Special education IEP checklist for teachers to track each student's supports. Record accommodations, modifications, interventions, and supports for IEPs, 504s, and special education.
Special education, IEP, IEP Tubs, classroom management, classroom ideas, centers, sped centers
Differentiation and scaffolding can help students better understand and learn. Here are teaching ideas and tips to use in class.
Inside: Browse, print, and use this comprehensive list of IEP Accommodation and 504 Accommodations. Includes a PDF.
Special Education Acronyms: IEP, LRE, FAPE... what do they mean? Learn more and grab a free acronym list that every parent should know.
Special education IEP checklist for teachers to track each student's supports. Record accommodations, modifications, interventions, and supports for IEPs, 504s, and special education.
Special education IEP checklist for teachers to track each student's supports. Record accommodations, modifications, interventions, and supports for IEPs, 504s, and special education.
I know how overwhelming and IEP meeting can be, and it is very difficult to know if they are covering everything they are suppose to. This is especially true if you do not have a special education advocate to help ensure everything is done properly. Not all IEP meetings are the same, but usually they …
IEP Request Letter: How to Request IEP Assessment or IEP Evaluation including Sample Letter Requesting Special Education Evaluation
Parents, you may not always agree with your child's IEP. So here are some tips and for what to do when you disagree with your child's IEP team.
Special ed teachers collect data for IEPs. Learn how to collect data using daily data sheets in your special education classroom.
At the beginning of the school year, it is the special education teacher's job to share IEP information with school staff. This blog post includes some important things to think about when completing this important back to school task.
Let's talk about the special education referral process and building a child's individualized education plan (IEP).
IEP goals, IEP goal banks, special education, sped goals, writing sped goals
Meaningful IEP Evaluations are an essential part of the IEP process, and key to meaningful goals and supports. Know what to ask for.
As a parent, heading into an IEP meeting is overwhelming. Even well-seasoned parents of children with special needs get nervous before walking into a meeting where the sole purpose is to dissect what their child can and cannot do. There are some things that special education teachers can do for parents to elevate some of the anxiety that comes with attending IEP meetings. Be honest with all communication. Communicate with parents often. When you talk with parents throughout the year, do not sugar-coat everything. There is nothing worse than feeling blindsided when you have been told that "everything is fine" all year long only to hear a more realistic description during the IEP meeting. Phone calls, emails, and daily communication logs are all options, depending on the level of need. If you have a student that needs daily communication, this communication log saved me loads of time at the end of the day. Give as much unofficial notice as possible. The law says you need to give written notice five business days before an IEP meeting. However, for a lot of parents, that may not be enough time to make arrangements with their places of employment or for childcare. When you find out the date, even if you don't know the exact time, let the parents know so they can plan ahead. Supply a draft IEP and call home ahead of the meeting. Giving a draft IEP ahead of time allows parents to really review the IEP and come up with questions. Adding a brochure about IEPs like this one is a nice touch too. Do not tell the parents to call you with any questions because that can be too intimidating for some personalities. Instead, call home a few days after you send home the draft to go over the IEP with them. Set a positive mood in the meeting room. Many of the meeting spaces I have attended meetings in have been very formal conference rooms. One way to make the meeting space feel less formal and more inviting is to add a centerpiece and a small tray of snacks. A simple vase of fresh flowers along with a plate of cookies in the middle of the table can turn a cold boardroom into an inviting space. Have a familiar person collect the parent from the waiting area. When possible, have a familiar face walk the parents back to the meeting. Engage in casual conversation on the way to the meeting room. Chances are, the parents are really nervous and chatting with a familiar person can calm their nerves a bit. Have everybody introduce themselves. At the start of the meeting, have everybody introduce themselves and give their role in the meeting. Even if the parents are seasoned and have been to several meetings, they may only see the people at the table once a year. Introductions are important. A warm smile and a hello can go a long way to help a parent feel at ease. Give an overview of the meeting. For parents attending an IEP meeting for the first time, not knowing what the meeting will look like is a major concern. Sharing a meeting agenda is helpful, even for parents that have attended IEP meetings in the past. I love this one that also includes space for the parents to take notes if they would like. Share growth and positives. When each person takes their turn to talk about the student, make sure everybody begins with positive qualities and growth. After you share growth, then go into detail about struggles, concerns, and goals. Always remember who you are talking to. You are talking to these parents about their greatest love of all time. Put yourself in their shoes and show those parents the same compassion and honesty you would hope for. Check in after the meeting. Call the parents within a few days of the meeting to go over the decisions made and to answer any additional questions. Remind the parents that you are always available to answer questions about the IEP and about their child's educational programs. These are just a few things that you can do to make an IEP meeting less overwhelming for a parent. What else do you and your team do to make parents for comfortable with the process?
