A large and integral part of a special educator’s job revolves around IEPs. From writing them to attending meetings to making sure they get implemented, we live and breathe IEPs.
Over the years, and with experience, you’ll learn a lot of tips and tricks for IEP writing. But what if you’re just starting out? Or if your current IEP writing system just isn’t working for you?
Today I want to share a few IEP writing tips that are practical, easy to implement, and, best of all, teacher-tested.
Writing the Rock Star IEP
- Before you sit down to write your first IEP, there are a couple of things you should do beforehand to set yourself up for success:
- Gather all of the data you have on this student. This data should include data from other IEP Team members; the best and easiest way to gather this data is to provide them with an IEP Input Form 30 days prior to when you’ll begin writing the IEP. This gives them time to fill it out and give it back to you, without being rushed. You can find our teacher-tested input forms here.
- Read more about what to do before, during, and after an IEP meeting here.
- Schedule uninterrupted time to write the IEP so that you can focus and get it done in one sitting. Snacks and a drink are always a good idea to have on hand as well.
- It may also be helpful for you to follow an IEP Writing Timeline (grab a free copy of our IWT here). Using a timeline will help you schedule out when to do what up to 45 days before the annual IEP meeting.
- Start with the Present Levels. While this may seem like an overwhelming place to begin, the PLOP data is what sets up the entire rest of the IEP. The PLOP essentially leaves bread crumbs throughout the rest of the IEP for what goals to write and what supports and the services the student will need to master the skills and make progress.
- When it comes to choosing IEP goals, make sure the goals align with the data in the Present Levels. If you are struggling to determine which IEP Goals to write for a student’s upcoming IEP, the video above will help you determine which skills to work on next.
- Remember: we write IEP goals for skills, not for standards. Standards are skills students must learn in each grade level. To access grade level standards, you’ll write IEP goals for prerequisite skills. If you’re struggling to determine what prerequisite skills are required for a grade level skills, check out our IEP Matrix.
- Write the IEP as if the student will be switching schools next year. Include all of the information he or she would need to be successful so that it paints the picture of where s/he is and where s/he is going. Include all of the conditions, accommodations, and environments present in achieving the baseline level that is indicated. The IEP should be detailed enough that the student would have a relatively seamless transition to a new school.
- Be objective and use language that reflects measurable outcomes and goals. Instead of writing, โJoseph is able to write his name independently most of the timeโ write, โJoseph writes his name independently 3/5 times.โ
- Know your student. This might seem like a no-brainer, but writing an IEP is a lot easier when you personally know and understand where the student is and how you would like to see him or her progress. The qualitative data is just as important as quantitative data.
- Write lists of strengths and needs so that students with similar IEPs can be grouped together in the classroom for more intensive remediation and assistance.
- Donโt be afraid to include accommodations, but remember that they should not change the skill being taught, the level of mastery, or the level of performance. Learn more about the difference between accommodations and modifications here.
- Finally, check your spelling and grammar. There are a lot of excellent websites available for double-checking your work, or you can have a peer, mentor, or colleague read over the draft IEP so that the final IEP version is polished and professional.
- Make sure that the IEP has all of the legal parts it is supposed to have.
- Before the IEP meeting, you’ll want to share the proposed draft IEP with the family. Your proposed draft IEP should include only the Present Levels and proposed IEP goals and objectives/benchmarks.
- Best practice tells us this is a minimum of 3 school days prior to the scheduled IEP meeting. This gives the family time to look over the draft IEP, and also time for you to go over the draft IEP with the family.
- Read more about helping parents understand the difference between the final IEP and a draft IEP here.
Presenting the Rock Star IEP
- Once the IEP is written and ready for the IEP meeting with parents, take the time to prepare.
- Itโs important to empower families with the information that they need to understand what recommendations are being given, how the goals will be met, and how progress will be measured.
- Understanding special education acronyms is a huge part of being an engaged member of the IEP team. While you shouldn’t speak in jargon during an IEP meeting, you can be proactive and send home a list of common abbreviations (use this free SPED Acronyms Brochure) that may come up during the meeting so that parents can reference it.
- Student self advocacy is huge, and student-led IEP meetings are also becoming more mainstream – which is great! Student Led IEP Meetings are an option for students to talk about what they want and how they feel they are progressing.
- For IEP meetings for younger students, you may need to think outside of the box for how to incorporate the student into the IEP meeting. One way is to incorporate samples of their work and ideas into the meeting.
- Here is a free training on implementing Student Led IEPs.
Remember, an IEP should be a clear picture of where the student is, what the student needs to be successful, and what the student will be working towards in the coming year. Be clear, be precise, and include measurable goals.
After the IEP meeting, don’t forget to share the updated IEP with each team member too.
Writing effective IEPs is so much easier when you have the right tools in your toolbox! Inside The Intentional IEP, youโll get access to expert-led trainings, 10,000+ pre-written, standards-aligned goals, and ready-to-use resources that take the guesswork out of IEP writing. With the right tools at your fingertips, youโll save time, reduce stress, and feel confident in creating IEPs that truly support your students. Join today and fill your IEP toolbox with everything you need!