In an effort to provide a more tailored educational experience for children with learning disabilities, U.S. schools create an individualized education program (IEP) for each student. The IEP must be designed to provide the child with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
This program aims to create a more holistic learning experience for individual students and is generally accepted by professionals as an adequate strategy to support students with disabilities. While the education system has legally adopted the IEP, this approach has pros and cons.
In this article, we’ll discuss how the IEP can affect your child’s learning experience, as well as key aspects you need to know about the process.
Want more support? Book a free consultation to talk about your child’s learning needs.
Table of contents:
- What is the IEP?
- How well it works
- Laws related to the IEP
- Benefits of an IEP
- Drawbacks
- What do parents think about IEPs?
- Reach out for more support
What is the IEP?
The Individualized Education Program, sometimes referred to as an Individual Education Plan, is a learning plan designed for each specific child who requires additional educational needs. This special education plan is collaboratively crafted with the support of:
- The parents
- The special education teacher
- At least one general education teacher
- A school resource administrator
- The school psychologist
Together, this team will create a personalized plan to help provide the least restrictive educational experience for the child while still determining and achieving key goals.
The overarching goal is to help the child access a reasonable educational experience through specialized assistance. Special accommodations and considerations are made based on the child’s unique needs. For example, if a child has dyslexia, visual impairments, a developmental delay, etc., the IEP team will create a personalized strategy to help the child reach their academic goals.
How well it works
The best way to determine whether an IEP is effective is through individual assessment. Educators recommend outlining specific goals, taking extensive notes on the child’s progress, and adapting the program as needed.
These recommendations are necessary because while the IEP is generally recognized as an effective approach, the ultimate goal is to ensure that your child receives high-quality education.
Therefore, it’s important to set goals and communicate clearly with the entire education team. Parents should stay in the conversation and monitor their child’s progress. This allows for transparency and flexibility during the learning process.
To judge how well an individual education plan is performing, parents should continually analyze:
- Academic grades
- Behavioral data
- Student feedback
- Observational data
Laws related to the IEP
The IEP is part of the requirements established by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). While this law has been amended several times since its signing, it remains the primary governing document.
The IDEA Act has six primary elements, one of which is the IEP:
- Individualized Education Program (IEP)
- Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
- Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
- Appropriate Evaluation
- Parent and Teacher Participation
- Procedural Safeguards
Benefits of an IEP
Naturally, an IEP structure was put into place to support a population of students who could not excel in a traditional classroom setting. By giving these students access to the resources and support they need to succeed, they can advance with their peers.
Some of the primary benefits of IEP include:
- Customized goals and curriculum
- Frequent feedback and adjustments
- Holistic approaches to a child’s education
- Legal protections for the student
- Advocacy for the child’s best interests
In an ideal scenario, all parties involved would design an action plan to set the child up for success. From working on soft skills to taking extra time to master academic subjects, a well-designed IEP can help students excel both inside and outside the classroom.
Drawbacks
While the IEP structure has proven beneficial for many students, there are still areas to be improved. There are a few disadvantages to IEP, both at a practical and academic level.
Here are a few drawbacks to the IEP’s current implementation:
- Possible social exclusion
- Perceived lowered expectations of the student
- Geographic variability of resources
- Additional difficulties and workload for educators
The child’s social development plays an important role, so educators and administrators should consider this aspect when planning an IEP. For example, children may feel “different” due to their specialized education, so educators should plan to help children navigate these situations.
Likewise, economic factors are a real concern. Although the IDEA legislation theoretically allows for “Free Appropriate Public Education,” the realities of a school district’s resources, staff, and educators come into play.
What do parents think about IEPs?
Parents’ opinions greatly depend on their school district, the specific academic or medical necessities of the child, and the support staff available. While some studies show that parents are often pleased with the overall process, this is not to say that the IEP is perfect.
In a 2022 qualitative study by Sanderson and Rojas, parents noted that they believe students should play a more active role throughout the planning process. Participating would empower the students to take more initiative in their education and allow them to learn self-advocacy skills that are crucial for transitioning into adulthood.
On the other hand, some parents hold the exact opposite opinion. As they had a negative experience interacting with school staff, they do not want their child to deal with the same problems.
This tells us that clear and smooth communication between parents and educators is fundamental to considering the student’s best interests.
Reach out for more support
Ultimately, Individualized Education Programs are meant to help children achieve educational goals that are customized to their situation. This means that every plan will—and should—be completely different.
However, these programs can vary in effectiveness due to a lack of school resources or trained staff.
This is why, at Edublox, we provide additional support to help children to realize their potential. Through an empowering, child-first approach, we aim to give your child the help they need to excel.
So, if your child needs an IEP or is currently enrolled in one, please schedule a free call to discuss how we can help them achieve their educational goals.
Edublox offers cognitive training and live online tutoring to students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and other learning disabilities. Our students are in the United States, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. Book a free consultation to discuss your child’s learning needs.
References and sources:
Code of Federal Regulations (2007). U.S. Government Printing Office.
Mueller, T. C., & Vick, A. M. (2017). An investigation of facilitated individualized education program meeting practice: Promising procedures that foster family–professional collaboration. Teacher Education and Special Education, 42(1).
Sanderson, K. A., & Rojas, A. J. (2022). Parent perspectives on student IEP involvement. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 23(2).
