Following the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 97) Toni Kroos Germany Jersey , parents of children with special needs have become even more important members of their child's education team, working with educators to develop a plan that will help their child succeed in the public school system. This is not available in the private school system, unfortunately.
This individualized education plan (IEP) describes the goals the team has set for the child for the school year as well as any special supports that are needed to help achieve those goals.
Who Needs an IEP?
A child who has difficulty functioning andor learning and has been identified as a special needs student is the perfect candidate for an IEP.
Children who are struggling in school may qualify for support services, allowing them to be taught in a special way, for a variety of reasons:
Other children, who have advanced skills Thomas Muller Germany Jersey , either overall or in one specific area of learning such as math or reading, may need an enriched education curriculum so they don't become bored. In most cases, the services and goals outlined in an IEP can be provided in a standard public school environment. This can be done in the regular classroom (for example, a reading teacher helping a small group of children who need extra assistance while the other kids in the class work on reading with the regular teacher) or in a special resource room in the regular school. The special resource room can serve a group of children with similar needs who are brought together for help. However, children who need intense intervention may be taught in a different special school environment, depending on their needs.
These classes have fewer students per teacher Shkodran Mustafi Germany Jersey , allowing for more individualized and at times one-on-one attention. In addition, the teacher usually has specific training in helping children with special educational needs, and may be a "special education resource teacher".
The children spend most of their day in a special classroom and join the regular classes for nonacademic activities (like gym and music) or in academic activities in which they don't need extra help. Because the goal of IDEA 97 is to make sure that each child is educated in the least restrictive environment possible, usually every effort is made to help children stay in a regular classroom as much as possible.
However, when the child's needs are best met in a special education class, then they may be placed in one.
The Referral and Evaluation Process
The referral process generally begins when a parent or teacher notices a child is having trouble in the classroom Sebastian Rudy Germany Jersey , and the parent or teacher notifies the school counselor or school psychologist. The first step is to gather specific data regarding the student's progress andor academic challenges and difficulties.
This may be done through:
a conference with the parents a conference with the student, age dependent analysis of the student's performance (attention, behavior, class work, homework, quizzes Sami Khedira Germany Jersey , tests, work completion, etc.) observation of the student in their normal school environment
Having this information helps school personnel determine the next step.
At this point, strategies that are specific to the student could be implemented for a period of time, which may help them become more successful in school. If this doesn't work, then the child would need to be tested for a specific learning disability to help determine whether they qualify for special education services. It is very important to note Mesut Ozil Germany Jersey , though, that the presence of a disability does not automatically guarantee the child will receive special education services.
For a child to be eligible, the disability must affect the child's functioning at their public school.
To determine a child's eligibility, a multidisciplinary team of professionals will evaluate the child based on their observations; the child's performance on standardized tests; and daily work such as class work, homework, quizzes Max Kruse Germany Jersey , and tests. The professionals on the evaluation team may include:
a psychologist a hearing or vision specialist an occupational therapist a physical therapist a special education teacher a speech therapist others, depending on the specific needs of the child
As a parent, you decide whether to have your child assessed.
When you choose to do so, you will be asked to sign a permission form, which describes the kinds of people involved in the process and the types of tests they use. These tests may include measures of specific school skills, such as math or reading Matthias Ginter Germany Jersey , as well as more general developmental skills, such as language and speech. Once the team members complete their individual assessments, they develop a Comprehensive Evaluation Report (CER) that compiles their findings and outlines the skills and support the child will need. The parents then have a chance to review the report before the IEP is developed.
Development of an IEP
The next step is an IEP meeting at which the team and parents decide what will go into the plan. In addition to the evaluation team, a regular teacher needs to be present to offer suggestions about how the plan can help the child's progress in the standard education curriculum.
At the meeting, the team will discuss your child's educational needs - as described in the Comprehensive Evaluation Report - and come up with specific, measurable short-term and annual goals for each of those needs. When you attend this meeting Mats Hummels Germany Jersey , you can take an active role in helping to develop the goals and determining which skills or areas will receive the most attention. The cover page of the IEP outlines the support services your child w