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Natural Reader is a text to speech program. You can upload documents or files and they are then transferred to mp3 audio files that can be listened to. This is beneficial for students with dyslexia or other reading disabilities. The voices reading the uploaded documents are of good quality and have clear pronunciation. There are a few options of different voices that you can pick from to read your document.

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Dyslexia and other reading-based learning disabilities are most common among students. NaturalReader text-to-speech makes learning more accessible by assisting with any reading, taking tests and promoting independence.

Students can have any text they need to read, read aloud to them so they can read along. Having the text provided both visually and auditory, allows the student to focus less on the act of reading, and more on the comprehension of the content. Other features like dyslexia font, flexible reading speeds, and highlighted text also ease the task of finishing readings.

For most students, learning does not stop when school ends. NaturalReader EDU enables students to be more independent and assists with learning at home. Whether they're doing homework, reading at home, or just surfing the web, our Chrome Extension and Mobile Application are always available.

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NaturalReader: Free Text to Speech for Online, Mobile App, Commercial license and Education with AI voices.

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Bookshare is a resource that will help people with reading barriers such as dyslexia, visually impaired, and cerebral palsy. This source is free for schools and very low cost for all other children. There are thousands of books that can be read through audio versions, highlighted text, enlarged text, or in braille. This resource can be used by teachers to help students have access to books that they could not read traditionally. Bookshare can be accessed through many different devices such as smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks.

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Bookshare | An Accessible Online Library for people with print disabilities

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Bookshare makes reading easier. People with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers can customize their experience to suit their learning style and find virtually any book they need for school, work, or the joy of reading.

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This source is an online note-taker that can be used in meetings to record audio and list the keywords. This resource can be beneficial for students who have trouble taking notes because they feel like they have to write down everything that was said. Otter can pull the keywords from the audio of the recorded meeting and list them. Teachers can allow students to use this in the classroom to assist them with their note-taking.  An account with Otter is free, you just have to sign up using an email.

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Otter turns your meeting recordings into rich text notes, so you can search with keywords, speaker IDs, and key phrases with ease.
© 2020 Otter.ai All rights reserved

Automated meeting notes with summary keywords, highlights, and full audio transcripts.
"Augmentation using AI is the future of online meetings. We are excited to be partnering with Otter.ai, the leader in AI for voice conversations, to enrich the Zoom user experience with live transcription." Oded Gal Chief Product Officer, Zoom Highlight, comment, and add photos collaboratively on the shared live notes to keep your team on the same page.
Founder at Draper Associates/DFJ/Draper University

Digital Communication Manager at the New York City Housing Authority

Senior UX designer at Macmillan Learning
Use Otter integrations with Zoom, Dropbox, and calendar tools with your existing workflows. From individuals to teams in larger enterprises,
Otter is changing how work gets done. Learn More About Otter Plans
"I am possibly their most enthusiastic supporter. We are using it. And we're using it for almost every venture meeting."

"[Otter] has really been a lifesaver as it frees up space for me to be present and to not stress over writing down exactly what was just said."

"I didn't have to write or find my own notes. I could just search, re-listen to it, make sure it was right, and link to that spot directly."

Work remotely without feeling remote, stay productive and connected with Otter Voice Meeting Notes.

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Otter turns your meeting recordings into rich text notes, so you can search with keywords, speaker IDs, and key phrases with ease. © 2020 Otter.ai All rights reserved Automated meeting notes with summary keywords, highlights, and full audio transcripts. "Augmentation using AI is the future of online meetings.

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Rewordify is a free website that you can type text into and it will translate it to a more elementary friendly sentence. It takes complicated words and substitutes them for simpler words that make it easier to read. This website can be used by anyone who needs help translating hard to read sentences into easier ones to understand what it is trying to say. Teachers can use this in the classroom to talk about synonyms and compare words. This website can also be used to help the teacher develop an alternative reading for students who may have reading difficulties.

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Rewordify.com | Understand what you read

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Rewordify.com helps you read more, understand better, learn new words, and teach more effectively.

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Speechify is a resource that can create an audiobook out of  text, documents, or recordings. This resource Speechify can be downloaded in an app store or downloaded as an extension on your chrome browser. Students who have difficulties reading text can use this to turn their work into audiobooks. Speechify is a great resource for students with Dyslexia or ADHD. Teachers can use it to create audiobooks from the readings they are assigning to the class. This allows students who are not able to read it like other students the access to the content in a way that works for them.

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Talk typer is a free speech to text website. Audio can be recorded on the website and then it turns it into text of what you said. This website also gives you access to go back and edit the text that is produced from your speech. This allows you to go back and make sure it recorded what you wanted it to say. This website can be used by students who are not able to produce writing in the same way as other students. Some physical disabilities can prevent students from typing numerous letters on the keyboard. This website allows them to talk and it will produce the text. Teachers can allow students to use this resource in their class as they see beneficial.

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Instructions: Click the microphone icon and begin speaking. Dictate about one sentence at a time. When the speech is recognized, it will appear in red.

If it's not right, click the "Alternatives" button to view other 'recognitions', edit the text, or just try dictating again. When the text is right, click the button with the arrow pointing down , and your text will be added to the box at the bottom.

Repeat this process until you're finished. When you're all done, click the "Copy" button and then paste the text into your document, email, blog, or tweet! (If the copy button doesn't work for you, remember that the shortcut for copying is Ctrl-C.)

Note that you can also dictate basic punctuation by saying things like "period", "question mark", "new paragraph", etc.

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TalkTyper - Speech Recognition in a Browser

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An easy to use web app that gives you free speech to text dictation in a browser.

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Culturally Responsive Classroom Management and Motivation Handbook

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Culturally Responsive Classroom Management and Motivation Handbook

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This handbook link is separated into chapters dedicated to classroom management ideas that can be used to promote culturally responsive behavior and ideas. This resource is a great resource to gain knowledge of Culturally Responsive Teaching and implementations in the classroom.

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Introduction

Culturally responsive classrooms incorporate lessons responsive to student diversity.These classrooms are communities that enable students to make connections between home and school.The teacher maintains positive relationships with the students and families.The family and their academic contributions are welcomed in the classroom.The teacher selects lessons and activities that are conducive to the students' academic and cultural needs.

Teachers in culturally responsive classrooms use various methods of teaching and instruction.Instruction can be cross-curricular, maintaining a connection between Language Arts and another content area.Instruction is also detailed and students are provided with a comfortable atmosphere to discuss and ask questions.Scaffolding is often used to provide students with enough support to reach academic goals that are currently out of their reach. Culturally responsive teachers model activities in order to demonstrate the expectations for the students.Visuals, verbal instruction, and kinesthetic activities are incorporated in the lesson to meet the needs of all learners.

Teachers provide students with various tools and hands-on materials to utilize during the lesson.Students cooperatively work in groups to discuss and reflect on their experiences.Cooperative groups provide support and allow the student to learn from each other.Culturally responsive teachers often use journal writing and open-ended activities.These types of activities enhance student's critical thinking abilities, promoting reflection, along with cultural expression.

In this section, I have provided a sample of culturally responsive lessons to be used in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. I have also included copies of worksheets to be used for some of the lessons. The worksheets can be opened through web links embedded in the lesson or through the attachments located at the bottom of this page.

Language Arts

Skills: Students will learn strategies for personal and creative writing.

Students will also understand the connection between visual and textual respresentations.

* Personally meaningful object

Students will bring a personally meaningful object from home. The object can be a picture, toy, book, blanket, etc. Students will write a poem essay, or a short description of their object. Symbols, metaphors, or creative language can also be used to describe the object. The teacher will model the steps of the activity, sharing his/her meaningful object and description. The activity can be concluded by having a share-out with the class. Students will share and discuss their object and written description. The objects and their descriptions will then be displayed for students to participate in a gallery walk (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 27).

Walking in The Shoes of Others

The class will read and discuss "Reach for The Sky." The book provides students with a means to make connections with the real world. The book provides an avenue for students to reflect on their compassion for others. Students will share their reflections with others in their group and transition to a class discussion.

Students will then join a partnership with another student. Each student will interview each other using the interview questions provided. The teacher will model the interview with another student. After the teacher has modeled the interview, students will be provided with sufficient time to interview each other and record responses.

The class will come together and share information from their interviews. The information can be recorded on a large chart as a reference. Students will then pretend that they are the person interviewed. Students will write in their journals, depicting the life of the person interviewed. Students can also create a drawing to illustrate a day in the life of the interviewee. The journal writings and illustrations can be shared and discussed with the class (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 83-84).

Family Quilts

Skills: Students will identify shapes, colors, and patterns.

* 1 sheet of construction paper

Activity
Teacher will introduce the history of quilts and the use of shapes and family traditions in the construction of the quilts. The class will discuss the use of quilts in various culutres. Teacher will show students various examples of quilts and question students about the use of geometry/shapes and family traditions in quilts.

