IEP Process

Referral - If a school team or parent has suspicion that a student has a disability, either may initiate a referral by working through the school, and discussing needs for special education. Upon a referral being started, the parent will receive a Notice of Referral which states that an Individual Education Plan (IEP) team will be developed to conduct the evaluation and informs parents of the steps in the process. At this time, the parents are give the Parent Rights Brochure  Spanish Hmong. 

Evaluation - Evaluation is an essential beginning step in the special education process for a child with a disability. Before a child can receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child must be conducted to see if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education. Parents must be informed through the Notice of Referral before this evaluation may be conducted. The evaluation process is guided by requirements in our nation’s special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and state eligibility criteria. The Center for Parent Information and Resources is a useful site to help guide parents through the process. The Special Education Rights for Parents and Children - Procedural Safeguards Notice also provides more information on parent's rights throughout the process. 

The Individual Education Plan (IEP) documents how students with disabilities will be served in special education. The IEP is designed annually by an IEP team, yet can be adjusted at any point during the school year via the review/revise process.  An IEP is designed to explain how the student's disability affects his or her learning, state the student's present level of academic and functional performance,  identify annual goals for improving the present level of performance, and describe the services that the student needs in order to achieve the stated goals.  Language support and interpretation is available for families whose native language is other than English.   See a guide to the contents of an IEP from the Center for Parent Information and Resources.