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Tamara Tabor

Individualized Education Plans

Identifying a child with a disability is just the first step towards providing a child the
opportunity to succeed in public schools. The next step is through The Individualized Education
Program. IEPs were introduced in 1975 with the passage of The Education of the All
Handicapped Childrens Act. It was then amended in 1997 and 2004. These two amendments
hold schools at a higher level of accountability for developing and implementing IEPs that are
beneficial.
The IEP makes it so that every student with a disability of one kind or another whether it
be a physical disability or a learning disability, have an equal chance to get the same education as
any other student. Contributors to the IEP include the teachers, specialists, and parents.
Modifications can be made to fit each childs disability and learning style. The student will have
more time to work on certain assignments in special classroom time, which is like a study hall
environment for students with special needs. Some families may choose another option, which is
the course work. This work is normally completed in four years but is extended into five years.
The lighter course load allows the student to have more time which makes it less intimidating
and stressful.
Very specific and detailed things need to be included in an IEP. It should clearly explain
the best way that the student learns, the way or ways that the student shows their full potential,
and the best ways to support and encourage their individual educational goals. As long as all
parties are advised and agree, the IEP can be modified whenever necessary to fit the students
needs. In addition most IEPs include a behavioral plan. This is a legally binding contract

between the student, parents, school district and staff, pediatricians, physicians, and mental
health counselors. If one or more people involved in this contract do not abide to this, it can be
examined in a court of law to determine if any part of the contract has been violated. Any
member or members of the contract could file charges.
With early interventions students can obtain a quality education that is developed to the
best of their ability. This will help the students avoid further problems that include grade
retention or academic failure. Students can become knowledgeable of their disabilities through
and IEP. With this knowledge students are able to participate in decisions about their own plan.
A study conducted in 2007 confirms that boys are more than four times likely as girls to
receive special services through an IEP. Thirteen percent of boys, kindergarten through third
grade were giving an IEP whereas girls that received special services in the same grades were
only three percent. A study conducted in 2014 in Michigan also shows that boys are more than
twice as likely as girls to receive special education services. In both studies African Americans
are more likely to obtain IEPs with white and Hispanics next and Asians are the least likely to
receive special education services.
Both studies admit that children belonging to low income households are at greater risk in
need of special education services through IEPs This trend seems to incline through the years.
In addition childrens parents that spoke English were more likely to receive special services
through IEPs than children with only one or both parents whose primary language was not
English. Regardless of all the studies, the most important thing for children with disabilities is
early diagnosis and following that up with the development of an IEP. Students who are not
diagnosed with a learning disabilities are less likely to receive the services they need, could be
retained in school, and may be at risk for becoming disengaged from school. Research has been

shown that the quality of IEP documentation is related to the quality and quantity of services
received by students with disabilities.
However, as with many issues involving students, the IEP has been the topic of many
discussions and lawsuits. Putting a student on an IEP will always be debatable. There are many
who think individualized education plans will help students work at their own pace and level and
some who think IEPs are not flexible and cause the teachers extra work. Some argue that the
most common mistakes involved with the IEP development include a lack of adequate teacher
training in developing IEPs, poorly developed team processes, overabundance of paperwork
which takes up a good amount of teachers time, and not allowing students parents to contribute
to the IEP process.
Parents should be an important part of the IEP process. They should be included every
step of the way. But what can a parent do if they are excluded? In the Doug C. v. Hawaii case
this very question was answered. In 2009 the father of a child on an IEP appealed to the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit because he was not included in his sons IEP meeting. In
this meeting it was decided that his sons placement be changed from his private special
education facility to Maui High school. The Department of Education argued that they tried
several times to schedule meetings with the father but he continued to reschedule. On June 13,
2013 The U.S. Court of appeals found that the IEP meeting violated the procedural requirement
of IDEA and the IEP was now invalid. They further explained that parental involvement is part
of the creation process and that is to include parents in an IEP meeting.
Regardless of your stance on being for or against IEPs , the fact of the matter is being a
student with a disability can be overwhelming for both the student and the parent. But, with a

collaboration of the parent, the school staff, and the medical professionals the IEP process can be
a smooth transition to a rewarding school environment.

Reference Page

DataBank. Indicators on Children and Youth (2013, February 25). Retrieved from
http://www.childtrends.org.
French, R (2014). Special education rates vary widely by school district, race, gender and
Income. Bridge Magazine. Retrieved from: http://bridgemi.com.
The History of IEP (2009). Retrieved from: www.specialednews.com.
Wright,P., & Wright,P.(2013). Doug C. v Hawaii Analysis. Wrights Law. Retrieved from
http://www.wrightslaw.com
Yell, M. (2012) The law and Special Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ : Pearson.

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