Students will construct a square for a class quilt using pattern blocks and knowledge from their culture. Provide students with pattern blocks and one sheet of white paper to be folded in four sections.

Allow students to discuss their ideas about their contributions to the quilt. Students will then use various shapes to draw a representation of their family in the first section. Students will share and discuss with the class their quilt square and the use of their culture and shapes in the design. Students will copy their design on the three other squares and cut out the four sections. Instruct students to keep one square for themselves and place the three others face down. Students will walk around the room and take three different squares from their classmates. They will then take their four squares to paste them onto a piece of construction paper, spacing them out to represent a quilt. They can draw threads between the pictures to represent stitching on a quilt. Students will share and discuss with the group their newly constructed quilts. The class will close the lesson by discussing the variations of shapes and geometric patterns used throughout the quilts (Edsitement, 2002).

Grades: 2-5

Skills: Students will be introduced to techniques for graphing information. Students will also gain a better understanding of the differences and similarities among peers.

Materials:
* Copy of "Personal Profile"

Teacher will provide students with a copy of the "Personal Profile" sheet. Each student will complete their own personal profile and may add extra information about themselves. The information consists of physical characteristics as well as interests and background information.

The teacher will pair up students, using jelly beans. Teacher will insert two jelly beans of each color in a bag in order for each student to receive a jelly bean to be paired up. Students will be paired up with a student that holds a similar colored jelly bean.

Students work with their partner to discuss their personal profiles and determine similarities and differences. After the discussion, students will record their information on a copy of the Venn Diagram. The teacher may also choose to allow students to create a Venn Diagram on Word. Students will record five of their own characteristics as well as five of their partner's characteristics. Students will determine similarities between themselves and their partners. These similarities will be recorded in the section titled, "Things we have in common."

Each student will share profile information and similarities about their partner with the class. The teacher can conclude the lesson with a discussion about the use and significance of graphs to manage information. The class will also dicuss the use of graphs to organize and record personal information to enhance the observance of diversity in the classroom (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 14-15).

The teacher will begin the lesson by discussing with the class the differences in speed limits on highways, county roads, residential streets, or school streets. The class will record the various examples of speed limits on a chart using miles per hour. The teacher will guide the class in a discussion about the length of a mile. The teacher will then introduce a foot to the class, using a wooden yard stick for the students to discover the length of a foot. The teacher will explain that a foot is a unit of length that is used in U.S. and Britain. The teacher will also explain that a foot is equal to 12 inches and 1/3 of a yard. Also, explain that 5, 2380 feet equal one mile.

The teacher will lead a discussion regarding the speed limit in Canada, explaining that in other countries people use a metric system of measurement. The driving speed in these countries use kilometers per hour, rather than miles per hour. Examples of the speed limits in these countries may be 100, 50, or 30 kilometers per hour. The teacher then presents the class with a meter stick in order for students to see the length of a meter. Explain that 1,000 meters equals one kilometer and one meter equals 100 centimeters.

Students will be paired up with a partner and measure each other with a meter and yard stick. Students will record their body measurements on their record sheets. The teacher will then discuss with the class any differences in measurements that they observed. The class will then compare the measurements using the U.S. System and Metric System of Measurement.

Students in the higher grade levels can re-evaluate metric conversions in this lesson. The teacher will provide the students with a conversion chart and remind students about strategies used to convert metric units of measurement to customary measurements. The teacher can divide the class into partnerships. One student from the pair will use a meter stick and the other will use the yardstick. Students will measure different objects in the classroom using the copy of the measurement chart . The last object to be measured can be an option for the student. Students that complete their measurements will convert the measurements into the other systems of measurement (customary to metric, metric to customary) (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 102-103).

Simple Machines in Mechanical Devices

Skills: Students will gain knowledge of simple machines.

* Small non-operating mechanical devices ( Ex. Radio, clock, phone, etc.)

* 1 Sheet of white paper

Activity
Students will be asked to bring non-operating mechanical devices to school. Students will also be asked to invite family members who work with tools to come into school to help students take the mechanical devices apart.

The class will identify and describe simple machines. The class will also discuss the use of simple machines in everyday devices. Students and parent volunteers will begin to take apart the mechanical devices and discover the contents of the devices. The class will identify the simple machines used to create the devices and record their information. Students will draw and label the object, referencing the simple machine used . Students will share, discuss, and compare with the class their findings (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 54-55).

Weather, Weather, Everywhere!

Skills: Students will gain a better understanding weather and its impact on human lives. Students will also gain an awareness about vocabulary and conditions related to weather.

* Pictures or flash cards of weather conditions

The class will begin a discussion about weather patterns. The class will explore various weather conditions (rain, snow, sleet, hail, etc.) that affect us differently. Rain can make the roads wet, causing drivers to be more cautious on the roads.

The teacher will show the class pictures of different weather conditions. The class will describe these weather conditions and record them on a chart. Illustrations can also be used to depict the words.

The class will discuss weather conditions that each student likes and dislikes. The teacher will explain to students that there are different weather conditions in other regions of the Earth. People in different regions of the world have different weather experiences. The class will share their experiences with different weather conditions.

The teacher will coordinate the students into groups of 3-4. Each group will discuss various weather conditions as well as the four seasons. Students will then make a connection between common weather conditions and particular geographical regions in the US and in the world. Students will use this information to design clothing for wear in each of the four seasons. Each group will share their designs to lead in a discussion. Students will engage in a discussion to compare and contrast designs with the other groups.

The teacher will post four signs throughout the room, representing the four seasons. Students will post their clothing designs next to the corresponding season. Students will participate in a gallery walk to further explore and discuss the designs with peers (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 86-87).

Social Studies

Life Timeline

Skills: Students will gain knowledge of cultures and family backgrounds through chronological autobiographies.

* Crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc.

Activity
Students will create a personal timeline using a roll of paper. Students will chronologically record significant events on the line with pictures to depict the events. The teacher will then model a biographical timeline using personal events and information. Students will gather information from their families and photographs. Students will begin the timeline with their birth and continue to highlighting important events throughout their life. The dates and descriptions of particular events will be written on the timeline. Photographs, magazines, or illustrations can be used to depict the events.

The timelines will then be posted around the classroom for a gallery walk. Students will then share, compare, and discuss their life events with the class (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 2).

Diversity In Plants and Wildlife

The teacher will begin the lesson by discussing with the class symbolic flowers and animals for their state. The class will discuss other state flowers and animals throughout the U.S. Students will verbally share with the class their favorite plants, flowers, or animals. The teacher will share with the students pictures or stories about plants and animals that living in particular habitats, such as rivers, rain forests, oceans, deserts, or other countries.

The teacher will then explain to students the meaning of flora and fauna and its diversity throughout the world. The class will engage in a discussion about the diversity and flora and fauna in or world.

Students can participate in a mini-nature trail around the school, searching for flora and fauna. Students will be able to identify certain plants and animals located in their area. Students will return to the classroom and create a mural that demonstrates the flora and fauna found around their community.

Students in higher grade levels can study a particular plant or animal of interest. Students can use books, photos, drawings, and other resources to conduct their research. Students can use this information to prepare a 5-10 minute presentation to share with the class. The research from each student can be put together to form a class book titled, "Flora and Fauna Around the World" (Ruggiano & Wen Ma, 2006, p. 90-91).

Culturally Responsive Teaching: Lesson Planning for Elementary and Middle Grades (Paperback) by Jacqueline Irvine

Culturally Responsive Instruction: Promoting Literacy in Secondary Content Areas by Patricia Ruggiano Schmidt

Montgomery, W. (2001). Creating Culturally Responsive, Inclusive Classrooms, Teaching Exceptional Children, 33, 189-196.

Edsitement. (2002, May 21). Family and friendship in quilts. Retrieved

November 08, 2008, from

Ruggiano, P. & Wen Ma, S. (2006). 50 Literacy strategies for culturally

responsive teaching, k-8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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Chapter 10: Culturally Responsive Lessons for Students, K-5 - Culturally Responsive Classroom Management & Motivation Handbook

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Culturally responsive classrooms incorporate lessons responsive to student diversity.These classrooms are communities that enable students to make connections between home and school.The teacher maintains positive relationships with the students and families.The family and their academic contributions are welcomed in the classroom.The teacher selects lessons and activities that are conducive to the students' academic and cultural needs.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching Students Equitably. 

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching Students Equitably. 

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This PDF guide provides many great resources, examples, and lists that show how to treat students equally. This resource should be used by all teachers to make sure the practices the teacher is implementing are culturally responsive. There is also a section on history that would be beneficial for teachers to review and understand to best teach their students.

