IEP-2005: Writing and Implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

The purpose of this book is to provide guidelines to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments of 2004 (IDEA-2004) or Public Law 108-446. These guidelines are intended to result in IEPs that are streamlined, focused, and reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit. Specifically, this work is directed toward developing IEPs that provide every child with a free and appropriate public education, rather than to develop IEPs that merely show compliance with IDEA but confuses rather than addresses educational needs. The book contains detailed information emphasizing several important needs for: (1) developing a streamlined IEP process; (2) providing guidelines for IEP forms; and (3) providing a model for refocusing the IEP from a monitoring/compliance device to a document that actually represents an appropriate and individualized educational plan. Every state is required to develop a model IEP form, and the information contained in this book includes basic strategies and a basic model IEP form for achieving this task. Additional major topics include IEP planning, amendments, prereferral and referral, teams and meetings, individual evaluation, student information, Present Levels of Academic Achievement (PLAA), modifications and accommodations, measurable annual goals, IEP services, location, signatures, and reports. In the appendices, a sample IEP Form is included and a description of Public Law 108-446 is given. The strategies and discussions contained in this book will provide positive direction for the educational profession, as well as improve the quality of education for students.