Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) are established for special needs children or children with learning disabilities to ensure that they have an equal chance at learning and education. The whole IEP process can be an intimidating and time-consuming one. Your child's individual IEP will contain a lot of different information regarding your child, his or her learning abilities and disabilities, as well as the extra resources and assistance the school will grant them.

Your child's IEP will include their current level on performance and achievement. This will include how your child is doing in school and how their disability is affecting them, both in their learning and social environments. The IEP will also evaluate and set annual goals for your child. These are reasonable and achievable goals set by you and the IEP team you meet with. This is essential because goals are a way to measure progress.

Furthermore, the plan will include the special education and services that will be given to your child to aid them. This can include a wide variety of items dependent on your child's learning disability or special needs. Also in the plan, you and the team will establish how much participation your child will have with nondisabled children. Again, this is evaluated on what is best for your child's needs and circumstances.

Another point in your child's plan will be their participation in assessment testing, whether given by the state or district. If the team decides to have your child take these assessments, they will also explain the appropriate modifications your child will receive. If the team rules out these tests, they will give an explanation of why these tests and assessments are not necessary for your child.

Finally, the IEP will include important information about all the services and modifications they will provide. They must also give dates on when these modifications will start and how long they will last. The IEP must also state how they will measure your child's progress, and how the parent will be informed regularly of the progress or lack of progress.

In the end, establishing an IEP with your child's school is a long process, but it will be worth it in the end. Think of the individual educational program as a contract with the school and district to ensure that your child is given the best education. These plans are usually reviewed annually, though can be changed sooner under special circumstances.

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