Everything that parents should know about finding and hiring an IEP Advocate or Special Education Advocate.
I was in a heated IEP meeting one time, and a teacher angrily blurted out, 'What do you want from me? Do you want me
There are a lot of questions the IEP team should answer for parents who are new to the process. Here are some of them and why they need to be addressed.
The IEP process can be a very daunting task. Even though I feel very comfortable with all of the paperwork I sometimes forget the "timeline". I have put together timelines and procedures for Initial Referrals, Annual Reviews and 3 year re-evaluations that we use in my district. These may be different than your district so be sure to double check. I just thought it would be good to share :) Here are the PDF versions of these forms. Feel free to print and use for reference. Follow my blog with Bloglovin
How to manage and organize IEP goals in the special education classroom.
Do you work with tons of specialists? I know I do! The best thing we can do for our student’s success is work with those people to build a team to support our students. I work with some amazing specialists who’ve always been willing to collaborate with me. I have set up biweekly meetings where ... Read More about Building a Collaborative Team: Matrix Planning
Special education IEP checklist for teachers to track each student's supports. Record accommodations, modifications, interventions, and supports for IEPs, 504s, and special education.
Related Bonnie LandauBonnie Landau is a licensed professional clinical counselor and educational consultant in Ventura County, California. Her goal is to help parents of neurodivergent individuals find strategies and solutions to help their children succeed in school and in life. Bonnie is also the author of Special Ed Mom Survival Guide: How to Prevail in …
When I was a teacher, an IEP meeting meant one thing: No conference period. For me, it was just one thing added to my never-ending list of to-do's. I didn't plan for them. In fact, sometimes I forgot about them. There was no class or manual that taught what was to be expected of me. And to be honest, anyone who knew me during my teacher years knows I've broken every rule in the book. Let's just say, I'm glad there are no video tapes in IEP meetings! So, if this is you, just know that you are not alone! I have spent many hours in IEP meetings since becoming a diagnostician, so here's a list of things I would like to have known as a teacher (and things that just drive me crazy!). :) The Do's & Don'ts of IEP Meetings (for Teachers) 1. Attend the meeting on time: I cannot tell you how many minutes I have spent waiting on teachers (or... ahem... administrators) to actually show up to the meeting. I even give day-before reminders on most cases and still have some not show up. So, please don't make someone have to find you, especially if you work in a humongous school where the possibilities are endless as to where we might find you! 2. Recognize that it is a formal, legal, and confidential meeting: Legal and confidential are the words you should take from this. You could be in court one day defending what you said in an IEP meeting, so make sure to choose your words wisely. And remember that the meeting is confidential and the only people who you should speak with about it are those who have educational interest (meaning, if you are a 4th grade teacher, you don't discuss it with a 1st grade teacher over lunch). One more thing... what you decide in a meeting has to be implemented! 3. Tell the parent how the child is doing, but DON'T withhold information because of fear: I once had a teacher come into a meeting before the parent got there and told me about all the problems she was having in her class with this particular student. During the meeting, when it was the teacher's turn to speak, she said, "Oh, he's doing pretty well" and then proceeded to tell about all the (minimal) progress he had made. Please don't do this! If you end up having very serious problems with a child in the future, there is nothing to back up that this has been a consistent problem. In fact, you are basically saying that there were no problems at this time and thus the current problem is a fluke. Be honest (and kind), and don't sugar coat the important information that parents need to know. 4. Bring data and work samples: Nothing says you know what you're talking about like data and work samples! Bring the stuff to back up what you are seeing in the classroom. 5. Share ideas that might work in the classroom (or at home): You are the expert not only of your content area, but of that child. So, don't feel intimidated by all those specialists sitting at the table. Share what is working and what is not working in the classroom, and bring ideas to the table that we can talk about! 