Sharing students’ IEP information with their general education teachers is important. Not only do general ed teachers need to be kept in the loop as to what a student’s IEP says, but they also need the information so that they can implement what is in the IEP.
But what is the most effective way of share IEP information with general ed teachers? The truth is that no single way is perfect for everyone. It depends on what works best for you, the general ed teacher, and your school.
There are many different ways to share IEP information with general ed teachers. The key is to find the one that works best for you and your circumstances. Here are seven different ways that might give you some ideas to choose from.
These one-page editable documents make it easy to get all of the information about a student’s IEP at a glance. They can be printed on colored paper to make color coding a breeze. With room for the student’s basic information, these one-pagers are great for general ed teachers who don’t need a lot of information to assist the student.
For general ed teachers with only one or two students with special needs in their class, IEP at a Glance Brochures are a great option. They list the student’s basic information and, while less detailed than the Snapshot Data Sheets, they do provide the general ed teacher with enough information to understand the student’s basic needs.
By law, schools have to give general ed teachers access to the entire IEP. This is helpful if the student has a lot of goals and services that the general ed teacher needs to be aware of. However, for some teachers, this can be overwhelming and leave them even more confused about what they need to do to help their students. If your school just hands out the IEP, make sure you touch base with the general ed teacher to make sure she understands what is in it and what is expected of her in regards to it.
For districts that use IEP writing software, there is usually an option to print out an overview sheet that explains what’s in the IEP. This one to two-page document is helpful for general ed teachers, as well as families.
Creating a shared spreadsheet can take time, but it can be exceptionally helpful for teachers who are more tech-savvy. The shared spreadsheet can include the student’s basic information and information about the student’s goals, accommodations, and modifications. The beauty of this is that the general ed teacher can also comment on the spreadsheet and include information about the student’s progress all in one place.
Here is a short snippet from one of the trainings inside of TII membership about sharing IEP information:
The membership also provides guidance on Having an Organized IEP Process, which can be challenging for anyone!
You can join The Intentional IEP to gain access to over 150+ different IEP related trainings, and access to our IEP Goal Bank. Click the image above to join!
6 – Google DriveCreate a separate Google Drive folder for each student and put their IEP, an at at-a-glance document, and any other important information in it. That folder can then be shared with all of the teachers who work with that student. This is a great option for older students who can see anywhere from three to seven teachers each day.
Email can be a tricky delivery method in terms of confidentiality, but if your district approves, sending an IEP information sheet or just an email with the student’s IEP information inside can be the easiest way to go. They can then reply to the email with any questions, and you will have documentation of conversations had about the IEP. As always, make sure that the teacher understands what the IEP is saying and what their role is in terms of implementation.
Sometimes, districts use specialized software that manages students’ IEPs and the components of an IEP meeting. If your school has a program that creates a document to share with teachers (or parents) about the specifics of an IEP, use that. It’s an easy way to have everything in one place and make sure that general ed teachers get the information that they need to know about their special ed students.
No matter how you share IEP information with teachers, it is important to get their signatures acknowledging their receipt of the IEP. Download this template when you join The Intentional IEP here or by clicking the image above.
Never underestimate the importance of talking with general ed teachers about students’ IEPs. If you both have the time available, sit down and go over the IEP with your general ed counterpart one-on-one. It gives you a chance to point out specific things that they should be aware of and gives them an opportunity to ask questions or get clarification.
While all of the ideas above are valid and excellent ways to share IEP information with your general ed counterparts, the most important thing to do is follow your school district’s protocol. Whatever they want you to do in terms of sharing information is what you should do.
Sharing IEP information with the general education teacher is an important part of the IEP creation and implementation process. Make sure you are sharing it in a way that makes sense to her and is easy to implement. Remember, you are all on the same team – the child’s.
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