Individualized Education Programs Help Kids with Special Needs

Your child has special needs, and you’ve had those established by a medical provider. You want your child to go to school and have fun with the other children, but his or her education is important to you, too.

You know there are some options to help with your child’s schoolwork and assessments. Those options are open to people who opt into an individualized education program.

What is an IEP?

An IEP is short for an individualized education program. This is a program that works well for children with special needs in their classes. Whether that means that your child needs assistance taking notes or requires special equipment to hear or see properly during class, an IEP can help.

How do you get an IEP?

You can get an IEP once you have your child’s need for special education services established. Once the district recognizes your child’s need for services, an IEP becomes available.

What is in an IEP?

A statement that establishes your child’s present academic level and performance across several areas is necessary. This helps gauge how an IEP is working for your child.

The IEP also needs to have set educational goals for your child as well as short-term objectives aside from annual goals. Parents can also look at the IEP to see when the IEP begins, where it will be used and when its completion date is.

The IEP has to contain information on when parents will be updated on their children’s performances. For instance, the IEP educator may state that a review comes up four times per year, or it might send weekly or biweekly emails to parents regarding their children’s improvements. Inside the IEP, it’s necessary to state which modifications help your child and how they affect district- or state-wide assessments. In some cases, children on IEPs do not take state or district assessments and have assessments taken in other manners.