When I first started teaching, I saw IEPs as an exercise in compliance. IEPs were something I needed to churn out to follow the law and of course to keep my job. After finishing the exhaustive process, the IEP would gather dust in a filing cabinet to be revisited during progress reports. Over time, my perception of IEPs has evolved to see them as an opportunity to collect data and reflect to create a dynamic, living program that supports the student realizing his or her potential. I also see the IEP as an opportunity to celebrate each student’s strengths and start planning as early as pre-school for how a student will eventually be a meaningful part of the community.
At the same time, the IEP process can be wrought with stress. Managing all of the spinning plates, advocating for a student, and avoiding litigation can be like walking a tight rope… with an elephant on your back.
What are the areas of the IEP process you would like to learn more about? Please respond here to help inform the content I add to the website.
