Individualized Education Programs

Both general and special education teachers are involved in ensuring steps are followed that protect the rights and responsibilities of parents and students. Parents have the right to participate as members of Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams and must provide consent for an IEP to be implemented. Both general and special education teachers also participate as IEP team members. IEPs include a number of parts from demographic information about a student to special factors that might affect the student’s education, assessment data, present levels of academic and functional performance, annual goals and short-term objectives, special education services needed, determination of the least restrictive environment, any accommodations a student might need in district- and state-wide assessments, and providing parents with prior written notice concerning what will or did happen in educational team meetings regarding their child. Transition planning and programming is discussed, along with writing functional goals and objectives for students with more severe disabilities. The roles of general and special education teachers throughout the IEP process are reviewed.