When writing an IEP for a student with a disability, it is important to ask for input from many different sources. But why is this? Why not just ask for input from any general or special education teacher who works with that child, and be done with it?
The answer is simple!
Different people in that child’s life can offer many different perspectives. Each person has a unique relationship with that child, and can speak to various aspects of his or her skills and personality. While you can’t get input from every person who comes in contact with your student, here are some key people to talk with.
Parents.
Parents are the experts on their children, and can give you great information about their skills and personality. They are also a wealth of information about their child’s development and milestones, any health issues, and any behavioral strategies that work well.
Develop a parent questionnaire to ask about specific reading, math, and writing skills, behavioral strategies that work for their child, and any aspects of their personality that are relevant. Be sure to have parents include positive things that they want to share with teachers!
Grab our parent input form here.
General education teachers.
General ed teachers see the student even when you are not around. They see how the child interacts with the general education curriculum without a lot of support. They also see the accommodations and modifications that you may have put in place.
It’s important to discuss how these things are working to support the student in the general education curriculum. The general education teachers may have some different ideas about how to best support the student, and that’s okay! An important part of the IEP process is the team coming together to support the child.
Grab our General Ed Teacher input form here, and to learn more about the crucial role general ed teachers play in IEP meetings, listen to the TII Podcast here.
Related service providers.
If a student receives speech, occupational, or physical therapy, or receives counseling services, be sure to speak to their service providers.
Students who cannot demonstrate a skill in a general or special education setting might surprise you and hit it out of the park in a more active therapy setting. For example, the student who refuses to count objects up to 10 in a classroom setting might count like a pro while working on navigating stairs with the physical therapist. A student who cannot write their name with a pencil might spell it perfectly in sand during occupational therapy. And a school counselor might have great insight about some behavioral strategies that would help the student in the classroom.
Be sure to connect with related service providers when writing your IEP.
Paraprofessionals and Instructional Assistants.
If the student works with a one-on-one paraprofessional or aide, they are a great source of information! They can speak to how your student is doing academically, behaviorally, and socially.
It’s rare that a special education teacher is with a student all day, but often, a paraprofessional is. They can even give insight as to how the student is doing at different times of the day, or in different special area classes.
Students.
As your students get older, it is important to ask them too… and it’s never too early to start asking them questions – but it can be too late. Even as young as PreK, students are able to tell you what they like and dislike. As they get older, they can provide important data and feedback on their IEP and education.
Grab our differentiated student input forms here, and read more about student transition plans here.
Building coordinator/administration.
While your building coordinator or administrator might not interact with the student on a daily basis, they are the experts in the legalese that goes along with writing an IEP. They can be sources of great information if you are trying to figure out how to word something or ask for a service. If you are struggling to write your IEP, ask your building coordinator or admin for help.
An IEP is a team effort. Don’t be an island! Ask for help and insight from the other people who know your student well. This will lead to a great IEP that will help support your student in order for them to be their very best!
Your district’s IEP platform gives you a place to document the IEP. The Intentional IEP System was built for the work happening around it. Created by a veteran special educator, the system brings together practical workflows, professional guidance, screeners, goals, data tools, planning support, and more to help you confidently manage the IEP process without handing your professional judgment over to software. Explore the educator-led IEP management system →