Overview of the Rights and Responsibilities of the IEP Team
Parents/Guardians
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Participate in IEP meeting as equal members of team
- Help to develop, review, revise IEP
- Provide critical information about student’s strengths, express concerns for educational enhancement
- Help to decide how student will be involved and progress in general education and assessments
- Give permission for placement
- Seek resolution to conflict through due process hearing if necessary
Regular Education Teacher
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Attend meetings if student is/may be participating in general education curriculum
- Provide expertise about general education curriculum, state standards, grade-level expectations, day-to-day instructional environment
Special Education Teacher
- Participate in IEP meeting, sharing responsibility with team
- Facilitate IEP development process: chair meeting, facilitate discussion, handle paperwork and documentation
- Come to meeting prepared with findings of evaluation and proposed recommendations regarding IEP content
- Explain to parents that proposals are only recommendations
- Bring drafts of IEP content, take part in discussion with parents
- Be knowledgeable about special education procedures, teaching strategies, types of accommodations/modifications
School District/Local Education Agency Representative
- LEA representative must be present at meetings: principal, designee, assistant principal, special education coordinator
- Superintendent’s representative must be present if private placement, authorization of a service involving considerable expense, or prior history of contention is in the situation
- Be knowledgeable about special education, due process procedures
- Be authorized to commit school funds/resources to needs of individual student
- Be responsible for administration and supervision of IEP
- Seek resolution to conflict through due process hearing if necessary
Qualified Professional
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Special education teacher or administrative designee, already involved as member of IEP team, specialist involved in eligibility process (school psychologist, social worker, educational diagnostician)
- Interpret, clarify, discuss any information that was collected through assessments during evaluation process and that is included in current level of performance in IEP
Other Professionals
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Others can be involved at discretion of school and parents
- Determination of expertise made by person who invites other
- Have knowledge of/expertise regarding child
Student
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Participate in IEP development process
- Attend IEP meeting by age of 16
- Have in put into types of services needed to support educational and career goals
- Increase understanding of disability, better prepare self to advocate for his or her own needs in school or other settings
- IEP will:
- Include annual goals for period covered in IEP based on current level of educational performance
- Include list of services to be provided: who, where
- Include related services: transportation, occupational therapy, adapted physical education, modifications for classroom participation, testing accommodations
- Force team to work toward consensus instead of majority rules
Hulett, K.E. (2009). The individualized education program. Legal aspects of
special education. (144-163). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
