What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written plan that details each child's special education and related services, and the decisions of the Planning and Placement Team meeting.
Who has an IEP?
All students receiving special education and related services must have an IEP. It must be reviewed annually. Parents receive a copy of their child's IEP within five school days after the PPT meeting is held to develop or revise the IEP. Infants and toddlers identified as having a disability through the Connecticut Birth to Three System receive an Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP).
What are the main components of an IEP?
- Present levels of educational and functional performance
- Measurable educational goals linked to present levels of academic and functional performance for the coming year and short-term instructional objectives derived from those goals
- Evaluation procedures and performance criteria
- An explanation of the extent, if any, to which your child will not participate in the regular education class, the general education curriculum or extracurricular activities
- Modifications and accommodations your child needs to participate in the general education curriculum including nonacademic and extracurricular activities
- Special education and related services required by your child
- Instructional settings and a list of people who will work with your child to implement the IEP
- The date services will begin and end, and the frequency of the identified services
- The length of the school day and year
- Statement of accommodations and modifications needed to facilitate CMT/CAPT, or district-wide testing
- Decisions regarding participation in alternate assessments (if needed)
- Transition service needs
How is progress measured in the IEP?
The IEP must include a statement of how the child's progress will be measured and the extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child to reach his/her annual goals by the end of the year. An explanation of how parents will be regularly informed of that progress should be included in the IEP. These progress reports must be given to parents at least as often as parents are informed of their non-disabled children's progress.
The IEP GUIDE
View a page-by-page review of the IEP.
CT IEP Manual and Forms (2018)
The CT Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education provides guidance on the IEP and blank
copies of the forms. It is useful to know what should be documented and where information is to be
recorded. NOTE: In July 2018 a change was made to page 2 of the IEP form (ED620). Please carefully
review the commentary related to IEP page 2 (IEP Manual pg. 5). Also, CSDE Web site links have been
updated on the following pages of the manual: ii, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 20, 21, and 26. See revised IEP
pages 2 and 3 in the forms section of the manual.
View IEP Manual and Forms, Revised July 2018
RE-EVALUATION
This section pertains to re-evaluation.
For the information on an initial evaluation, click here.
What is the purpose of a reevaluation?
The purpose of a reevaluation is to determine:
- The educational needs of your child and whether the child continues to be a child with a disability;
- The present levels of academic achievement and related developmental needs of your child;
- Whether your child continues to need special education and related services; and
- Whether your child's IEP needs to be modified.
How often must my child be reevaluated?
The PPT must decide if your child needs a reevaluation at least once every three years. A
reevaluation may occur sooner if conditions warrant, or if you or your child's teacher
requests it. The federal law states that a reevaluation shall not occur more than once a
year unless the parent and the school district agree otherwise.
How is a reevaluation conducted?
The PPT team reviews the existing data and decides whether additional testing is required
to determine if your child continues to be eligible for special education services.
Existing data may include information provided to the PPT by the parent, teacher reports and
assessments, and school staff observations. If the PPT decides that no additional information
is needed to determine your child's continuing eligibility for special education services,
it must inform you of that decision. If you believe additional information is needed to
determine whether your child continues to be a child with a disability who requires special
education services, you may request that the school district conduct additional assessments
of your child. The school district must either conduct these assessments or request a due
process hearing.
Does the school district need my written consent to reevaluate my child?
The school must obtain your written consent before conducting a reevaluation of your child.
If you refuse to consent, your school district may continue to pursue consent for the
reevaluation through mediation and/or due process hearing. If the school district can show
that it has tried to get your consent for the reevaluation and you failed to respond to the
school district's attempts to obtain your consent, the school district may proceed with the
reevaluation as planned.
(From A Parent's Guide to Special Education in Connecticut, CT Department of Education,
Bureau of Special Education, 2007)