If you are not seeing progress in your child’s academic, functional, or behavioral levels then his or her IEP may be ineffective & not addressing your child’s current needs. Below are 7 signs that your child’s IEP is ineffective.
1. The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) is not accurate and does not fully describe your child.
- The PLAAFP is the starting point, foundation, and “star” of the IEP. The IEP Committee must determine the student’s present levels before it can determine appropriate goals, accommodations, modifications, and program for the student.
- The PLAAFP tells the story of the student through description of current evaluations and performance, discussion of student’s strengths and needs, explanation of curricular and non-curricular issues that describe the student’s strengths and needs, and utilization of a variety of sources of data in telling the student’s story.
- The PLAAFP identifies and prioritizes the strengths and needs of the student including learning and behavioral strengths and needs as well as data on the student’s attendance, performance on district and state assessments, discipline data, and other related areas.
- The PLAAFP establishes the student’s current baseline for developing an appropriate plan. Explains how the disability and the student’s needs currently affect his/her participation and progress in the general education curriculum,and provide direction for moving the student toward greater access and greater success.
- The PLAAFP provides a description of current skill sets and expectations for future learning. Should contain specific and measurable baseline data as well as establish the connection between where the student is currently functioning and the enrolled grade level standards.
2. You and the IEP team do not share the same vision for your child. Parents & guardians should always write a vision statement to be included in the PLAAFP. Vision statements should include your child’s interests, strengths, and weaknesses as well as your short term goals, long term goals, and concerns for your child.
3. The IEP goals & objectives are not based on the PLAAFP & are not measurable. IDEA 2004 states measurable, annual goals should be designed to meet the following two statements:
–Meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general curriculum.
–Meet the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability.
- Annual goals are statements that describe what a student can reasonably be expected to accomplish within a twelve month period in the student’s special education program. These goals are skills and/or knowledge that will be mastered not an activity.
- Annual goals identify the areas in which a student needs special education services & specially designed instruction. These goals identify specific areas where a student needs assistance from a special education professional (i.e. special education teacher, speech language pathologist, related services personnel, etc). The goal addresses critical needs identified in a student’s PLAAFP that are keeping the student from accessing and/or progressing in the general curriculum.
- Measurable goals are defined as statements that contain four critical components: timeframe, conditions, behavior, and criterion. A measurable goal includes the behavior or skill that can be measured at periodic intervals against a criterion of success.
4. You are not receiving IEP progress reports in concurrence with report cards.
5. IEP goals & objectives just disappear without being mastered or continued into the next IEP.
6. You were not included part in other parts of the IEP process. Parents should be involved in all parts of the IEP process not just the IEP meeting. Other parents of the IEP process that parents must be included in are evaluation, identification, and educational placement of their child.
7. The IEP meeting is not collaborative & there is not much discussion on components of the IEP. During the meeting the school’s recommendations are read to the IEP committee without little to no discussion. There was little to no communication with you before the IEP meeting such as your child’s special education teacher or case manager calling or meeting with you to discuss your recommendations & concerns.