What is in an IEP?

Your child's IEP is an important written document that outlines his or her present levels of educational performance, annual goals and special education program. While the same form is used for every Pennsylvania special education student, the contents must be individualized to describe the particular student's educational performance and program.

The following topics should be included in every IEP:

Educational Level: This section of the IEP should summarize your child's performance in his or her current program and describe how your child is performing in the general education curriculum. Any information about classroom work, standardized tests and other assessments should be included. This information is critical to the development of the IEP because the drafting of annual goals and the determination of services will be based in large part on the information provided in this section.

Annual Goals: The IEP Team must include annual goals that are designed to address the needs created by the student's disability. The goals must be measurable and must be designed to be achieved within one calendar year. Each goal must contain the student's name, the condition under which the goal is to be performed, the specific action required by the student and objective performance criteria that will measure progress toward the goal.

Short Term Objectives: Short term objectives are only required for students who take alternative assessments that are aligned to alternative standards. For these students, the IEP Team must develop short term objectives or benchmarks for each annual goal that are designed to culminate in the completion of the annual goal. While short term objectives are only required for certain students, an IEP Team may decide to include them in the IEP of any special education student.

Special Education Interventions, Services and Aids: The IEP must describe the specific specially designed instruction, services, aids, modifications and accommodations that are necessary for the student.

Types of Education and Services and their Frequency and Duration: The IEP must clearly state what types of special education and related services the student will receive along with their frequency (such as how much time the child will receive during a week, month or other defined period of time) and duration (the start and end dates of the service.)

Modifications: The IEP must clearly describe any program modifications to the general curriculum.

Behavioral Concerns: If the student has behaviors that impede his or her learning then the IEP Team must develop a positive behavior intervention plan (BIP) that is designed to meet the needs of the student. The behavior intervention plan must be based on a functional behavior assessment and become part of the IEP.

The Team must also consider things such as assistive technology and extended school year for every eligible student. The IEP must reflect the Team's determination of whether assistive technology and extended school year services are necessary.

The IEP should be written to address a student's expected needs over the course of one calendar year. The IEP Team is always able to meet before the year is up to address any concerns or amend the IEP as necessary, however in no case should an IEP be written for a time period of more than one year because it is important for the Team to consider all of the factors described above annually in order to provide each special education student with a free appropriate public education.