What’s an IEP?

Next up in my series of Things you Should Know About Education: we’re staying in the world of special education for a few more posts. Today we’re talking about IEPs! 

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program, and it’s one of the most important tools we have to make sure every child who qualifies for special education services gets what they need to succeed in school.

It’s a legal document, but at its heart, an IEP is a plan built with families to ensure their students have individualized goals that meet them where they are and help them get where they need to go. Parents (and sometimes students) sit with teachers, specialists, and administrators to set goals and decide what supports will help that child learn and thrive. Goals can be academic, behavioral, and social emotional, and can include things like Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, or Educationally-Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS). 

Every student who qualifies under the IDEA has the right to an IEP (scroll back a couple of posts if you missed by primer on IDEA!). You can think of an IEP both as a roadmap and a promise: it ensures each student’s unique needs are being met and that the school is working with families to help their kids succeed. 

Next up: how IEPs compare to 504 plans, and what families should know about the difference.