Page 22 - The Individual Education Plan (IEP) - A Resource Guide, 2004

Ways of supporting parental and student involvement
Members of the IEP team should involve parents in the collaborative process as early as possible. The educational priorities identified by family members are important to the student’s overall learning experience. In addi- tion to the responsibilities outlined above, parents play an important role in the IEP process by communicating to the IEP team a picture of their child’s life thus far, suggesting ways to avoid potential problems, and helping the team achieve continuity of programming for the student.
Principals and teachers can support parental and student involvement by:
• communicating openly and regularly with parents and students in clear, plain language (i.e., language that is free of jargon);
• giving parents and students the opportunity to specify how, and to what degree, they wish to become involved in consultation during the develop- ment of the IEP;
• contacting parents by telephone as well as in writing to notify them about meetings of the IEP team;
• informing parents and students about the topics that will be discussed at the IEP meeting and about who will attend;
• ensuring that parents and students are given the opportunity to provide meaningful input to the development of the IEP;
• ensuring that a copy of the IEP is sent to parents and to the student, if the student is 16 years of age or older, as required by Regulation 181/ 98;
• checking regularly with parents and students to share effective strategies and gather feedback;
• checking regularly for possible parental or student concern or confusion (by asking questions, if necessary);
• clarifying information as necessary to ensure that parents and the student understand the IEP, its connection to the Provincial Report Card, and the IEP process.
Begin Work on the IEP
An Individual Education Plan for a student begins with information that pro- vides a profile of the student.
The reason for developing the IEP must be recorded. Either of the follow- ing reasons may given:
• The student has been identified as exceptional by an IPRC.
• The student has not been formally identified as exceptional but requires an ongoing special education program and/or services, including modified or alternative learning expectations and/or accommodations.
20
The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide