Individual Education Plan
Individual Education Plan
The Individual Education Plan, commonly known as the IEP, is the school’s written plan of action for the special education student. According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the IEP “is a working document which describes the strengths and needs of an individual exceptional pupil, the special education program and services established to meet the pupil’s needs, and how the program and services will be delivered. It also describes the student’s progress”. The IEP does not define: everything that will be taught to the student; an educational program or set of expectations for all students; a means to monitor the effectiveness of teachers; or a daily plan. An IEP must be prepared for all special education students, and a copy of this document must be provided to the parents (and the student, if 16 or over). With the recent changes to the Special Education Act, IEPs may now be prepared without the prerequisite of an IPRC; and schools are suggesting that parents of special needs students take this route. While there is a clear benefit in avoiding the delay of waiting for an IPRC meeting, it is important to note that the IEP is not binding without the IPRC. Despite the best efforts and intentions of your child’s school, the written decision of the IPRC is the only guarantee that your child will receive the services he or she requires. Therefore, while there is no harm in starting to develop an IEP prior to the IPRC, it is inadvisable to forgo the IPRC process.
Related Links
Individual Education Plan Standards for Development, Program Planning and Implementation