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Brown University- Culturally Responsive Teaching 

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Brown University- Culturally Responsive Teaching 

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This website is great for teachers to include more culturally responsive teaching in their everyday life. There is a list of 7 characteristics of culturally responsive teaching that are live links that can be clicked on to learn more about the characteristic. It then lists a "what," "why," and "how" section that shows each of the 7 characteristics used in the classroom. Everything from communicating to students to talking to parents is discussed on this website created by Brown University. Teachers can use this website to gain tips on how to approach a more culturally responsive teaching pedagogy

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This collection holds materials from the Education Alliance at Brown University. The Education Alliance was a reform support organization committed to advancing equitable educational opportunities that prepare all student populations to succeed in the 21st century. From 1975-2021, the Alliance partnered with schools, districts and state departments of education to apply research findings in developing solutions to educational challenges. Its mission was to enhance learning for culturally and linguistically diverse students and focused on district and school improvement with special attention to underperformance and issues of equity and diversity. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26300/7eez-dz04

The Education Alliance archived website can be found here

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Brown Digital Repository | Collection | The Education ...

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This collection holds materials from the Education Alliance at Brown University. The Education Alliance was a reform support organization committed to advancing equitable educational opportunities that prepare all student populations to succeed in the 21st century. From 1975-2021, the Alliance partnered with schools, districts and state departments of education to apply research findings in developing solutions to educational challenges.

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Developing Culturally Responsive Lesson Plans 

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Developing Culturally Responsive Lesson Plans 

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This PDF is a great resource for learning how to develop culturally responsive lesson plans. There is a checklist at the beginning of the PDF that shows important features to consider and implement when developing culturally responsive lesson plans. There are individualized lesson topic that are specific to each grade level that could be helpful for learning where to start implementing culturally responsive teaching in your classroom.

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This website has some examples of books that can be read as read alouds in the classroom. There are interactive links that can take you to the book directly, or where you can purchase it to use in the classroom. There is also a link of helpful links that teachers can use to learn about Culturally Responsive teaching in the classroom and diverse learnings and differentiation.

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Classroom library books and other printed materials should represent the interests of the students and reflect the diversity of students within the classroom. However, until the recent past, it was not uncommon to find classrooms completely void of reading materials that either were written by African American, Latino, or Asian authors or which prominently featured the lively and rich histories of the diverse cultures represented in the school.

Many young students were never exposed to their own cultural heritage in the books available to them in the classroom. In addition, a culturally responsive classroom acknowledges and appreciates children's home cultures and attempts to build upon the uses of language and literacy with which children are already familiar. Familiar stories and predictable books may help children express their cultural uniqueness and share their personal stories (Neuman, 1994).

Helpful Resources/Links

The Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning. The Center makes available for purchase a number of different instructional resources for classrooms, such as: Classroom Library Bundles, Core Literature Sets (by grade level), and Culture Kits with lesson plans. www.culturallyresponsive.org/libraries.html

Teaching Tolerance. Founded in 1991 by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Tolerance is dedicated to reducing prejudice, improving intergroup relations and supporting equitable school experiences for our nation's children. www.tolerance.org

The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC). A unique and vital gathering place for books, ideas, and expertise in the field of children's and young adult literature. The CCBC is a non-circulating examination, study, and research library for Wisconsin school and public librarians, teachers, early childhood care providers, university students, and others interested in children's and young adult literature. www.education.wisc.edu

International Literacy Association. The International Literacy Association (ILA) is a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy. The site hosts Choices Booklists. Each year, thousands of children, young adults, teachers, and librarians around the United States select their favorite recently published books for the "Choices" booklists. These lists are used in classrooms, libraries, and homes to help young readers find books they will enjoy.

Children's Book Council. The Children's Book Council is the national nonprofit trade association for children's trade book publishers. The Children's Book Council works annually on reading lists to help teachers, librarians, parents, and booksellers discover new, wonderful books for the children in their lives. www.cbcbooks.org

Book Lists

Since 1989, the Teachers' Choices project, hosted on the International Reading Association web-site, has developed an annual annotated reading list of new books that will encourage young people to read. The following is a partial book list of children's multicultural books from the Teachers' Choices.

Primary (Grades K-2; ages 5-8)

Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me. From Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me
Ann Grifalconi. Text copyright 2007 by Ann Grifalconi. Illustrations copyright 2007 by Jerry Pinkney. Reprinted by permission of Hyperion Books for Children. All rights reserved. Ann Grifalconi. Ill. Jerry Pinkney.

The Underground Railroad comes to life in this picture book through a grandfather's recounting of his lesson in friendship to his granddaughter. Based loosely on the life of Orleans Finger, a former slave, who lived by the words, "Ain't nobody a stranger to me," the text and illustrations combine to create a picture of past and present in a grandfather's life. CU: Beautifully illustrated. This is an excellent read-aloud to grades K and up, especially during grandparents or Black History celebrations. Hyperion. 32 pp. US$10.50.

D Is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet
Nancy I. Sanders. Ill. E.B. Lewis.

Iconic watercolor paintings that portray African American impressions are displayed in alphabetical order and enhanced with carefully crafted, emphatic poetry. This exquisitely complex picture book invites readers' understanding and appreciation on many levels of thinking. The parallel informational text provides important facts to support memory of important historic events in the African American, nation-building experience. CU: American history social studies units; poetry; art and music. Sleeping Bear. 36 pp. US$17.37.

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story From the Underground Railroad
Ellen Levine. Illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Used by permission of Scholastic Press.

Stunning illustrations tell the historical account of Henry, a runaway slave who mailed himself 350 miles in a box to freedom from Richmond, VA, to Philadelphia, PA. Simple text delivers a heartbreaking and inspiring story of Henry Brown, a real-life hero who never knew his age or birthday, and his escape from slavery. CU: All grade levels will benefit from this introduction to the era leading up to the Civil War and the ingenious use of the famous Underground Railroad. Scholastic. 40 pp. US$12.81.

The Orange Shoes
Trinka Hakes Noble. Ill. Doris Ettlinger.

Delly, a young rural girl from a poor but loving family, discovers the true riches in life are found in family and making the best of difficult times. Her love of art and nature paired with her creative problem-solving skills make Delly an inspiring character who finds positive ways to fuel her spirit. The illustrations invite the reader into the story and enhance the storytelling. CU: This heartwarming story provides discussion opportunities related to poverty (what makes a person rich?), bullying, and self-reliance. Sleeping Bear. 38 pp. US$10.86.

Intermediate (Grades 3-5; Ages 8-11)

A Friendship for Today
Patricia C. McKissack. Used by permission of Scholastic Press. Patricia C. McKissack.

Rosemary is one of the first African Americans to enroll in an all-white school. Throughout the year she develops an uneasy friendship with her neighborhood nemesis, Grace "the tasteless" Hamilton, and with the help of supportive adults and a rescued, injured kitten, learns the value of tolerance and perseverance. This book is based on the author's own experience in 1954 Missouri. CU: This historical novel supports middle school Civil Rights movement and school integration curriculum and speaks to students in all schools where there is intolerance, whether for ethnic, economic, or social reasons. Scholastic. 240 pp. US$5.21.

One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II
Lita Judge. Ill. by the author.

This story was inspired by the author's discovery of thousands of tracings of feet in her grandparents' attic. What began as her grandparents' effort to help one family grew into a grassroots relief campaign to provide shoes for children and adults in war-torn Europe following WWII. Emotion-filled watercolor illustrations are interspersed with photographs, tracings, and other artifacts that help tell the story. This is a poignant reminder that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. CU: World War II; journals; diversity; and overcoming adversity. Hyperion. 40 pp. US$15.99.

A Song for Harlem: Scraps of Time, 1928
Patricia C. McKissack. Ill. Gordon C. James.

After being accepted into a summer writing program, Lilly Belle, a young girl from a small town in Tennessee, travels to Harlem to be instructed by the writer Zora Neale Hurston during the summer of 1928. Through the summer writing program she learns not only about writing, but also about friendships and her own character as well as the character of others. CU: This book could be used for teaching about the Harlem Renaissance and where ideas and voice come from when writing. Viking Juvenile. 112 pp. US$4.99.

Sweet Land of Liberty
Deborah Hopkinson. Ill. Leonard Jenkins.

As a child, Oscar Chapman watched his black friends suffer racial injustices. As an adult and assistant secretary of interior under President Franklin Roosevelt, Chapman again witnessed racial injustice. When African American opera singer Marian Anderson was denied the use of Constitution Hall, Chapman organized the 1939 Anderson concert given at the Lincoln Memorial for 75,000 people. CU: Mixed-media collages illustrate connections between past and present, childhood experiences and works for civil rights and community good. Author's notes provide more political history, making the book a great read-aloud for any grade level. Peachtree. 32 pp. US$16.95.

This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness
Joyce Sidman. Ill. Pamela Zagarenski.

An imaginary class of students writes poems apologizing to friends, family, and each other. Recipients of the poems respond with poems of forgiveness. The poems are written with deep emotion and feeling. Poems, like the one apologizing for euthanizing a pet dog, are very moving and will easily make connections with students. CU: This book can be used to teach poetry by connecting to the reader. Poetry can be intimidating, but this book shows how things from your everyday life can become a poem. Houghton Mifflin. 48 pp. US$6.97.