6. Take notes: Things change. Maybe it's an accommodation. Maybe the student now has a new medical issue. Whatever the case may be, you are likely the only person who knows the information when you walk out of that meeting, and you have to share it with the other teachers. Don't rely on someone else to send that information everyone else. And... please... I beg you, please don't play on your phone or fall asleep. You're asking, "Would anybody actually do that?". Why yes, yes they would. 7. Put yourself in the parent's shoes: I meet parents a lot who are genuinely concerned about their child, but don't know how to help. Whether it's due to a lack of education, support, or understanding, they are having the same problems you are. Try to understand how difficult it must be to have a child with a disability, and be cautious in how you speak about that child with the parent. 8. Speak up: Nothing makes me more angry than this scenario: Me (to general education teacher): "Would you like to share how little Johnny is doing in your classroom?" General education teacher: "No, she (special education teacher) pretty much covered it!" Oh.My.Gosh! I can't deal with this one. I hate (and I mean, hate) speaking in a public forum. I'm terrified. And I have this really embarrassing issue where my face turns bright red when I'm nervous (or mad... or put on the spot... or for just about any other reason!). So, I completely understand the fear of speaking to a group of professionals. But, seriously, you have to suck it up. By not speaking, you are either telling the parent that you are scared to speak or you just plain don't care, and neither of those are good ways to be viewed. Also, you know this child more than anyone else at that table, other than the parent. Share how she did on a specific activity or assignment or share a funny story. But, please don't pass up on an opportunity to speak about the child. 9. Be a team player: Don't be that person who gets to the IEP meeting and disagrees with everything the committee says. And please don't check that you disagree with the IEP Committee on the signature page unless there is just no other option! You can absolutely disagree, but give your opinions and your concerns during the meeting and work through them with the others. If you check that disagree box, you will have to redo the meeting at another date, and no one wants that! Be kind, open minded, and cooperative and all will go well. 10. Share positives about the student: This should be common sense, I know, but it still needs to be said. You can absolutely share concerns and issues that happen in your classroom, but always... and I mean ALWAYS... give some positives. 11. Listen up and ask questions: Even though you are an expert, you are not the only expert. Parents most often have the most valuable information about your students. Many IEP Committee members also include speech therapists, occupational therapists, school counselors, and school psychologists. These people are full of wonderful information, but they can sometimes forget they are talking to people who don't have degrees in their area of expertise. So, ask questions when you don't understand, because if you don't understand, it's likely the parent doesn't either. 12. Be willing to try new things: If something isn't working in your classroom, be open to new ideas. Sometimes a seemingly odd suggestion will actually work, so be willing to try anything that will help the child to be successful in your classroom. I hope your year (and your next IEP meeting) is a success! For my math teachers returning to school, here is a free product that I just LOVE! Find and download it here! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Back-to-School-Math-Menu-2nd-5th-1797462
Differentiation and scaffolding can help students better understand and learn. Here are teaching ideas and tips to use in class.
504 Plan vs IEP: List and chart of 10 Differences between an IEP and a 504 Plan. And, a list of what is the same--is a 504 the same as an IEP?
Meaningful IEP Evaluations are an essential part of the IEP process, and key to meaningful goals and supports. Know what to ask for.
Here is a checklist of things to do before, during and after an IEP meeting to make sure you are prepared and able to run a successful meeting.
Ever wonder what the IEP meeting requirements are as a special education teacher. In this post, we take a deep dive into the areas....
Special Education Acronyms: IEP, LRE, FAPE... what do they mean? Learn more and grab a free acronym list that every parent should know.
