If the parent and the school agree that the child has a disability and requires special education services, an
Individualized Education Program
will be designed to meet the child's needs. This will take place at a
meeting attended by parents and the school personnel and may include
others as appropriate.
An
IEP will be developed during the planning meeting if it is determined
that special education is needed. The following is a partial list of
what the Education Code calls for in an IEP:
- A summary of the assessment findings, including your child's strengths as well as needs.
- A statement of goals and objectives, which the group suggests for your child.
- A list of specific services that will be used to find out how well the plan is working (evaluation).
- A recommendation for placement.
- The starting date and frequency of services.
Parents
are invited to an IEP meeting with appropriate district staff and , if
necessary, personnel from Glenn County Office of Education, the SELPA
and/or other agencies. Parents may also bring other persons of their
own choosing. The following are some tips on how parents can best
participate:
Come prepared. Jot
down any questions you want answered or any suggestions you wish to
make regarding educational objectives, health, transportation,
schedules, and special information concerning your child's needs and
strengths.
Ask Questions. If the professionals use terms you do not understand, please ask for an explanation.
Parent Consent
Parent
consent is required before the IEP can be put into effect. If parents
are uncertain at the end of the meeting as to whether they want the
plan to go into effect, they may decline to sign it. They may take it
home and think about it if you wish. Those components of the plan that
are approved will be implemented. Parents have other rights if they
disagree with the discussion of the group. County or district personnel
will answer any questions about those rights.
IEP Review
At
least once a year there will be a meeting to review the plan to
determine if the plan is still appropriate or if it needs to be
changed. Parents may also request a review as necessary.