Advanced (Grades 6-8; Ages 11-14)

Celeste's Harlem Renaissance
Eleanora E. Tate. Used by permission of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Harlem, the Colored world capital of the early 1900s, was the only place Celeste (Cece) Lassiter Massey could go when her father was confined to a tuberculosis sanitarium near home in Raleigh, NC. Upon arrival in New York, she discovered that her Aunt Val was not famous, just an aspiring performer who did menial work to support a meager lifestyle. Cece's prospects were bleak until her talent as a violinist provided a way for her aunt to work in the chorus line of a show. CU: Harlem Renaissance; music; theater. US$7.99

Reaching for Sun
Tracie Vaughn Zimmer. Copyright 2007 Bloomsbury Children's Books.

Josie, a seventh grader with cerebral palsy, struggles to find her place in the world. She lives with her mother and grandmother on a small portion of family farm not sold to developers. Josie's life becomes more interesting when Jordan, a science-minded geek, moves into the area. Their friendship carries Josie into summer when life takes more twists and turns. CU: Written in free-verse, reluctant readers will enjoy the quick read while more mature readers will appreciate the poetic structure and figurative language. Josie's strong voice provides insights into life for persons with disabilities. Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. 144 pp. US$11.99.

Sequoyah: Inventor of Written Cherokee
Roberta Basel

The life of Sequoyah is detailed in an easy-to-read-and-understand format. The reader learns how Sequoyah, a deeply committed Cherokee, developed the Cherokee written language. While describing his life, the reader is engaged by interesting facts and glimpses of life in the 1800s. CU: This book is formatted in a manner that will help students use it as a research tool. Included is an effective timeline using pictures and captions. The book could also be used with a lesson about source notes. Compass Point. 112 pp. US$6.49.

Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood
Ibtisam Barakat

This first-person memoir of a young Palestinian girl's memory of the Six-Day War in Ramallah paints the perspective of war from a child's point of view. When the bombing ceases and the dust settles, the protagonist's mother advises her daughter to forget, but she wants to remember. The young refugee shares the joy of discovering literacy; her language and literacy empower her voice to share her story. CU: This autobiographical text provides a wonderful springboard for current events and point of view in literature. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 192 pp. US$5.64.

Young Adults (Grades 7-12)

The 2008 Young Adults' Choices list is the 22nd that U.S. teenagers (grades 7-12) have helped create. This project began in 1986, funded by a special grant given to the International Reading Association and supervised by the Association's Literature for Young Adults Committee.

Being Bindy
Alyssa Brugman

This funny, coming-of-age novel from Australia reassures young readers that even after the worst day of your life, things can get better. Teens will recognize many of Bindy's problems including losing a best friend, divorce, parental dating, and the idea of blended families. Bindy is left out and bullied, but she does have support from her father, her brother, and two new friends. There is humiliation and embarrassment here, but Bindy finds the strength to make tough decisions. Teens will like this story about being true to yourself. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. 208 pp. US$6.56.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
John Boyne

Readers will remember this story long after the book is finished. In the early 1940s in Nazi Germany, 9-year-old Bruno moves from Berlin to a place in Poland called "Out-With" after a visit from the "Fury." Bruno can see a high wire fence and hundreds of people wearing striped pajamas. Like most boys, Bruno is curious and more than anything he wants a friend. So does a boy in the striped pajamas. What happens next in this Holocaust tale is heart-stopping and unforgettable. Students will want to talk about this story. Mature readers. David Fickling. 224 pp. US$7.30.

Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888
Ernest L. Thayer and illustrated by Joe Morse. Reprinted by permission of Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto. Text copyright 2006 Ernest L. Thayer. Illustrations copyright 2006 Joe Morse.

Thayer's classic poem, "Casey at the Bat," is accompanied by striking oil and acrylic illustrations. Reinterpreted in an inner-city context, the text as illustrated by Morse imagines the events of the poem played out by and for a multicultural cast surrounded by the artistic graffiti and buildings of the city. This pairing results in a new reading of the poem, which will undoubtedly appeal to young and old alike. Kids Can. 48 pp. US$7.36.

Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything
E. Lockhart

Gretchen Yee is a talented artist who perceives herself as someone who doesn't quite fit in at the elite Manhattan High School for the Arts. She struggles to be normal around her ex-boyfriend and her current crush, all the while dealing with the news of her parents' divorce. Gretchen's off- hand comment about a desire to be a fly on the wall in the boy's locker room becomes a reality. Her fly's perspective provides her with a greater understanding of the male physique but more important gives her realistic insight into the lives and thoughts of boys. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. 192 pp. US$6.17.

Living with an alcoholic parent is especially tough on Samantha, who can't believe even her best friends will understand. With nowhere else to turn, Sam sends notes through a library book to a random girl who she hopes can advise her. When an older boy asks her to a party, Sam lies to her friends and sneaks out to meet him. Things only get worse as she deals with the consequences and discovers that her fellow note writer is not whom she thinks. Through confronting her parents and reconciling with her friends, Sam gains a deeper understanding of herself. Scholastic. 192 pp. US$12.74.

Mismatch
Lensey Namioka

Star-crossed lovers? This relevant story addresses issues of assimilation into American society, examining the cultural differences between Japanese and Chinese Americans. Sue, a viola player in the school orchestra, and Andy, a violinist, attempt a romantic relationship in spite of their parents' bigoted viewpoints. As the characters get to know each other, their mutual understanding blossoms, and they come to terms with their own cultural and personal identities. This is a must-read book for all diverse students who populate modern classrooms. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. 224 pp. US$9.87.

Returnable Girl
Pamela Lowell

This fictional account of a 13-year-old girl in foster care is a gripping story of a teenage girl longing to belong. Ronnie has been "returned" since she was abandoned by her mother at the age of 11. When she's finally found a home where she can settle in, her mother reappears. Written in Ronnie's voice in journal format, this book deals with many sensitive issues, such as sex, depression, and bullying, with which young readers will identify. It is a story of hope. Marshall Cavendish Children's Books. 229 pp. US$6.52.

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Culturally Responsive Books for Students

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Classroom library books and other printed materials should represent the interests of the students and reflect the diversity of students within the classroom. However, until the recent past, it was not uncommon to find classrooms completely void of reading materials that either were written by African American, Latino, or Asian...

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The Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning( CCRTL)

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The Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning( CCRTL)

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This website has resources to use in the classroom to promote cultural responsiveness. There are many free downloadable resources like handouts, videos, power-points, articles, and tips. The focus of the CCRTL is engaging in cultural responsiveness in daily life. The conversations can happen in the classroom. There are also professional development activities for teachers that are free to access. These are a great resource for learning the importance of diversity and being culturally responsive.

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Cultural responsiveness is for everyone.

Click Here To Begin Your Journey

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This website comes from the International OCD Foundation. Dealing with student anxiety in the classroom is important for student's mental health. This website provides information on what students showing anxiety in the classroom looks like. This website also provided tips that teachers can do to help students deal with some of the stresses they man encounter on a daily basics at school. There is also a section that helps teachers reduce the anxiety students my have based on their assignments and instruction.

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Anxiety in the Classroom is an online resource center for school personnel, students, and their families.
This website provides useful information, resources, and materials about anxiety and OCD as they relate to the school setting. In addition, it offers specific tools for teachers, administrators, and other school personnel who may work with students with anxiety and/or OCD. Parents and students can also find tools and information to help them advocate for school accommodations, as well as to educate their teachers and classmates about OCD and anxiety.

Impact of Anxiety in the Classroom Setting:

OCD and anxiety are very common in children and can take a tremendous toll on the child's school performance and social functioning. Approximately 1 in every 200 children in the United States suffers from OCD or a related disorder.

Over half of adults with OCD report that their symptoms began before age 18.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that around 30% of youth have experienced an anxiety disorder.

A recent IOCDF-funded study has shown that OCD significantly impairs an individual's ability to take advantage of educational opportunities.

A recent study showed that OCD has a pervasive and profound impact on education across all educational levels, particularly when it has an early age of onset.

Need for Anxiety in the Classroom Resources:

Unfortunately, the professionals who interact with youth the most (such as school personnel and pediatricians) are not trained to recognize or work with anxiety/OCD in children. This means that the average child with a mental health condition will wait years after displaying symptoms to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Anxiety in the Classroom was developed by the International OCD Foundation to reduce the negative impact of anxiety and OCD on youth.

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Anxiety In The Classroom | School Anxiety | Free Resources

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Anxiety in the Classroom is an online resource center for school personnel, students, and their families. This website provides useful information, resources, and materials about anxiety and OCD as they relate to the school setting. In addition, it offers specific tools for teachers, administrators, and other school personnel who may work with students with anxiety and/or OCD.