One of the most important things you can do when advocating for your child is to organize IEP paperwork! That is why I created the Ultimate IEP Binder Tool Kit, so parents like you can get all the information in one place.
It was a unanimous verdict by the Supreme Court, 8-0, in favor of a special education student who was not given a fair and appropriate education. Too often in the schools we see teachers "dumming down" curriculum...
Inside: Browse, print, and use this comprehensive list of IEP Accommodation and 504 Accommodations. Includes a PDF.
The IEP is so much more than one meeting, but that one meeting is also very important. Learn all the different parts so that you can have better IEP meeting information.
Inside: Browse, print, and use this comprehensive list of IEP Accommodation and 504 Accommodations. Includes a PDF.
Whether you are a new teacher or a veteran, reviewing the foundational laws of our career can be incredibly helpful. Read on to discover.
As a new teacher concerned with lesson plans, testing, assessment and extracurricular activities another important issue is accommodations for exceptional students. In your classroom you may have a number of students in special education which is “an educational program that is based on and modified by the results of continuous assessment and evaluation and that includes a plan containing specific objectives and an outline of educational services that meets the needs of the exceptional pupil” (Education Act, Section 1). The school principal is required to ensure that an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is developed for each student who has been identified as exceptional by an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC), within 30 school days of the student’s placement in a special education program. At this point you may be asking your self, “Who is an exceptional child?” Exceptional children differ from the norm (either below or above) to such an extent that they require an individualized program and related services to fully benefit from their education. Thus, “exceptional” is an inclusive term that refers to children with learning and/or behavior issues, children with physical disabilities or sensory impairments and children who are intellectually gifted or have a special talent (Heward, 2006, 10). You may have students in your class that fall in the following categories of exceptionality that require an IEP: • developmental disabilities • learning disabilities • emotional and behavioral disorders • Autism • communication disorders (speech and language disorders) • hearing impairments • visual impairments • physical and health impairments • multiple disabilities • giftedness and special talents What is an Individual Education Plan (IEP)? An IEP is… • A written plan describing the special education program and/or services required by a particular student, based on a thorough assessment of the student’s strengths and needs – that is, the strengths and needs that affect the student’s ability to learn and to demonstrate learning; • a record of the particular accommodations (supports or services that are not provided to the general student population but that are required by individual students with special needs to help them achieve learning expectations and demonstrate learning), needed to help the student achieve his or her learning expectations, given the student’s identified learning strengths and needs; • a working document that identifies alternative expectations, if required, in program areas not represented in the Ontario curriculum; • a record of the specific knowledge and skills to be assessed and evaluated for the purpose of reporting student achievement of modified and/or alternative expectations; • an accountability tool for the student, the student’s parents and everyone who has responsibilities under the plan for helping the student meet the stated goals and learning expectations as the student progresses through the Ontario curriculum. The IEP process involves the following five phases: 1. Gather information • review the student’s record • consult with parents, the student, school staff and other professionals • gather information through observation of the student • consolidate and record information. 2. Set the direction • begin work on the IEP (e.g., record the reason for the IEP, record personal information, list relevant assessment data) • indicate the student’s areas of strength and areas of need on the IEP • establish a collaborative approach – the IEP team. 3. Develop the IEP as it relates to the student’s special education program and services • record decisions about program exemptions, course substitutions and eligibility for a diploma or a certificate • determine accommodations; record subjects or courses with accommodations only • determine teaching strategies and assessment methods • record information about evaluation, reporting and provincial assessments • record information about the IEP development phase (including details of parent/student consultations); secure principal’s approval. 4. Implement the IEP • share the completed IEP with the student, parents, school staff, and other professionals (providing a copy to parents and to the student, if 16 years of age or older) • put the IEP into practice • continuously assess the student’s progress • adjust the IEP as necessary (recording any changes in goals, expectations, accommodations, teaching strategies, and so on) • evaluate the student’s learning and report to parents. 