A Proven Parent Guide To The IEP AT A GLANCE

You might ask, what is an IEP at a Glance?  The IEP at a Glance is a document that summarizes your child’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP).  It highlights your child’s strengths, areas of need, goals, and services.

The IEP At a Glance gives your child’s team members a snapshot of how to work with your child.  Keep in mind that the IEP At a Glance does not replace the IEP.  It’s only intended to be a quick reference.  When using an IEP At a Glance, it is still important that your child’s team also reviews the full IEP and assessments to understand better how to support your child in the school setting.

Why is an IEP At a Glance important?

When used appropriately, the IEP At a Glance helps ensure that your child’s IEP team members are notified and informed of your child’s learning style and needs, including accommodations and supports that need to be provided.  As you help advocate and speak up for your child, one way to help is to make sure each of your child’s teachers or support providers has a copy of the IEP At a Glance.

Who should have a copy of (or access to) the IEP At a Glance?

It’s very important that any staff member who is considered part of your child’s IEP team is aware of your child’s Individualized Education Program. Typically this includes general education teachers, special education teachers, related service providers, and school administration.

Your child’s service providers (aka the IEP team) can include, but is not limited to, the special education teacher, the speech and language therapist, the school psychologist, the occupational therapist, the physical therapist, adapted P.E., counselors or mental health therapists, vision impairment teachers, orientation mobility teachers, deaf/hard of hearing teachers, and the general education teacher. It can also include school administrators, buddy teachers, instructional assistants, and school office staff. 

Think of anyone who comes in contact with your child at school and needs to be sure they are implementing the supports that are within your child’s IEP.  Your child’s special education teacher should be proactive in making sure these staff members are aware of your child’s individualized needs.

If they receive a copy of the IEP At a Glance, they should protect it and your child’s confidentiality as they would with any other document.

What if you find that someone on your child’s IEP team needs a copy of the IEP At a Glance?

If you discover that one of your child’s teachers doesn’t have a copy of the IEP At a Glance, and/or isn’t informed of it, the best step to take would be to reach out to your child’s main special education teacher or service provider (i.e. Speech and Language Pathologist) and request that they send a copy of the IEP At a Glance to all of your child’s service providers and/or team members. 

Keep in mind that your child’s team members can be any school staff who interacts with and participates in your child’s learning environments, which can be both inside and outside of the classroom.

When is a Good Time to Verify Your Child’s Teachers Have The IEP At a Glance?

The start of the school year is a very good time to check to make sure each of your child’s teachers has seen the IEP At a Glance.  After all, it is one of the best ways to ensure that the teachers understand how to support your child.  This is especially the case when your child has multiple general education teachers. 

The start of the school year can sometimes include multiple schedule changes.  If you find that your child’s teachers are changing, or have changed, make sure those new teachers also get a copy of your child’s IEP At a Glance.

Another good time to make sure your child’s teachers have a copy of the IEP At a Glance is at the start of each grading period.  In some cases, there might have been changes to your child’s IEP during that quarter or semester.  Making sure the teachers have an updated copy of the IEP At a Glance can help update them on those changes and can help give them a refresher on the strategies to best support your child.

How can you help?

Remember, as your child’s parent or legal guardian, you are a very valuable member of your child’s IEP team.  Helping ensure that your child’s teachers have a copy of the IEP At a Glance can help strengthen your child’s educational program, while also demonstrating to the staff that you are an active participant in your child’s education.