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Directed Questions
IEPs
Directed Questions for Lesson 1:
IEP Fundamentals
Multiple Choice
Attention: ONLINE RESPONDING IS DISABLED
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1.
According to the U.S. Office of Education, what are the major purposes and functions of the IEP document and meetings?
example:
(1) The IEP serves as a communication vehicle between parents and school personnel and enables them, as equal participants, to jointly decide what the child´s needs are, what services will be provided to meet those needs, and what the anticipated outcomes may be.
(2) The IEP sets forth in writing a commitment of resources.
(3) The IEP serves as an evaluation device for use in determining the extent of the child´s progress toward meeting the projected outcomes.
2.
Confusion abounds about IEP goals and when they must be written. Explain which services require goals and which do not. Discuss possible negative consequences of writing unnecessary goals.
example:
Goals are needed only for the special education a child receives. Many IEPs, perhaps most, include goals for related services. This is not necessary since related services are designed to support special education. That is, the needed goals are the goals for the special education (the specially designed instruction) which is supported by the related services, not for the related services per se. If a service isn´t required to assist a child to benefit from special education, then it is not a related service at all and the child is not entitled to it. It is important to remember that an IEP must address the services necessary to enable the special education student to access the general curriculum whether that general curriculum is offered to the student in a regular class, a special class, a special school, home, hospital, or institution. The difference between a goal for a service a student needs in order to access the general curriculum and a goal for a student´s performance in the general curriculum is huge. The special education services which are necessary for a student to access the general curriculum require goals related to such skills as reading, following teacher directions, paying attention in class, asking relevant questions, raising one´s hand before speaking, etc. Goals related to performance in the general curriculum itself and not needed on an IEP would include such elements as comparing Greek and Roman literature, government, or architecture, or enumerating 5 reasons that clear cutting forests is detrimental to the welfare of Earth and its inhabitants.
Possible negative consequences of writing unnecessary goals are (1) they make the IEP too long and too time-consuming to prepare, and (2) they may cause the district to exceed federal requirements when that really isn´t the district´s intention.
