The IEP Timeline

What is the IEP Timeline?
What happens when your child is referred for an evaluation for special education eligibility? What does the whole process look like? What is supposed to happen and how long should it take? These are very normal questions that you, as a parent, have when you request an IEP, or Individualized Education Plan for your child, or your child is referred to the school’s special education program. This will help to answer these and other questions about the IEP timeline as a whole. Later on, I’ll break down each one of these parts to give you more details, but for now, let’s look at the whole process.

Request or Referral
The entire IEP timeline begins at anytime with a request from the parent, or a referral by one of the child’s teachers, or school staff members. The request or referral usually occurs as a result of the student having problems that cannot seem to be addressed by normal means or the parents or staff member suspects that the child may have a disability that affects their ability to learn and function without additional help and supports.

The initial request is made to the school superintendent or principal that asks for a comprehensive evaluation to determine eligibility for special education and will list the reasons, observations, or problems that support the request. The federal IEP timeline requirements between request and consent are not specified, only that it be done within a reasonable amount of time. State requirements may be more stringent, for example Michigan requires no more than 10 calendar days between request/referral and the written request for consent to evaluate.

Evaluation
A signature of parental permission is required to start the evaluation process with a child after the initial request. Once permission is granted, the clock starts the IEP timeline. Federal law (IDEA 2004) requires that the evaluation be completed within 60 calendar days from the date that written parental consent is given. States may set their own timeframe, as long as it is within the federal guidelines, so be sure to check with your state department of education. For example, Michigan requires completion of the Individualized Education Program or determination of ineligibility before the end of 30 school days.

MET Team meeting/Eligibility
After the evaluation assessments are complete, the Multi-discipline Evaluation Team (MET) meets to determine if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education and related services, and to determine the educational needs of the child. The MET is composed of qualified professionals and the parent of the child. A written copy of the report and the eligibility determination will be given to the parent.

In my experience, most schools will schedule the IEP Team meeting at the same time (immediately following) the MET meeting, although this is not an IEP timeline requirement. This is most likely in response to the time constraints of teachers and staff, so getting everyone together for one meeting is difficult enough, without having to schedule another meeting another time. If your state has included the IEP completion within the evaluation time line, then it is important that the IEP Team meeting be done as quickly as possible following the MET.

IEP Team meeting
The core part of the IEP timeline. The team takes the information found by the evaluation assessments and input from the parents, teachers, and other professionals (doctors, therapists, etc.) and the IEP Team writes the Present Level of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAFP), including the child’s strengths and challenges. This section is the basis for writing the IEP. 

The team discusses the child’s PLAFP and from there, writes the goals and objectives for the child to accomplish over the next year. The team should determine who is responsible for each objective, how the objective will be measured, data recorded, and the frequency and method of reporting the outcomes. IEP goals should be clear and measurable.

If behavior is one the challenges identified in the PLAFP, the IEP team can integrate Response To Intervention (RTI) and positive behavior supports (PBS) into the IEP, as part of a behavior modification plan, and can schedule additional behavior assessment meetings at that time. The team may decide to try to implement a behavior plan, which may be included in, or reference by the IEP. Since a behavior plan should be constantly modified and updated, many schools are reluctant to include a behavior plan directly into an IEP so they don’t have to constantly rewrite the IEP, however, as the parent, make sure if your child has a behavior referenced in the IEP, that the reference includes the names and responsibility of all staff members involved with implementing the behavior plan, how the plan is to monitored, how and what data is to be collected and the nature and frequency of reporting outcomes.

There should be a section in the IEP stating how much, how often, and to what degree your child will be in the general education classroom and related activities. This is usually stated as a percent classroom inclusion and percent resource or special education classroom.

A note here on behavior plans: without a thorough behavior assessment performed by someone who is qualified and understands functional behavior analysis and done over a period of time, the behavior plan will not work. Unless you have determined the function of the behavior and take steps to teach and practice a new behavior that satisfies that function in an acceptable manner, the plan will fail. Ask them to show you the data collected and what has been determined to be the reason for the behavior. If they can’t show you data, and can’t tell you why your child is behaving a certain way at certain times, then they have not performed a behavior assessment.

Additional and supplementary services, such as an Occupational Therapist, AI Consultant are written into the IEP with specific goals and objectives, amount of time to be used, location, and responsible staff member. Technical supplements such as a communication or writing device is included, as well as modifications and accommodations to be done in the classroom.

Testing Accommodations: is the child going to take the standardized testing with the rest of the students and if they are what if any accommodations are required i.e. extra time, quiet location, etc.

IEP written and signed
The parent signs the IEP agreeing with the content. You have up to 10 school days from time the IEP is written to sign, so take at least an extra day or so and look it over carefully. If goals and objectives aren’t clear, or if it isn’t possible for anyone reading the IEP to be able to implement (substitutes, new staff, etc.) then take it back, with a written request listing the items you feel need to be clarified. Do not be bullied into signing the IEP until you are satisfied. Your child will continue to receive previous services under the stay put requirements of the law, so the one year deadline is for the school, not the parent. Do not sign until you can read the “final copy” and make sure that everything that was agreed on in the meeting is actually written into the IEP.

Not signing the IEP to “punish them” is not an effective tactic. If you do not agree with the IEP, you can sign and then state next to your signature what you do not agree with in the IEP. Many school districts will have a built in section where you can check that you agree, disagree, disagree and request mediation, or disagree and request due process.

 
Implementation
The IEP goes into effect, and should state an effective date in the IEP. Most are effective immediately upon signature, and have an effective IEP timeline for one year from that date.

 
Review
IEP is good for one year and must be reviewed within that timeframe. Yearly reviews are the minimum requirement; however, a parent, or other IEP team member, can call for an IEP review meeting at any time.

 
Re-evaluation
The IEP timeline requirement to re-evaluate a child receiving special education services is at a minimum of three years from previous or initial evaluation. If the parents and the school agree, the child may be evaluated at anytime within the three year requirement. Federal law says not more than once per year and not less than once every 3 years, but states unless the parent and the LEA (Local Education Agency – the school) agree to do it more often.

 
Transition
It is now required that a student who is receiving special education services be put into a transition program by the age of 16. Transition is the things that your child needs to do to get ready for what happens after high school, such as college, work or independent living. It is supposed to be based on the child’s needs and interests.

 
End of IEP coverage
Coverage under IDEA 2004 and IEP end when the student graduates from high school, leaves high school, or reaches the age of 26 and still attending high school, ending the IEP timeline.

These are the basic steps from referral to the ending of eligibility for an IEP timeline, and are meant to give you a general overview of the IEP process. If you have stories to tell, or suggestions to give, fill out the quick and easy contact form on the Contact Us page.

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