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If your child is involved in the special education system, then you know what an Individualized Education Plan. Here are the steps in the IEP process to prepare for as you try to decide the best educational route for your child:

Step 1: Pre-Referral

The IEP process starts through a series of pre-referral interventions. The interventions implemented vary depending on the kinds of problems the student is exhibiting. The major purposes of this stage of the IEP process are to

-Document and explain students’ specific difficulties and challenges

-Test the effectiveness of the classroom setting, and how it can be changed

-Monitor students’ progress

Step 2: Referral

If pre-referral interventions are unsuccessful, an individual is referred for special education services. Referrals can come from many different sources, depending on how old your child is.

Step 3: Identification

Assessment is one foundation of the planning process. The purpose of this step in the IEP process is to determine whether a youngster has a disability, whether special education is required, and what types of services are needed.

Step 4: Eligibility

The information from the assessment step is used to identify students who actually have a disability and qualify for special education services.

Step 5: Development of the IEP

For those students who qualify for special education, the next step requires that parents and the IEP Team make decisions about appropriate education, services, and placement. The assessment results are used to help make these decisions.

Step 6: Implementation of the IEP

Once the IEP is developed, the student’s services and individualized program begin. The IEP now lays out what constitutes an appropriate education for the student, the extent to which the student participates in the general education curriculum, the accommodations the student receives both for instruction and for testing, and the array of multidisciplinary services from related service providers that support the student’s educational program.

Step 7: Evaluation and Reviews

The purpose of the IEP review meetings is to ensure that students are meeting their goals and making educational progress.