You want a what? Seems like kids need a lot. What is reality is some kids need a little extra help in learning. Basiclly that is what and Indivicual Eduction Plan is.

Guranteed by a law #94-124 it means that if your child needs help to get and "Equal, most approriate, and least restrictive" education from the public school system. The school has to provide it free to the child and their family once a child is identified as not making appropriate progress and assessed, at the school districts expense, in an agreed upon plan between educators, parents, and significant others. Those others can be Grand-parents, step-parents, lawyers, pediatricians, mentors, clergy, child care providers, transportation agents, state child services personael, adults with similiar disabilities, and your child where appropriate. I strongly suggest getting a trained advocate to help you through the process. Then the baloney and "I Can'ts" tend to be avoided.

Parents have to request it in writing and agree to testing and evaluations but the clock starts on the day the rquest is submitted and has to be acted on in 45 days.

Parents have many rights. Like what, why, and how their child will be tested. They can be present, should be given written results, and the results can be challenged. Generally you have to pay for that but there are state funded specialists to advocate for your child and help you fully understand the process and the results.

I recommend includeing such advocates early on in the process.

A great deal of information is provided at government expense to you as a parent. Custodial and non-custodial parents have a right to be fully vested in this process. Much of the free information is well written, illustrated, and similiar infor mation is made at age approriate level for your child. If English is not your first language all information includeing forms must be translated so you are making informed consent. If reading is not your thing more and more of this information is available on tape or DVD. There are also great Parent/professional training conferences you can attend and learn from peer parents and consumers who have been useing this law for 30+ years.

Usually evaluations will be a combination of written, verbal, and observatons. Kids rarely mind some even find them fun. The important thing is EVERYONE keep in mind it is not PASS or FAIL but assessing how you child learns and if they are age appropriate and help them get there. If not doing as much as is possible to help them. Again this is the schools responsibility and there are federal funds to cover the costs so don't let them tell you they don't have the money.

The kinds of helps a child may get are extra supervision, tutors, adapted materials, counseling, and even adapted learning environments, rest breaks,or special diets. While the school will not provide medication they can be required to administer it in the most appropriate time or way.

This help applies to all learning environments from the classroom, to the playground, to the school lunchroom, or any school sponsored activitiy.

One of the biggest tasks of and IEP is to assure your child is not being discriminated against and is mainstreamed rather than segregated to get this help.

Each time a special needs child enters school, even preschool, or a new school this IEP can be developed and implimented especially if there is any diagnosis or reasonable knowledge that the child will need such individual care.

Any questions feel free to ask for a local referral. All school districts in the USA have resources. It is true they will sometimes stonewall parents so if you need independent assistance ask.

Good luck. Hope this is helpful. It really is easier than it sounds. Once written these plans can be updated and adapted as needed. If you feel the plan is not working you are entitled to appeal the process.

I remember those meetings..I hated them..the woman that was in charge of ours was a b*tch..She wasn't trying to help anybody..she was tryin to get herself hurt is what she was doing..I wanted to smack her every time I saw her..It took all the strength I had to not run her down..lol.

I remember those meetings..I hated them..the woman that was in charge of ours was a b*tch..She wasn't trying to help anybody..she was tryin to get herself hurt is what she was doing..I wanted to smack her every time I saw her..It took all the strength I had to not run her down..lol.


Yes sorry to say for a consumer student and parent these meetings can be really difficult.

They definitely better to go into if you know your child's strength's, weaknesses, needs, and rights.

If you have a qualified independent advocate helping you know what is legit and they know from the get go they are not going to be able to run over you they tend to go smoother. Learning the language of your disability and this particular process definitely helps keep from being overwhelmed with educational double speak, out right flood of information, and being bullied into decisions you later regret.

Taking someone just to take notes or record the meeting cuts down on a lot of the BS. You do have a right to record the meeting and preview all reports being used to draw conclusions prior to the meeting. Schools tend to get very nervouse about this but they can not refuse to participate. Only to have confidentiality.

Parents also have a right to have time to think about their decisions. Because this is a contractual agreement it is important to know what you are signing. Once you do sign you have to have justification to change it.

Can this work on Kindergartners too?

IEP meetings suck big time! I just went through that a few weeks ago for my son since we are in a new school and we were working from the IEP from his last school. The new therapists were really nice and came up with some amazing ideas for this school year, the higher up moron from the school was a total jerk. So far I am okay with the new IEP but come February there might be a fight since they feel my son (who is almost 10 yrs old and working 8-9 yrs behind) doesn't need to be enrolled in the extended school year throughout the summer. Umm duh, stupid to give him 3 full months off from school.