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This PDF is a resource teachers can use to improve their Evidence Based teaching. The first list is 10 principles of instruction. All of the bubbles on the list assist students in their learning and critical thinking. The next page includes a thoughtful visual representation of scaffolding. We want to make sure students have a solid understanding of the material before we go on to adding more. The representation of the structure shows this clearly. Students in the general education classroom will benefit from this type of instruction because it is concrete while still providing opportunity for critical thinking.

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This website is a collection of websites that can assist teachers in creating evidence-based practices in their classrooms. There are sections for reading intervention programs, teaching strategies, child education, and student learning. This resource is great for general education teachers looking to implement these kinds of practices in their classrooms.

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Identifying Successful Practices for Students with Disabilities in Ohio Schools

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Identifying Successful Practices for Students with Disabilities in Ohio Schools

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This PDF article describes a real-life study that took place in Ohio schools regarding students with disabilities. There are various methods that were observed and recorded in the subjects of literacy and mathematics. There is a detailed description of students' IEP accommodations and what that instruction looks like in the school. There are many useful tips and instructional practices teachers can use based on this successful study.

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This interactive tool is helpful for teachers who are learning to adapt their instruction to students in their class with disabilities. There are many PD courses that you can go through and learn different things from. There is a section on Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education that would especially be helpful for teachers. By teachers gaining more knowledge about how to help their students with disabilities, the students will be more likely to be successful in the classroom.

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Page 7: Use Evidence-Based Practices

Research Shows

Direct Instruction (DI) programs have been found to be effective for teaching reading in JC settings. These programs incorporate fast-paced scripted lessons, careful scaffolding, frequent opportunities for student responding, and immediate corrective feedback.
(Gagnon & Barber, 2014)

One key recommendation by the Department of Education regarding the education of youths in JC classrooms is that teachers use evidence-based instructional practices (EBP). Unfortunately, there is very little research on what constitutes an instructional EBP in JC settings. However, the few studies that have been conducted identified the following practices as effective in JC settings:

Explicit instruction combined with strategy instruction

ClassWide Peer Tutoring

Explicit Instruction with Strategy Instruction

Explicit instruction and strategy instruction are two EBPs that are effective when used separately. By combining these approaches, students acquire and build skills through explicit instruction while also learning higher-order thinking skills (e.g., planning, organizing) using strategy instruction.

Explicit Instruction

Explicit instruction involves teaching a specific skill or concept in a highly structured manner. It is often used for teaching new skills or teaching students to generalize knowledge to novel settings. During explicit instruction, the teacher:

Clearly identifies the expectations for learning

Highlights important details of the concept or skill

Gives precise instructions

Models concepts or procedures

Connects new learning to previously learned material

The steps of an explicit instruction lesson are described below.

Modeling

The teacher models thinking aloud to demonstrate the completion of a few sample problems.

The teacher leads the student through more sample problems.

The teacher points out difficult aspects of the problems.

Guided Practice

The student completes problems with the help of either teacher or peer guidance.

The teacher monitors the student's work.

The teacher offers positive corrective feedback.

Independent Practice

The student completes the problems independently.

The teacher checks the student's performance on independent work.

Adapted from Bender (2009), pp. 31-32.

Strategy Instruction

Strategy instruction involves teaching students clear strategies that help them process and respond to an assignment or task. There are many different learning strategies that teachers can use to help students learn a variety of skills in all academic subjects. One strategy that is used by teachers to help students master a learning strategy is self-regulated strategy development (SRSD). SRSD is an evidence-based framework for explicitly teaching academic (e.g., writing) as well as self-regulation strategies (e.g., self-monitoring, goal setting) to students. It incorporates instructional practices that have been shown to be critical to students' acquisition and adoption of academic strategies. The SRSD model involves six stages:

ClassWide Peer Tutoring

In ClassWide Peer Tutoring (CWPT) pairs of students take turns tutoring each other to reinforce concepts and skills initially taught by the teacher. This approach provides students with increased opportunities to practice academic skills, ask questions, and receive immediate corrective feedback. Typically, the pairs differ in ability level, with one partner being stronger in the skill than the other. For example, students can be paired to practice reading comprehension skills. The students take turns reading a short passage to each other and paraphrasing what they read. The stronger reader will go first to model good comprehension skills and then can provide the weaker reader with corrective feedback on their attempt at paraphrasing. Students are taught a specific script to use when providing feedback to ensure it is delivered appropriately. In addition, the teacher walks around the classroom, observing each pair of students, providing feedback on their comprehension skills and their partnering skills.

In the video below, two students are engaged in a peer tutoring activity. In this case, the students are using Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), one common type of CWPT. For the sake of time, the video highlights only one student serving as the tutor. In reality, the students will switch roles (time: 1:21).

Transcript: Paragraph Shrinking

Reader: Randy woke up suddenly from a deep sleep. Outside, the morning light was changing from black to light gray. Randy felt a scared feeling deep down in the bottom of his stomach. Today was the day for basketball tryouts at Westview School. This was the first year Westview School had a ball team, and Randy wanted to be one of the first players. Randy looked at his alarm clock and saw that the hand pointed at 5:00 a.m. Randy groaned and turned over in bed. He had to wait three more hours until tryouts. When the alarm went off at 6:00 a.m., Randy got up and got dressed as fast as he could.

Reader: Randy.

Coach: "Tell the most important thing about the who or what."

Reader: Randy has basketball tryout.

Coach: "Say the main idea in ten words or less."

Reader: Randy has a basketball tryout at Westview School this morning.

(Story text from Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies [PALS] for High School Students, by L. S. Fuchs, D. Fuchs, S. Kazdan, P. Mathes, and L. Saenz, 1997, pp. A-19a-A-19b)

This toolbox lists and describes additional resources related to the information presented on this page. These resources are provided for informational purposes only for those who wish to learn more about the topic(s). It is not necessary for those viewing this module to read or refer to all of these additional resources to understand the content. The resources are organized by the page section/topics to which they apply.
Evidence-Based Practices Strategy Instruction ClassWide Peer Tutoring
Additionally, NDTAC offers resources about Teaching and Learning, including including an issue brief on FAPE. To access these resources, visit the NDTAC Website and select Teaching and Learning from the Topic Areas menu at the top of the page.

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IRIS | Page 7: Use Evidence-Based Practices

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Direct Instruction (DI) programs have been found to be effective for teaching reading in JC settings. These programs incorporate fast-paced scripted lessons, careful scaffolding, frequent opportunities for student responding, and immediate corrective feedback. (Gagnon & Barber, 2014) One key recommendation by the Department of Education regarding the education of youths in JC classrooms is that teachers use evidence-based instructional practices (EBP).

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This website contains interactive modules that can assist teachers in their understanding of Evidence-Based Practices in special education. The modules are free and include videos and tutorials for creating activities in your classroom. This resource will improve a teacher's knowledge of Evidence-Based Practices in their classroom, benefiting the students. There are other modules that would assist teachers in different areas of professional development.

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Contributors: Reed Hepler, Abigail CookAuthorRHAuthor: Reed Hepler Show moreInstructorACInstructor: Abigail Cook

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Evidence-Based Practices in Education | Strategies & Examples - Lesson | Study.com

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Learn about evidence-based practices in special education and general education. Discover evidence-based practice examples in education and why…

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A Guide to the Individualized Education Program 

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A Guide to the Individualized Education Program 

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This website is a detailed guide to everything you need to know regarding IEPs. There are links at the top of the page that will take you to the section based on what you are looking to learn from the website. This resource would be great for teachers to have to be able to reference when they have a question on the IEP process. This guide also breaks down how to read an IEP. This knowledge is crucial for teachers.

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Select a link below to jump to the relevant page section.

1. Preface

The purpose of this guidance is to assist educators, parents, and state and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities, including preschool-aged children. (This guide does not address the development of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) for infants and toddlers.)

Guide to the Individualized Education Program
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
U.S. Department of Education
July 2000

Credits

This guide was developed by the U.S. Department of Education, with the assistance of the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY). The Department staff contributing to this guide include: Debra Price-Ellingstad, JoLeta Reynolds, Larry Ringer, Ruth Ryder, and Suzanne Sheridan, under the direction of Judith E. Heumann, Kenneth Warlick, and Curtis Richards.

Editor: Lisa Küpper, NICHCY

Production: Jean Kohanek, NICHCY

Disability Art: Madison, Moore, www.disabilityart.com

Each public school child who receives special education and related services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Each IEP must be designed for one student and must be a truly individualized document. The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education for each child with a disability.
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To create an effective IEP, parents, teachers, other school staff--and often the student--must come together to look closely at the student's unique needs. These individuals pool knowledge, experience and commitment to design an educational program that will help the student be involved in, and progress in, the general curriculum. The IEP guides the delivery of special education supports and services for the student with a disability. Without a doubt, writing--and implementing--an effective IEP requires teamwork.

