Writing a 1:1 Support Para into an IEP

Do your students need paraprofessional support to succeed in the general ed setting? If so, it is a good idea to write it in their IEP.

Here’s how and where to make sure it is documented.

Including Paraprofessional Support Wording in an IEP

For some districts, including para support in an IEP is commonplace. In others, it is almost unheard of to include it. Why would you want to include para support wording in a student’s IEP? It is to protect the student in case he or she changes districts. If there is no mention of the para support in the IEP, there is no way for the new school to know what help was actually being provided for the student in the general education setting.

Not only does it benefit the student, but it can be a good way for your special ed department to justify hiring more paraprofessionals throughout the district.

Where to Include Language About Needed Para Support in the IEP

So you want to include language about your student needing paraprofessional support in the general ed classroom in his IEP, but where should you write it in?

A great place to write it in is in services under related services. If the para is providing actual support and not specially designed instruction (SDI), it is important to document that it is a service that the student is receiving.

What to Say in the IEP About Para Support

It is important to specifically address how the student is receiving the para support – is it in a group setting or one-on-one.

It is also vital to explain why the student needs the support. It’s not good enough to simply put that the student needs it.

An example of the wording might look something like this, “[STUDENT NAME] requires [shared paraprofessional/1:1 paraprofessional] support to be successful in [subject area/setting] due to [reason why support is needed].”

Not only does the exact language ensure that the student receives the para support that he needs, but it documents the presence of the services if he or she changes districts.

You can download this FREE Paraprofessional IEP Questionnaire here or by clicking this image above.

While writing in para support may not be something that you typically do, it is a good idea to include it in the IEP for students who need it for specific subjects or in specific settings. It takes little time to include and can make a huge difference in the services your student receives.

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