Videos

What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?

Added Sep 08, 2025 •

Copy this URL:
Embed code:	<iframe class="edlio-embed-player" type="text/html" width="640" height="360" src="//www.cboces.org/apps/embed/?v=388581" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Change dimensions

Show Transcript

hello my name is Suzanne Becker I'm a school social worker at Centennial bosis my job is to guide parents and Guardians through the special education process if you're watching this video you likely have some questions I'm here to do my best to answer them let's dive into the special education process suppose your child is struggling with subjects like math Reading Writing speaking has challenges in emotional regulation or has another condition that impacts their learning they might be eligible special education services the special education system is governed by federal law the individuals with disabilities Education Act or idea the law ensures that students with disabilities receive specialized instruction students may be classified into 13 disability categories that require an individual education plan also called an IEP let's use Sue as an example to illustrate the process of specialized instruction it was a first grader struggling with reading and falling behind her peers during a parent teacher conference Sue's teacher discussed her difficulty reading with Sue's parents the teacher explained that Sue has been receiving reading intervention services through general education and may need specialized instruction to help her catch up with grade level curriculum the first step in this process is for Sue's parents or Guardians to sign a consent form for her to be evaluated for special education service ES parental involvement is crucial in this process if Sue qualifies according to the laws stringent requirements the evaluation as specialized services will be provided to the family at no cost a dedicated team of professionals will conduct a comprehensive evaluation for Sue our special education teacher will administer academic test to accurately assess Sue's reading level and overall abilities a school psychologist will observe in her classroom bringing valuable insights and may conduct additional assessments with parental permission this Insight is crucial for a thorough understanding of Sue's needs depending on parents concerns and what we discover and nurse speech therapists occupational therapists physical therapists or another specialized service provider may be involved in collaborating efforts together we're committed to supporting Sue success the special education case manager will schedule an initial meeting within 16 calendar days after parents sign a consent form for the evaluation during the initial meeting School Personnel will provide Sue's parents with a copy of their rights known as procedural safeguards which outline the rights of both parents and students throughout the evaluation process the evaluation team and the parents will discuss the data collection during the evaluation Sue must meet the qualifications for specialized services defined by the Colorado Department of Education in our example the data in the evaluation or body of evidence indicates that Sue is eligible for an individual education plan or an IEP Sue's must consent for Sue to receive the specialized instruction that the IEP affords the evaluation team will then develop specific goals aimed at helping her improve her reading skills these goals may include strategies to enhance her reading like phenomen awareness teaching consonant vowel consonant or CBC words the document will also outline accommodations to ensure Sue success in the classroom these accommodations May consist of tailored support and resources for example text to speech to understand grade level curriculum or chunking her assignments Sue will receive the services and supports necessary to make meaningful progress towards her IEP goals while participating with grade level peers in the greatest extent possible in the least restrictive environment also called lre parents will be informed of Sue's progress towards her IEP goals every quarter or whenever report cards are sent home the special education teacher will provide progress monitoring information to ensure Sue is progressing towards her goals following Sue's initial IEP meeting and annual meeting will be held each year around the same time to review and update her IEP goals Sue's EP team will conduct a re-evaluation meeting every 3 years to assess whether she still requires specialized instruction and to identify her ongoing needs if you have any questions regarding the special education process or an individualized education plan please contact your child's School administrator teacher or counselor for assistance