I consider IEP meetings to be similar to real estate dealings. You go in with a number in your head and the other side tries to talk you down over and over. In the end you meet somewhere in the middle if you're lucky. There are advocates that will go with you and be that calm that you need to negotiate all the details. Parents can get so emotional (I know I am) when making decisions for their children.

I've had our school tell me more than once "this is the first time we've ever done this". I take it as a compliment because it means we are forging a path for the families that come behind us.

Good Luck everyone!

My nephew was and still is in IEP and it was and still is a big waste of time . Usually the students are given easy tasks to do and not their levels at all and they spend too much time doing whatever they want . IEP is just another form for a teacher to get rid of your child for a while . Lots of teachers, principles and vice principles are liars, deceive parents and think just about how to get rid of a student .

I hated IEP time when we lived in Florida!! dreaded it- they had unrealistic goals for my son- and special needs children are NEVER left behind even if the parent insists- they are just pushed on through and it is a huge waste of time

However since moving up to Ohio- I was pleasantly surprised- they included my son in the meeting and asked what my goals for him were after he graduates- what my hopes were- ive never had that before- he was kept back this year so he repeated 8th grade- I was thrilled!!! the goals are far more realistic yet challenging- i was very happy with the results of this years IEP!!!

Finally! a good meeting!

I remember those meetings..I hated them..the woman that was in charge of ours was a b*tch..She wasn't trying to help anybody..she was tryin to get herself hurt is what she was doing..I wanted to smack her every time I saw her..It took all the strength I had to not run her down..lol.


Yes sorry to say for a consumer student and parent these meetings can be really difficult.

They definitely better to go into if you know your child's strength's, weaknesses, needs, and rights.

If you have a qualified independent advocate helping you know what is legit and they know from the get go they are not going to be able to run over you they tend to go smoother. Learning the language of your disability and this particular process definitely helps keep from being overwhelmed with educational double speak, out right flood of information, and being bullied into decisions you later regret.

Taking someone just to take notes or record the meeting cuts down on a lot of the BS. You do have a right to record the meeting and preview all reports being used to draw conclusions prior to the meeting. Schools tend to get very nervouse about this but they can not refuse to participate. Only to have confidentiality.

Parents also have a right to have time to think about their decisions. Because this is a contractual agreement it is important to know what you are signing. Once you do sign you have to have justification to change it.



We learned VERY quickly that yes indeed you DO have to speak up for your child because in my experience and many others that I grew up with we were basically shoved aside because thy didn't wanna take the time it took to teach someone who learned differently or slower than the other children..I knew kids that at age 15 were being put in front of a TV all day instead of a text book because it was faster and easier to let Big Bird deal wih them than the teachers who got PAID to do so..My mom fought YEARS for me to be put in the "regular" classes because they figured "You seen one disabled kid you seen them all and they are a one glove fits all"..Well..one glove DON'T fit all!

My oldest started needing IEP's as early as 1st grade..and that was 20 years ago. So I would think they have the needed programs for those that young now. Hopefully the system works better now than back then. Nothing that was done ever helped my son...

Sadly things get better then sometimes back slide.

It is a process and it only works as good as the people who are a part of it. The trick is making sure you have enough people on your side to balance things in your child's favor. It is not easy.

If you make and IEP a burden for the teacher and no extra help you can just about bet they will do very little to implement it. If you show the teacher that you are not putting it all on her and are willing to make her job easier they can be your best friend.

But it goes south then you have to not just get pissed off but sue the school for non-compliance. It is amazing how compliant a school district will get when the state school officials and lawyers start getting involved. All disabled children have free protection and advocay lawyers in the United States.

Hopefully by banning together with knowledgeable parents who have already been through the process you won't be so easy to run over. The school won't tell you how to find them but many of the organizations will and word of mouth. Put a request of Craigs list. Or a mini ad in the free paper. United Way First Call for help is good too.

Do they have IEPs in Kindergarten -- yes, my son had an IEP for speech problems when he was in kindergarten.

I have even heard of IEPs for children in head start type preschool programs -- it just depends on the disability of the child.

"But it goes south then you have to not just get pissed off but sue the school for non-compliance. It is amazing how compliant a school district will get when the state school officials and lawyers start getting involved." They also can get co-operative at just the possibility of being reported for violations when they know they are in the wrong. My daughter's school wrote a terrible and meaningless 504 for my daughter and end result was daughter's rights were violated....then after I pointed out a few violations, I got everything I thought she needed put on her new 504.

I have always lead my trainings with

"You can not play the game without knowing the rules."

Fortuneately in the USA all the rules and all the laws (which are two seperate things) are always available to citizens and not just lawyers or Vip's in various government agencies. Under the Freedom of Information Act they have to provide you not only access but copies of laws AND regulations that relate to you.

