Individualized Education Programs (IEP) are a contract created by the school and parents to best serve the needs of the student. The student will first be evaluated by the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET). The MET consists of two or more teachers or specialists who will evaluate a student for special education services. If a student is identified, under the MET, to need special education services, they qualify for an IEP. The IEP serves as a plan that shows teachers what special accommodations, modifications, and services that student needs in order to achieve FAPE. The IEP includes goals for the student's resulting needs. These goals will be monitored by the teacher.
Goals
Goals are based on the student's present level of academic and functional performance (PLAFP). They are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. According to Endrew vs. Douglas County, these goals must be carefully calculated so that a student can achieve their goals, but also so that they gain more than the minimal amount of progress. The goals must be continually revisited and reevaluated to ensure that the student is making the necessary progress and that the goals are SMART.
Accommodations and modifications
An IEP will include a list of required accommodations and possibly modifications. Accommodations help students to access the general education curriculum. They are a good starting point, but the general education teacher can always provide more accommodations if need be, and accommodations can be provided to general education students as well. It is not changing the curriculum, just how to get there or show understanding. Modifications are ways that the curriculum can be changed. These must be followed from the IEP, and the teacher can not chose to modify where a plan does not say to modify.
What can i, the general education teacher, do?
Research accommodations and try them out to see what best helps your student. There is a list of common accommodations here.
Bring your knowledge of the student with you to the IEP meeting. There, you can listen to the input of the student's parents and their special education teacher. Your input is very important as well, as the IEP team all see different sides to the student. Make sure that the parent's voice is heard, they know the student best!
Be sure to follow every part of the IEP, even if you don't think it's necessary. It is legally required.
Sources Mulvahill, Elizabeth. “What Is an IEP?” WeAreTeachers, WeAreTeachers, 25 May 2018, www.weareteachers.com/what-is-an-iep/.
"Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/2016/15-827.
Morin, Amanda. “Common Accommodations and Modifications in School.” Understood.org, Understood, www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/educational-strategies/common-classroom-accommodations-and-modifications.