This guide explains the IEP process, which we consider to be one of the most critical elements to ensure effective teaching, learning, and better results for all children with disabilities. The guide is designed to help teachers, parents and anyone involved in the education of a child with a disability-develop and carry out an IEP. The information in this guide is based on what is required by our nation's special education law--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.

The IDEA requires certain information to be included in each child's IEP. It is useful to know, however, that states and local school systems often include additional information in IEPs in order to document that they have met certain aspects of federal or state law. The flexibility that states and school systems have to design their own IEP forms is one reason why IEP forms may look different from school system to school system or state to state. Yet each IEP is critical in the education of a child with a disability.

Additional copies of this guide are available from:

ED Pubs
Editorial Publications Center
U.S. Department of Education
P.O. Box 1398
Jessup, MD 20794-1398

(877) 4-ED-PUBS
(877) 576-7734 TTY
(301) 470-1244 Fax

The writing of each student's IEP takes place within the larger picture of the special education process under IDEA. Before taking a detailed look at the IEP, it may be helpful to look briefly at how a student is identified as having a disability and needing special education and related services and, thus, an IEP.
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Step 1. Child is identified as possibly needing special education and related services.

"Child Find." The state must identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities in the state who need special education and related services. To do so, states conduct "Child Find" activities. A child may be identified by "Child Find," and parents may be asked if the "Child Find" system can evaluate their child. Parents can also call the "Child Find" system and ask that their child be evaluated. Or —

Referral or request for evaluation. A school professional may ask that a child be evaluated to see if he or she has a disability. Parents may also contact the child's teacher or other school professional to ask that their child be evaluated. This request may be verbal or in writing. Parental consent is needed before the child may be evaluated. Evaluation needs to be completed within a reasonable time after the parent gives consent.

Step 2. Child is evaluated.

The evaluation must assess the child in all areas related to the child's suspected disability. The evaluation results will be used to decide the child's eligibility for special education and related services and to make decisions about an appropriate educational program for the child. If the parents disagree with the evaluation, they have the right to take their child for an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). They can ask that the school system pay for this IEE.

Step 3. Eligibility is decided.

Clearly, the IEP is a very important document for children with disabilities and for those who are involved in educating them. Done correctly, the IEP should improve teaching, learning and results. Each child's IEP describes, among other things, the educational program that has been designed to meet that child's unique needs. This part of the guide looks closely at how the IEP is written and by whom, and what information it must, at a minimum, contain.
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A group of qualified professionals and the parents look at the child's evaluation results. Together, they decide if the child is a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA. Parents may ask for a hearing to challenge the eligibility decision.

Step 4. Child is found eligible for services.

If the child is found to be a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, he or she is eligible for special education and related services. Within 30 calendar days after a child is determined eligible, the IEP team must meet to write an IEP for the child.
Step 5. IEP meeting is scheduled.
By law, the IEP must include certain information about the child and the educational program designed to meet his or her unique needs. In a nutshell, this information is:
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Current performance.
The IEP must state how the child is currently doing in school (known as present levels of educational performance). This information usually comes from the evaluation results such as classroom tests and assignments, individual tests given to decide eligibility for services or during reevaluation, and observations made by parents, teachers, related service providers, and other school staff. The statement about "current performance" includes how the child's disability affects his or her involvement and progress in the general curriculum.

Annual goals.
These are goals that the child can reasonably accomplish in a year. The goals are broken down into short-term objectives or benchmarks. Goals may be academic, address social or behavioral needs, relate to physical needs, or address other educational needs. The goals must be measurable-meaning that it must be possible to measure whether the student has achieved the goals.

Special education and related services.
The IEP must list the special education and related services to be provided to the child or on behalf of the child. This includes supplementary aids and services that the child needs. It also includes modifications (changes) to the program or supports for school personnel-such as training or professional development-that will be provided to assist the child.

Participation with nondisabled children.
The IEP must explain the extent (if any) to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and other school activities.

Participation in state and district-wide tests.
Most states and districts give achievement tests to children in certain grades or age groups. The IEP must state what modifications in the administration of these tests the child will need. If a test is not appropriate for the child, the IEP must state why the test is not appropriate and how the child will be tested instead.

Dates and places.
The IEP must state when services will begin, how often they will be provided, where they will be provided, and how long they will last.

States and school systems have a great deal of flexibility about the information they require in an IEP. Some states and school systems have chosen to include in the IEP additional information to document their compliance with other state and federal requirements. (Federal law requires that school districts maintain documentation to demonstrate their compliance with federal requirements.) Generally speaking, extra elements in IEPs may be included to document that the state or school district has met certain aspects of federal or state law, such as:
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IEP Forms in Different Places
While the law tells us what information must be included in the IEP, it does not specify what the IEP should look like. No one form or approach or appearance is required or even suggested. Each state may decide what its IEPs will look like. In some states individual school systems design their own IEP forms.

Thus, across the United States, many different IEP forms are used. What is important is that each form be as clear and as useful as possible, so that parents, educators, related service providers, administrators, and others can easily use the form to write and implement effective IEPs for their students with disabilities.

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Transition service needs.
Beginning when the child is age 14 (or younger, if appropriate), the IEP must address (within the applicable parts of the IEP) the courses he or she needs to take to reach his or her post-school goals. A statement of transition services needs must also be included in each of the child's subsequent IEPs.

By law, certain individuals must be involved in writing a child's Individualized Education Program. These are identified in the figure at the left. Note that an IEP team member may fill more than one of the team positions if properly qualified and designated. For example, the school system representative may also be the person who can interpret the child's evaluation results.
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These people must work together as a team to write the child's IEP. A meeting to write the IEP must be held within 30 calendar days of deciding that the child is eligible for special education and related services.

Each team member brings important information to the IEP meeting. Members share their information and work together to write the child's Individualized Education Program. Each person's information adds to the team's understanding of the child and what services the child needs.

Parents are key members of the IEP team. They know their child very well and can talk about their child's strengths and needs as well as their ideas for enhancing their child's education. They can offer insight into how their child learns, what his or her interests are, and other aspects of the child that only a parent can know. They can listen to what the other team members think their child needs to work on at school and share their suggestions. They can also report on whether the skills the child is learning at school are being used at home. (See box on page 12 regarding parents' possible need for an interpreter.)

Teachers are vital participants in the IEP meeting as well. At least one of the child's regular education teachers must be on the IEP team if the child is (or may be) participating in the regular education environment. The regular education teacher has a great deal to share with the team. For example, he or she might talk about:

the general curriculum in the regular classroom;

the aids, services or changes to the educational program that would help the child learn and achieve; and

strategies to help the child with behavior, if behavior is an issue.

The regular education teacher may also discuss with the IEP team the supports for school staff that are needed so that the child can:

To help decide what special education and related services the student needs, generally the IEP team will begin by looking at the child's evaluation results, such as classroom tests, individual tests given to establish the student's eligibility, and observations by teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, related service providers, administrators, and others. This information will help the team describe the student's "present levels of educational performance" -in other words, how the student is currently doing in school. Knowing how the student is currently performing in school will help the team develop annual goals to address those areas where the student has an identified educational need.
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The IEP team must also discuss specific information about the child. This includes:

In addition, the IEP team must consider the "special factors" described in the box below.

It is important that the discussion of what the child needs be framed around how to help the child:

Based on the above discussion, the IEP team will then write the child's IEP. This includes the services and supports the school will provide for the child. If the IEP team decides that a child needs a particular device or service (including an intervention, accommodation, or other program modification), the IEP team must write this information in the IEP. As an example, consider a child whose behavior interferes with learning. The IEP team would need to consider positive and effective ways to address that behavior. The team would discuss the positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports that the child needs in order to learn how to control or manage his or her behavior. If the team decides that the child needs a particular service (including an intervention, accommodation, or other program modification), they must include a statement to that effect in the child's IEP.

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Special Factors To Consider
In addition, the child's placement (where the IEP will be carried out) must be decided. The placement decision is made by a group of people, including the parents and others who know about the child, what the evaluation results mean, and what types of placements are appropriate. In some states, the IEP team serves as the group making the placement decision. In other states, this decision may be made by another group of people. In all cases, the parents have the right to be members of the group that decides the educational placement of the child.
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Placement decisions must be made according to IDEA's least restrictive environment requirements-commonly known as LRE. These requirements state that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities must be educated with children who do not have disabilities.

The law also clearly states that special classes, separate schools, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment may occur only if the nature or severity of the child's disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

What type of placements are there? Depending on the needs of the child, his or her IEP may be carried out in the regular class (with supplementary aids and services, as needed), in a special class (where every student in the class is receiving special education services for some or all of the day), in a special school, at home, in a hospital and institution, or in another setting. A school system may meet its obligation to ensure that the child has an appropriate placement available by:

providing an appropriate program for the child on its own;

contracting with another agency to provide an appropriate program; or

utilizing some other mechanism or arrangement that is consistent with IDEA for providing or paying for an appropriate program for the child.