Since most small fry school administrators only sort of- kind of know them so if you do they don't tend to screw with you nearly as much. What you do not have to do is threaten or try to intimidate. Even if they are breaking the law and the rules they are probably not going to loose their job so don't go there.

Someone who is available to help you if you keep quite that they are is your Congressman or State Senator. They have Aids that typically get assign to help constituants with their "issues". Since teachers unions and and school bords have plenty of clout you don't want to kill the goose by laying and egg and telling who your friends are.

my eldest had an IEP and it was invaluable. brilliant, yet with a math-centered learning disability...it really helped her to graduate.

my youngest two have ACT 504s in place. so far, there grades are good enough to not need IEPs, but they absolutely need the extra help. my littlest even gets to nap in class if needed.

My youngest and I were introduced to IEP's last year. At first I thought it was great, he was finally getting the assistance he needs, things will still be tough, but finally I have someone willing to work with him. Boy was I wrong. The school introduced me to it simply because I had already, unknowingly, initiated it myself by demanding he be tested and observed when I registered him. And don't get me wrong, I wasn't rude or anything, I just didn't accept no for an answer lol. I explained what we had already been through and done or not done, what was currently being done through his doctor, and made sure they knew I was not going to accept his being ignored.
Well, i was in for a big awakening by the end of the year. I was never once allowed to see his test results in writing, only informed of them over the phone; and I take responsibility in not thinking to ask for them in writing. His teacher NEVER provided me with any regular letters concerning his behavior and attention during class.
I started getting suspicious when his report cards were not matching up with what I was seeing from him myself, and so going through his doctor, I did not notify the school when he was gonna be off his medication (due to insurance issues), waiting to see how long it took them to contact me. I ended up contacting them two weeks afterwards, when he came home telling me that he had been able to watch tv all day. Come to find out, his teacher had been keeping him in the back of the class so to speak, pretty much the entire year. Never once did she write to me or call me; I take that back. She called ONCE and that was cause he got hurt on the playground. I had specifically asked for her to fill out the connors report for him five times that year, his doctor demanded it twice. I finally received it from the school the last week he was in that school, three weeks before the end of the year.

This year, he is in a different district and everything and I am already starting to have an issue concerning the connors report. I sent in a copy as the doctor asked me to get one (which I expected, it is a yearly thing lol). The school sent it home not filled out claiming they needed a doctors request in order to fill it out, which is nothing but pure nonsense. So now, I am working on that issue.
What makes me real nervous with this school too, is it is an older school building (everythign i up to code no worries there) is that it has an old padded room for troubled kids, back from when they were placed in such rooms instead of dealt with, and the principle made sure to let me know that it was there if needed, as if i woudl find that reassuring.

Something sure isn't right there. My son gets daily reports coming home from both his teacher and any therapist that worked with him that day. I refuse to let any day go by that no note comes home from school. My son is almost 10 yrs and non-verbal. He cannot tell me if he is happy or if they are treating him properly, I rely very heavily on the notes that come home. You have every right in the world to get reports on your childs day and any issues that may be happening at school. You have the right at anytime to go through an appeals process, the schools and the intermediate units HATE it because they are forced to provide documentation of the IEP being followed up with.

That sounds like a very thinly veiled threat to me so I would be on the phone to your State's Protection and Advocacy Department.

P&A is usually funded under Health and Mental Retardation but you can bet a states attorney, that is free to you, starts noseing around, observing your child in his classroom unannounced and reviewing his IEP that you will be getting a lot of co-operation.

I had one of these done, it singled me out as the stupid kid in the class and made my life a living hell until i graduated high school.

Who ever invented these should be shot...

I am now a very successful, smart, happy Microsoft Administrator, for Banks and Insurance companies, I keep your money and Identity safe.

Thank GOD these tests did not follow me to my career, or i would be flipping burgers for 5 bucks an hour..

Why did your classmates or anyone other than your teacher(s), counselor(s), advocate(s) or parents even know it was going on? And even if it did get out, it is still the schools responsibility to provide you with a hassle free environment. And trust me schools are starting to buckle down recently about that because judges are starting to fine the schools as accomplices when it can be proven the school knew of harassment or bullying among the students and simply ignored it.

My son is a freshman and we have never had anything like this done? Every single teacher knew he was ADHD but I guess we never really needed anything special so they never really worried about it! I am assuming that this is for students that need special things or need a tutor, am I wrong? If so..my question is why didn't my son ever got evaluated? And if he is doing good in school should I even say anything about this? Actually both of my boys were/are honor students so maybe this isn't something for me? Help!!!