Let’s just tell it like it is: Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are time consuming and long. It’s the honest truth.
Teachers often say that it takes 4+ hours for them to write a quality IEP. If we know anything about IEPs, we know that writing is only a fraction of the process. Streamlining the IEP process is imperative for our productivity, our schedule, and our sanity. Special education teachers do so much more than write IEPs, so finding ways to reclaim our time without compromising quality IEPs is more than essential.
One incredibly useful tool to streamline the IEP process is creating a timeline – an IEP Writing Timeline. Having a structured time table to abide by will help to narrow down when items should be done by, what to prioritize when, and to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. Think of it as a living, breathing to-do list.
Districts and schools across the country and around the world have different expectations and requirements for creating quality and comprehensive IEPs. Our IEP Writing Timeline offers the big due dates with general time guidelines that you can further customize to meet the needs of your specific time needs.
Where to Begin
Believe it or not, starting an IEP 45 days from the date of the actual meeting is the best time to start. This will give you enough time to communicate and schedule with all the crucial stakeholders and team members, gather your data, write a quality IEP, ask for needed feedback, and be ready to present at the meeting
Start by looking at the expiration date of the student’s most recent IEP document. 45 days prior to this is the day to start. At the beginning of the school year when your receive your caseload, determine the start date for all of your IEPs and add it to your calendar. This way you can begin the process at the right time with every student, no questions asked.
When you’ve reached your 45 day date, begin connecting with families and staff members to determine the meeting date. Be sure it is in compliance so the IEP doesn’t expire before your meeting is held.
Pro tip: When you’re connecting with families, be sure to document when and how you reach out. You will need documentation of the ways and times you’ve attempted to communicate with them in the event that you cannot get a hold of them to invite them to the meeting.
Once you have your date determined, send out formal invitations. These are often included in the IEP software your district/school uses. Be sure to reach out to your administration to learn the ways they invite and send invitations if you’re unsure.
Check out this snippet from a live training in TII about an organized IEP Process.
The membership also provides guidance on keeping parents involved, which can be challenging for everyone!
By joining the membership, individuals also gain access to an extensive library of over 13,000 pre-written IEP goals, empowering them with a wealth of options to support their students’ unique needs.
Learn more and become a member of The Intentional IEP today!
Getting input
About 30 days out from your scheduled meeting, reach out to the team members (including general education teachers and student families) to gain input on the content of the IEP. This will help with communication and relationship building, give really important insight, and help you write the IEP.
Looking for parent and teacher questionnaires done for you? We’ve got you covered in the IEP Toolkit.
Once you have this information, get writing! Spend the next week to two weeks carving out time here and there to write the text-heavy sections of the IEP. When you start with writing instead of clicking boxes or entering other information, it gives you more time to go back and edit later when you have a fresh perspective.
Sending home the proposed draft IEP
When you are 2 weeks, or 14 days, away from the meeting date, send home a drafted IEP to the student’s family. Be sure you communicate with them prior that you’re sending it home, why you’re sending it to them, and what feedback/input you would like. If sending home IEP drafts is not a district expectation or families are new to your school, they may not be familiar with this process.
Please note: if your district writes the IEP at the IEP meeting together as a team (which is 100% best case scenario), you won’t be sending home a proposed draft. You can skip this step.
When you’re 7 days away from the big meeting date, reach back out to the family if you haven’t heard from them yet. You will want some time to dialogue about their input as well as incorporate their feedback into the document as needed.
When you send home the draft, you can also provide your parents with this parent IEP checklist so they can add any questions or comments they have through each part of the IEP. Click the image above to join The Intentional IEP where you will have access to this, and so many other resources!
Tying up loose ends
Around 5 to 7 days before the meeting, confirm the date with everyone. Many related service providers have very large caseloads, and things can get lost in translation. This is also the time to ensure you have a room ready for the meeting. Some schools require you to secure a room, while others have a room specifically for IEP meetings. Be sure you have a space to meet.
Who will be covering your classroom while you’re in the IEP meeting? Check with your administration and/or school secretary to be sure there is coverage for your class if needed. Start ensuring you have work and a plan for this person to engage in with your class while you’re in the meeting.
Last but not least
The day before the meeting, start printing needed documents (ie. the IEP!). There are a lot of papers to sign and hard copies to hand out, make sure all of the needed paperwork is printed and stapled.
Any data, student work, or informational handouts you’d like to have for the meeting should be gathered and organized so you have it all ready when you need it in the meeting.
If all of these numbers overwhelm you and you’re thinking, “There has to be a simpler way to figure out all of these dates without losing my sanity!” – there is!
Inside of the IEP Toolkit there is an IEP Writing Timeline Calculator. All you have to do is add in your caseload by name and IEP due date, then add the IEP meeting dates (which can be estimates until you get each one scheduled on a calendar), and the calculator does the rest for you.
Here’s a sample of what your IEP Writing Timeline Calculator may look like:
Find the calculator inside the IEP Toolkit here.
IEPs require a lot of paperwork, documentation, and communication – it can all feel overwhelming. Following a timeline is one way to streamline the process with deadlines and structure so you don’t fall behind!