The placement group will base its decision on the IEP and which placement option is appropriate for the child. Can the child be educated in the regular classroom, with proper aids and supports? If the child cannot be educated in the regular classroom, even with appropriate aids and supports, then the placement group will talk about other placements for the child.

Depending on the needs of the child, the IEP team needs to consider what the law calls special factors. These include:
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When the IEP has been written, parents must receive a copy at no cost to themselves. The IDEA also stresses that everyone who will be involved in implementing the IEP must have access to the document. This includes the child's:

Each of these individuals needs to know what his or her specific responsibilities are for carrying out the child's IEP. This includes the specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that the child must receive, according to the IEP.

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Parents' Permission
Before the school can provide a child with special education and related services for the first time, the child's parents must give their written permission.

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Once the IEP is written, it is time to carry it out-in other words, to provide the student with the special education and related services as listed in the IEP. This includes all supplementary aids and services and program modifications that the IEP team has identified as necessary for the student to advance appropriately toward his or her IEP goals, to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, and participate in other school activities. While it is beyond the scope of this guide to discuss in detail the many issues involved in implementing a student's IEP, certain suggestions can be offered.
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Every individual involved in providing services to the student should know and understand his or her responsibilities for carrying out the IEP. This will help ensure that the student receives the services that have been planned, including the specific modifications and accommodations the IEP team has identified as necessary.

Teamwork plays an important part in carrying out the IEP. Many professionals are likely to be involved in providing services and supports to the student. Sharing expertise and insights can help make everyone's job a lot easier and can certainly improve results for students with disabilities. Schools can encourage teamwork by giving teachers, support staff and/or paraprofessionals time to plan or work together on such matters as adapting the general curriculum to address the student's unique needs. Teachers, support staff, and others providing services for children with disabilities may request training and staff development.

Communication between home and school is also important. Parents can share information about what is happening at home and build upon what the child is learning at school. If the child is having difficulty at school, parents may be able to offer insight or help the school explore possible reasons as well as possible solutions.

It is helpful to have someone in charge of coordinating and monitoring the services the student receives. In addition to special education, the student may be receiving any number of related services. Many people may be involved in delivering those services. Having a person in charge of overseeing that services are being delivered as planned can help ensure that the IEP is being carried out appropriately.

The regular progress reports that the law requires will help parents and schools monitor the child's progress toward his or her annual goals. It is important to know if the child is not making the progress expected-or if he or she has progressed much faster than expected. Together, parents and school personnel can then address the child's needs as those needs become evident.

If the child's behavior interferes with his or her learning or the learning of others, the IEP team will consider strategies and supports to address the child's behavior.

The IEP team must review the child's IEP at least once a year. One purpose of this review is to see whether the child is achieving his or her annual goals. The team must revise the child's individualized education program, if necessary, to address:
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the child's progress or lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general curriculum;

information gathered through any reevaluation of the child;

information about the child that the parents share;

information about the child that the school shares (for example, insights from the teacher based on his or her observation of the child or the child's classwork);

the child's anticipated needs; or

other matters.

Although the IDEA requires this IEP review at least once a year, in fact the team may review and revise the IEP more often. Either the parents or the school can ask to hold an IEP meeting to revise the child's IEP. For example, the child may not be making progress toward his or her IEP goals, and his or her teacher or parents may become concerned. On the other hand, the child may have met most or all of the goals in the IEP, and new ones need to be written. In either case, the IEP team would meet to revise the IEP.

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Look at Those Factors Again!
When the IEP team is meeting to conduct a review of the child's IEP and, as necessary, to revise it, members must again consider all of the factors discussed on page 11. This includes:

The IEP team must also consider the "special factors," as listed earlier.

There are times when parents may not agree with the school's recommendations about their child's education. Under the law, parents have the right to challenge decisions about their child's eligibility, evaluation, placement, and the services that the school provides to the child. If parents disagree with the school's actions-or refusal to take action-in these matters, they have the right to pursue a number of options. They may do the following:
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OSEP Monitoring
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) regularly monitors states to see that they are complying with IDEA. Every two years OSEP requires that states report progress toward meeting established performance goals that, at a minimum, address the performance of children on assessments, drop-out rates, and graduation rates. As part of its monitoring, the Department reviews IEPs and interviews parents, students, and school staff to find out:

whether, and how, the IEP team made the decisions reflected in the IEP;

whether those decisions and the IEP content are based on the child's unique needs, as determined through evaluation and the IEP process;

whether any state or local policies or practices have interfered with decisions of the IEP team about the child's educational needs and the services that the school would provide to meet those needs; and

The IEP is the cornerstone of special education. Writing and implementing an effective IEP involves many people, many different steps, and collaborative decision making.
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The information provided in this guide about the IEP has been fairly general. To help you get better acquainted with the various parts of the IEP, a sample IEP form is presented on the next pages. The sample IEP form includes space for all of the information that an IEP must contain under federal law. (Remember that IEP forms in your area may require more information that may be of value to the student and those implementing the IEP.) The different parts of the sample are paired with direct quotes from the law, so that you can easily see:

how the law defines what type of information goes into the various parts of a child's IEP, and

how this information goes together to create an educational program for a particular child.

Attachment A presents the IDEA's regulations for "Individualized Education Programs" (§§300.340-300.350). Under §300.347, where "IEP content" is described, we have included additional information primarily from Appendix A and Attachment 1 of the regulations. This information can be very useful in developing a fuller understanding of what type of information is important to capture about a child in the IEP.

whether the school has provided the services listed in the IEP.

This guide is intended to help states and school districts write IEPs that comply with IDEA. Writing effective IEPs is a very important first step in improving educational results for children with disabilities.

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Use of this IEP form, or any other form, will not, in and of itself, ensure compliance with IDEA's Part B requirements. Whether or not a state or local education agency chooses to require or recommend that teams use this form for IEPs, all IEP team participants including parents need to receive clear guidance and training regarding Part B requirements and to understand the importance of the IEP in focusing instruction to meet the unique needs of each child with a disability. TOP Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Student Name [ Space to write ]

Date of Meeting to Develop or Review IEP [ Space to write ]

Note: For each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger, if appropriate), a statement of the student's transition service needs must be included under the applicable parts of the IEP. The statement must focus on the courses the student needs to take to reach his or her post-school goals.

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From the Regulations:
If you would like more information about special education, children with disabilities, the IEP process, or the IDEA, contact your state education agency or your local education agency. Additional sources of information include the following:
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Office of Special Education Programs
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-7100
(202) 245-7531 (Voice/TTY)
Web: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
(800) 695-0285 (Voice/TTY); (202) 884-8200 (V/TTY)
E-mail: nichcy@aed.org
Web: www.nichcy.org

Technical Assistance for Parent Centers--the Alliance
PACER Center
4826 Chicago Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098
(888) 248-0822; (612) 827-2966
(612) 827-7770 (TTY)
E-mail: alliance@taalliance.org
Web: www.taalliance.org

The IDEA Partnership Projects

Associations of Service Providers Implementing IDEA Reforms in Education (ASPIIRE)
The Council for Exceptional Children
1920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1589
(888) 232-7733; (703) 264-9456
(703) 264-9446 (TTY)
E-mail: ideapractices@cec.sped.org

Families and Advocates Partnerships for Education (FAPE)
PACER Center
4826 Chicago Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098
(888) 248-0822; (612) 827-2966; (612) 827-7770 (TTY)
E-mail: fape@pacer.org
Web: www.fape.org
Final Regulations for IEPs:
§§ 300.340--300.350 TOP
Attachment A presents the Federal regulations for Individualized Education Programs (IEP). These regulations cover areas such as IEP meetings; the IEP team; parent participation; and the development, review, and revision of the IEP.

Under §300.347--"Content of IEP"--we have included additional guidance on the various parts of the IEP. Generally, this guidance comes from Appendix A and Attachment 1 of the federal regulations for IDEA, which were published March 12, 1999, in the Federal Register.

This extra information is intended to highlight and clarify what information needs to be included in a child's IEP.

Individualized Education Programs

§ 300.340 Definitions related to IEPs.

(a) Individualized education program. As used in this part, the term individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for a child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting in accordance with §§ 300.341-300.350.

(b) Participating agency. As used in § 300.348, participating agency means a State or local agency, other than the public agency responsible for a student's education, that is financially and legally responsible for providing transition services to the student.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(11), 1312(a)(10)(B))

§ 300.341 Responsibility of SEA and other public agencies for IEPs.

(a) The SEA shall ensure that each public agency-

(1) Except as provided in §§ 300.450-300.462, develops and implements an IEP for each child with a disability served by that agency; and

(2) Ensures that an IEP is developed and implemented for each eligible child placed in or referred to a private school or facility by the public agency.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section applies to-

(1) The SEA, if it is involved in providing direct services to children with disabilities, in accordance with 300.370(a) and (b)(1); and

(2) Except as provided in § 300.600(d), the other public agencies described in § 300.2, including LEAs and other State agencies that provide special education and related services either directly, by contract, or through other arrangements.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(4), (a)(10)(B))

§ 300.342 When IEPs must be in effect.

