The IEP team is comprised of many different people, but not all of them understand their role in the IEP process or IEP implementation.
General ed teachers can often be confused about what they are responsible for, when their participation in meetings is necessary, and how they can support the IEP. The tips below can help make it easier to clear up that confusion.
Most of the time, general ed teachers are just not aware of what the IEP process entails. Unlike special ed teachers who receive intensive teacher training on IEPs, it is not discussed at length for general ed teachers. Having a cheat sheet or explanation sheet that shows the steps of the IEP process can be an easy way to educate the rest of the IEP team and parents as well.
By law, the general ed teacher is required to be in attendance for a part, if not all, of the IEP meeting. If general ed teachers are pushing back and do not want to attend, direct them to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B, Subpart D, Section 300.321 which explains that their attendance is legally required.
Understanding that the IEP is a legally binding document is often the first hurdle when it comes to teaching general ed teachers about their role in the IEP process. Many do not understand the ramifications of not providing services, documenting progress, or implementing accommodations and modifications for students per the IEP. Simply explaining what the IEP is can go a long way toward getting general ed teachers to buy in to implementation and participation at meetings.
If your students see a genera education teacher for any period of time throughout the day, it is important to make sure they are receiving the accommodations listed in their IEP. Keep track of those accommodations with this that you can download by joining The Intentional IEP here or by clicking the image above.
Here is a short snippet from one of the trainings inside of TII membership about explaining IEPs to the general education teacher:
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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!
While an IEP meeting may be second nature for special ed teachers, general ed teachers often don’t know what to bring or what to say at the meetings. This creates anxiety and frustration because they don’t completely understand the process or their role in it. Help your general ed teachers prepare for the IEP meeting so that they know what they should bring and talking points that they might want to bring up. It makes the process less intimidating for them and helps them to feel more prepared.
Helping general ed teachers understand their role in the IEP process begins with education about the basics. Once they understand what the IEP process is, how they are legally part of the team and their attendance is required, and why implementing the IEP with fidelity is so important (and legally required!), they will be more willing to actively engage in meetings. Special ed has a language all its own and bringing general ed teachers into the fold by explaining it goes a long way to building relationships where every special ed child is supported in the general ed classroom and beyond.
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