What to Include in an IEP

Critical elements

The IEP (Individualized Education Program) must include the following elements:

1. A statement of the student's present levels of educational performance, including the ways in which his disability affects his involvement and progress in the general education curriculum. For preschool children, you would consider whether the disability affects the child's participation in any activities that would be appropriate for him.

2. A statement of measurable annual goals for the student, including benchmarks or short-term objectives. These must help her to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, as well as meet other educational needs that result from her disability.

3. A statement of the special education, related services, and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the student. This would include program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the student:

   • To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals,

   • To be involved and progress in the general curriculum and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities, and

   • To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and non-disabled kids in all of this.

4. An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the student will not participate with non-disabled children in the general education class and in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities.

5. A description of any modifications in state- or district-wide assessments of student achievement that are needed in order for the student to participate. If the team determines that he will not participate in such an assessment (or part of an assessment), a statement of why that assessment is not appropriate for him and how he will be assessed.

6. The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications, as well as their frequency, location, and duration.

7. Beginning at age 14, and updated annually, a statement of the transition service needs, and beginning at age 16 (or younger, if appropriate), a statement of needed transition services.

8. A statement of how the student's progress toward her annual goals will be measured and a description of how the parents will be regularly informed of her progress toward the annual goals and the extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable her to achieve the goals by the end of the year.

Provided in partnership with The Council for Exceptional Children.