Who develops the IEP?
The IEP Team is made up of people who can help design the student’s education program. A team of people is responsible for writing and approving the IEP.

Other people can be on the IEP Team. The law specifically allows others who “have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child” to participate on the IEP Team. This means that the IEP Team can include relatives, family friends, community members, therapists, and advocates. The district or the parent decides who has knowledge or expertise regarding the child. If there are people that you think should be included in your child's IEP Team, be sure to tell the school so they can be invited. However, under IDEA and state special education law, members of the IEP Team may not be required to be in attendance in all circumstances. A member of the IEP Team listed above is not required to attend the IEP meeting if the member's area of curriculum is not a subject of the meeting and the parent and the school district agree in writing that his or her attendance is not necessary. For example, a speech and language provider may not be required to attend if speech services are not the subject of the IEP meeting and the parent and school district both agree in writing that the speech and language provider does not need to attend because the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the student's behavior intervention plan only. Furthermore, members of the IEP Team may be excused from the meeting EVEN IF the meeting involves a modification or discussion of the team member's area if the parent and the school district agree in writing. However, the excused IEP Team member must submit written input into the development of the IEP to both the parent and the school district prior to the meeting.

What can I contribute to the IEP?
Input from parents and others who know the student and care about his or her success is key to creating an effective special education program. Parents are an essential part of the IEP Team and may have some great ideas about other useful people to include. The IEP Team must consider the limitations when creating a plan. You should let the school know if there are other people you think can contribute to this process. An important part of your role as an advocate is to analyze the educational program and services being offered by the school district. For example, are the goals and objectives reasonable given your understanding of your child's abilities? Are the kinds of services recommended by the district going to make a difference for your child? If you have suggestions for improving the education plan, you should voice them in the IEP Team meeting. You can also add a fresh perspective and creativity to the process. Think about ways to engage your child that the educators may not have considered. For example, if a reward of a special activity or sports time motivates your child to do chores at home, then a similar reward for completing assignments could be put in place at school. Or maybe you know that your child has a difficult time when there are a lot of distractions, people, and noise. You could suggest that your child change classes before or after the rest of students do.

How does the IEP address behavior issues?
The IEP should include a functional behavior assessment and a behavior intervention plan if behavior problems exist. For a student whose behavior gets in the way of his or her learning or that of other students, the IEP should provide goals and objectives for improving behavior and strategies for addressing the problem. It is important to remember that a student's behavior may be related to his or her disability. The IEP should anticipate behavior problems and create effective ways to respond to those problems before they occur.

When does an IEP get reviewed or revised?
At least once a year, but more frequently if an IEP Team member requests it. IEPs should be reviewed at least once a year. However, a district must follow an IEP even if it is past due for review. At the end of a year, the IEP Team must meet to review the education program and to determine whether the student's annual goals are being achieved. The IEP must be revised if the student has not shown academic progress or new information about the student is made available. The IEP should also anticipate a student's changing needs as he or she matures. The IEP can also be reviewed at any time at the request of a team member or when circumstances have changed. However, under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state special education law, changes can now be made to a child's IEP after the annual review meeting without convening an IEP meeting, if the parent and the district agree to do so. In this case, a written document can be used to amend or modify the child's IEP. At the parent's request, the school district must provide the parent with a revised copy of the IEP that includes the amendments. If you think that the IEP or your child's special education services have changed, ask the District for a copy of the most recent IEP including any written amendments that have been made through agreement. Under IDEA, school districts are also encouraged to reduce the number of IEP meetings held for each student per year by encouraging the consolidation of IEP Team meetings.

The IEP Team must review the existing evaluation data for the student and decide what additional testing, if any, is needed to address the three issues listed above.

Where will my child with disabilities receive services described in his or her IEP?
Students with disabilities must be educated in the least restrictive educational environment — that may mean a general education class. An essential principle of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is that students with disabilities should be included in the general education program as much as possible and not excluded or educated separately. Children with disabilities have the right to be educated in the least restrictive environment. This means that an IEP Team must consider educating and providing services to a student in the same setting as students without disabilities for academic, non-academic, and extracurricular activities. A student with disabilities can be removed from the general education classroom setting only if the needs are so severe or disruptive that he or she cannot make educational progress, even with extra support and services in the general education classroom. Not all students with disabilities can succeed in a general education classroom without support. Some students need individual help from a teacher's aide in the class, or modifications of curriculum, materials, or methods of instruction. Other students require a different setting entirely, such as a special day school or home instruction. Students must be educated in the educational setting that is closest to the general education classroom, but will still allow the student to make academic progress.

In both circumstances, the new school must take reasonable steps to promptly obtain the child's special education records and the previous school must promptly reply to the request for records.

Can a special education program help my child transition from school into adult life?
Yes, special education must provide transition services to students beginning at least by age sixteen. Special education provides services to all students with disabilities to help them prepare for adult life. These services, called “transition services,” are designed to promote movement from school to post-school activities, including college and other post-secondary education, vocational training programs, independent living programs, adult services, and supported employment. School districts must start transition planning for older students, beginning no later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student is 16. This means that the school district must address transition planning at the annual IEP meeting prior to the student's 16th birthday. After transition is addressed, the IEP must include appropriate, measurable post secondary goals related to training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills and outline the transition services, including courses of study, the student will need to reach these goals. These goals must be based upon an age appropriate transition assessment. The kinds of transition services a student receives should take into account his or her interests and preferences and the skills he or she needs to acquire.