5. Review and update the IEP • update the learning expectations at the beginning of each reporting period • review the IEP regularly and record revisions • plan for the transition from elementary to secondary school, or for a transfer to another school. A list of accommodations the student requires to help him or her learn and demonstrate learning includes the following: Instructional Accommodations: adjustments in teaching strategies required to enable the student to learn and to progress through the curriculum. • buddy/peer tutoring • note-taking assistance, duplicating notes • ability grouping • graphic organizers • manipulatives, concrete/hands-on materials • more frequent breaks Environmental Accommodations: changes or supports in the physical environment of the classroom and/or the school. • alternative work space • strategic seating, proximity to instructor • reduction of audio/visual stimuli • minimizing of background noise, quiet setting • special lighting Assessment Accommodations: adjustments in assessment activities and methods required to enable the student to demonstrate learning. • extended time limits • alternative settings • more frequent breaks • prompts to return student’s attention to task • extra time for processing • reduction in the number of tasks used to assess a concept or skill Sources: “About: Special Education” http://specialed.about.com “The Individual Education Plan (IEP), A Resource Guide” http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/guide/resource/index.html “Individualized Education Program” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individualized_Education_Program “Special Education” http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/speced.html “Wythe County Special Education: The Special Education Cycle” http://wcps.wythe.k12.va.us/public/speced/pages/sped1.htm
Special Education teachers are the masters of data collection! At times, collecting data can be overwhelming, especially when you sometimes have to outsource the collecting to other teachers, specialists, or teaching assistants. Tracking accommodations is necessary to make sure an IEP is being followed and can be helpful in determining which accommodations should be added to or removed from the IEP. Believe it or not, collecting data on accommodations and modifications does not have to consume your life! Share Information Be sure to share vital information with all teachers and assistants that work with your students. I have an accommodations organizer that I organize all of the information of my class. The information is in one place which is helpful for sharing information with assistants, special area teachers, and substitutes. When I first began teaching, I did not bother sharing such information with special area teachers until it was brought to my attention that a student of mine did not complete a test in physical education class. That student had trouble reading and was supposed to have his tests read. The PE teacher was unaware of his accommodations and therefore did not deliver them. I use a special form that reminds me of who needs to be informed of accommodations and modifications at the beginning of the school year and after an IEP annual review. Train Your Team If you have paraprofessionals in your classroom working with students, it is important to train them in how to deliver and how to track accommodations and modifications. Some interventions are more detailed than others. Observe your team while they are working with students and provide feedback as needed. The time you put in to properly train your team to record data the same way you would is so well spent! Use Checklists When I first started teaching, I used to write notes on a post-it that included which accommodations and modifications were used on assignments along with their effectiveness. It was very time consuming and often times, I forgot to add some things. Finally, I came up with a few checklists and forms to help the process. Level of Support One of the forms I use tracks the level of support a student needs from an adult. I use this one to determine the need for a 1:1 teaching assistant. It is useful before adding a TA and to collect data to see if continuing the intervention is a necessity. The adult that works with the student at that time fills it out while working with the student. Accommodations and Modifications Tracker I use this form two ways, depending on what I am collecting data for. As an IEP meeting approaches, I like to review the need for the interventions on the IEP. I can track the types of interventions are needed for different types of assignments and activities. More importantly, I can track the effectiveness of such interventions. I can also cut this tracker apart to staple it onto work samples. The work samples can be to show the Committee on Special Education the student's growth or regression. I also like to send work home with students with the form filled out from time to time so parents can see what kind of help the student needs in order to complete assignments at school. Frequency Tracker Another way I like to track the use of accommodations and modifications needed in school is with a frequency tracker I created. This gives me a quick visual of which interventions are being used and which are not. I focus on this during the weeks before a meeting so I can determine which accommodations and modifications need to remain, be added, or be removed from an IEP. Data collection is so important but it doesn't have to take over your entire life. Once you create a few checklists that fit your classroom or purchase one of the many checklists and charts from my TpT store, you will save yourself a ton of time and will have more data than you've ever had before!
How to write IEP goals: writing IEP goals can be tough. Follow these guidelines to make sure you have appropriate goals AND ways to collect data on your IEP goals.
The struggle is real! I'm sharing how I organize it in program books and rounding up posts about how I implement data within the classroom.
