (general

education classroom and resource room) it is considered multiple services and listed separately.

4/2/2012 23


• Begin and End Date– This can be left blank if the beginning and end dates for the instruction

are the same as the beginning and end dates of the IEP.

• Amount of Time– This refers to the amount of time instruction will be given toward the

implementation of the goals listed, not amount of time in a class period or instructional period.

– If multiple goals are listed in this instructional box, it is the total amount of time that will be given to those goals as a group, not individually. Those goals should be related and receive the same specially designed instruction.

• Frequency of Service– Aligned with the amount of time– Can be daily, weekly, monthly etc.

4/2/2012 24


Does the IEP identify related services that address the needs of the child and supports

annual goals?


4/2/2012 25


Does the statement of related services indicate location where it will be provided?


4/2/2012 26


Does the statement of related services indicate amount of time and frequency?


4/2/2012 27

IEP Section 7:Related Services

• Related Services means the transportation and such developmental, corrective and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. 34 CFR 300.34(a)

• Each related service is placed in its own box, with its own description of what it will entail instructionally.– Amount and Frequency applies to the amount of time instruction

will be provided regarding the goal(s) listed.– The amount of related service a student receives is individualized

to the needs of that student.– Location in which the related service will be provided must be

clearly identified.

4/2/2012 28

Record Review Item:Least Restrictive Environment (LRE 1)

Does the IEP identify assistive technology to enable the child to be involved in and make

progress in the general education curriculum?

• Potential sources– IEP Section 2 – IEP Section 7

4/2/2012 29

IEP Section 7:Assistive Technology Device

• 300.5 Assistive Technology Device: any device item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that directly assist a child with a disability to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. A medical device that is surgically implanted or the replacement of such a device is not included under the term assistive technology device.

4/2/2012 30

IEP Section 7: Assistive Technology Service

300.6 Assistive Technology Service: Any service that directly assists the child in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device.

4/2/2012 31

300.105 Assistive technology

(a) Each public agency must ensure that assistive technology devices or assistive technology services, or both, as those terms are defined in Sec. 300.5 and 300.6, respectively, are made available to a child with a disability if required as a part of the child's--

(1) Special education under Sec. 300.36;(2) Related services under Sec. 300.34; or(3) Supplementary aids and services under Sec. 300.38 & 300.114(a)(2)(ii).

(b) On a case-by-case basis, the use of school-purchased assistive technology devices in a child's home or in other settings is required if the child's IEP Team determines that the child needs access to those devices in order to receive FAPE.

4/2/2012 32


Does the IEP identify accommodations provided to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education

curriculum?

• Potential Source of Documentation:– IEP Section 7

4/2/2012 33

IEP Section 7:Accommodations

• The use of “extended time” should be defined by how much extra time a student should receive.

• Several accommodations can be listed in one box if the provider, the dates and the location are all the same.

• Some accommodations may be acceptable for classroom instruction but not for statewide testing.

4/2/2012 34


Does the IEP identify modifications to enable the child to be involved in and make

progress in the general education curriculum?


4/2/2012 35

IEP Section 7:Modifications

• Modifications means changes made to the content that students are expected to learn where amount or complexity of materials is altered from grade level curriculum expectations. When an instructional or curriculum modification is made, either the specific subject matter is altered or the performance expected of the student is changed. Sometimes the nature and severity of the student’s disability requires that both the materials and the performance expected of the student are changed.

4/2/2012 36


Does the IEP identify supports for school personnel to enable the child to be involved

in and make progress in the general education curriculum?

• Potential Source(s) of Documentation – IEP Section 7

4/2/2012 37

IEP Section 7:Support for School Personnel

• Support for personnel who need assistance in implementing parts or all of the IEP

• Frequency of Service may, or may not, be filled in depending upon the situation.

• Who will provide the support is listed• Each support receives its own box with its

own provider listed

4/2/2012 38


Does the IEP include an explanation of the extent to which the child will not participate

with nondisabled children in the regular education classroom?

• Potential Source(s) of Documentation – IEP Section 11(LRE) – IEP Section 3 (Profile) – IEP Section 6 (PLOP)

4/2/2012 39

IEP Section 11: Least Restrictive Environment

The IEP includes a justification for why the child was removed from the regular education classroom, and • Is based on the needs of the child, not the child’s disability. • Reflects that the team has given adequate consideration to meeting the student’s needs in the regular classroom with supplementary aids and services. • Documentation that the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular education classes, even with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily. • Describes potential harmful effects to the child or others, if applicable. 4/2/2012 40


Did the IEP Team consist of a parent?

• Potential Source(s) of Documentation– IEP Section 13 – IEP Section 14 – PR-02 Parent Invitation– Other documentation (emails, written

correspondence, meeting notes, phone logs, etc.)

4/2/2012 41

Record Review Item :Least Restrictive Environment (LRE 7)

Did the IEP Team consist of a regular education teacher?

• Potential Source(s) of Documentation IEP-Section 13 IEP Excusal Documented

4/2/2012 42


Did the IEP Team consist of a special education teacher?

• Potential Sources of DocumentationIEP-Section 13 IEP Excusal Documented

4/2/2012 43


Did the IEP Team consist of a LEA representative?

• Potential Sources of Documentation– IEP-Section 13 – IEP Excusal Documented

4/2/2012 44


Did the IEP Team consist of a person qualified to interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results?


4/2/2012 45

Documents

Writing Compliant IEPs