(a) General. At the beginning of each school year, each public agency shall have an IEP in effect for each child with a disability within its jurisdiction.

(b) Implementation of IEPs. Each public agency shall ensure that-

(1) An IEP-

(i) Is in effect before special education and related services are provided to an eligible child under this part; and

(ii) Is implemented as soon as possible following the meetings described under § 300.343;

(2) The child's IEP is accessible to each regular education teacher, special education teacher, related service provider, and other service provider who is responsible for its implementation; and

(3) Each teacher and provider described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is informed of-

(i) His or her specific responsibilities related to implementing the child's IEP; and

(ii) The specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided for the child in accordance with the IEP.

(c) IEP or IFSP for children aged 3 through 5.

(1) In the case of a child with a disability aged 3 through 5 (or, at the discretion of the SEA a 2-year-old child with a disability who will turn age 3 during the school year), an IFSP that contains the material described in section 636 of the Act, and that is developed in accordance with 300.341- 300.346 and 300.349-300.350, may serve as the IEP of the child if using that plan as the IEP is-

(i) Consistent with State policy; and

(ii) Agreed to by the agency and the child's parents.

(2) In implementing the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the public agency shall-

(i) Provide to the child's parents a detailed explanation of the differences between an IFSP and an IEP; and

(ii) If the parents choose an IFSP, obtain written informed consent from the parents.

(d) Effective date for new requirements. All IEPs developed, reviewed, or revised on or after July 1, 1998 must meet the requirements of §§ 300.340- 300.350.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(2)(A) and (B), Pub. L. 105-17, sec. 201(a)(2)(A), (C)

§ 300.343 IEP meetings.

(a) General. Each public agency is responsible for initiating and conducting meetings for the purpose of developing, reviewing, and revising the IEP of a child with a disability (or, if consistent with § 300.342(c), an IFSP).

(b) Initial IEPs; provision of services. (1) Each public agency shall ensure that within a reasonable period of time following the agency's receipt of parent consent to an initial evaluation of a child-

(i) The child is evaluated; and

(ii) If determined eligible under this part, special education and related services are made available to the child in accordance with an IEP.

(2) In meeting the requirement in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a meeting to develop an IEP for the child must be conducted within 30 days of a determination that the child needs special education and related services.

(c) Review and revision of IEPs. Each public agency shall ensure that the IEP team-

(1) Reviews the child's IEP periodically, but not less than annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved; and

(2) Revises the IEP as appropriate to address-

(i) Any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals described in § 300.347(a), and in the general curriculum, if appropriate;

(ii) The results of any reevaluation conducted under § 300.536;

(iii) Information about the child provided to, or by, the parents, as described in 300.533(a)(1);

(iv) The child's anticipated needs; or

(v) Other matters.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1413(a)(1), 1414(d)(4)(A))

§ 300.344 IEP team.

(a) General. The public agency shall ensure that the IEP team for each child with a disability includes-

(1) The parents of the child;

(2) At least one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment);

(3) At least one special education teacher of the child, or if appropriate, at least one special education provider of the child;

(4) A representative of the public agency who-

(i) Is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities;

(ii) Is knowledgeable about the general curriculum; and

(iii) Is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency;

(5) An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, who may be a member of the team described in paragraphs (a)(2) through (6) of this section;

(6) At the discretion of the parent or the agency, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and

(7) If appropriate, the child.

(b) Transition services participants. (1) Under paragraph (a)(7) of this section, the public agency shall invite a student with a disability of any age to attend his or her IEP meeting if a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of-

(i) The student's transition services needs under § 300.347(b)(1);

(ii) The needed transition services for the student under § 300.347(b)(2); or

(iii) Both.

(2) If the student does not attend the IEP meeting, the public agency shall take other steps to ensure that the student's preferences and interests are considered.

(3)(i) In implementing the requirements of 300.347(b)(2), the public agency also shall invite a representative of any other agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services.

(ii) If an agency invited to send a representative to a meeting does not do so, the public agency shall take other steps to obtain participation of the other agency in the planning of any transition services.

(c) Determination of knowledge and special expertise. The determination of the knowledge or special expertise of any individual described in paragraph (a)(6) of this section shall be made by the party (parents or public agency) who invited the individual to be a member of the IEP.

(d) Designating a public agency representative. A public agency may designate another public agency member of the IEP team to also serve as the agency representative, if the criteria in paragraph (a)(4) of this section are satisfied.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(30), 1414(d)(1)(A)(7), (B))

§ 300.345 Parent participation.

(a) Public agency responsibility-general. Each public agency shall take steps to ensure that one or both of the parents of a child with a disability are present at each IEP meeting or are afforded the opportunity to participate, including-

(1) Notifying parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend; and

(2) Scheduling the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place.

(b) Information provided to parents. (1) The notice required under paragraph (a)(1) of this section must-

(i) Indicate the purpose, time, and location of the meeting and who will be in attendance; and

(ii) Inform the parents of the provisions in 300.344(a)(6) and (c) (relating to the participation of other individuals on the IEP team who have knowledge or special expertise about the child).

(2) For a student with a disability beginning at age 14, or younger, if appropriate, the notice must also-

(i) Indicate that a purpose of the meeting will be the development of a statement of the transition services needs of the student required in 300.347(b)(1); and

(ii) Indicate that the agency will invite the student.

(3) For a student with a disability beginning at age 16, or younger, if appropriate, the notice must-

(i) Indicate that a purpose of the meeting is the consideration of needed transition services for the student required in § 300.347(b)(2);

(ii) Indicate that the agency will invite the student; and

(iii) Identify any other agency that will be invited to send a representative.

(c) Other methods to ensure parent participation. If neither parent can attend, the public agency shall use other methods to ensure parent participation, including individual or conference telephone calls.

(d) Conducting an IEP meeting without a parent in attendance. A meeting may be conducted without a parent in attendance if the public agency is unable to convince the parents that they should attend. In this case the public agency must have a record of its attempts to arrange a mutually agreed on time and place, such as-

(1) Detailed records of telephone calls made or attempted and the results of those calls;

(2) Copies of correspondence sent to the parents and any responses received; and

(3) Detailed records of visits made to the parent's home or place of employment and the results of those visits.

(e) Use of interpreters or other action, as appropriate. The public agency shall take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings at the IEP meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents with deafness or whose native language is other than English.

(f) Parent copy of child's IEP. The public agency shall give the parent a copy of the child's IEP at no cost to the parent.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(B)(i))

§ 300.346 Development, review, and revision of IEP.

(a) Development of IEP. (1) General. In developing each child's IEP, the IEP team, shall consider-

(i) The strengths of the child and the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child;

(ii) The results of the initial or most recent evaluation of the child; and

(iii) As appropriate, the results of the child's performance on any general State or district-wide assessment programs.

(2) Consideration of special factors. The IEP team also shall-

(i) In the case of a child whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, consider, if appropriate, strategies, including positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports to address that behavior;

(ii) In the case of a child with limited English proficiency, consider the language needs of the child as those needs relate to the child's IEP;

(iii) In the case of a child who is blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the IEP team determines, after an evaluation of the child's reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the child's future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child;

(iv) Consider the communication needs of the child, and in the case of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, consider the child's language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode; and

(v) Consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services.

(b) Review and Revision of IEP. In conducting a meeting to review, and, if appropriate, revise a child's IEP, the IEP team shall consider the factors described in paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Statement in IEP. If, in considering the special factors described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, the IEP team determines that a child needs a particular device or service (including an intervention, accommodation, or other program modification) in order for the child to receive FAPE, the IEP team must include a statement to that effect in the child's IEP.

(d) Requirement with respect to regular education teacher. The regular education teacher of a child with a disability, as a member of the IEP team, must, to the extent appropriate, participate in the development, review, and revision of the child's IEP, including assisting in the determination of-

(1) Appropriate positive behavioral interventions and strategies for the child; and

(2) Supplementary aids and services, program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child, consistent with

300.347(a)(3).

(e) Construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the IEP team to include information under one component of a child's IEP that is already contained under another component of the child's IEP.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3) and (4)(B) and (e))

§ 300.347 Content of IEP.

"(a) General. The IEP for each child with a disability must include-

"(1) A statement of the child's present levels of educational performance, including-

"(i) How the child's disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children); or

"(ii) For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities;

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Additional Guidance
An IEP must include measurable annual goals that relate to meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, and to meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability [34 CFR §300.347(a)(2)]. Thus, if a child's unique needs require goals that address the child's present levels of educational performance in nonacademic areas of instructional need, such as behavioral skills, communication and language skills, self-determination skills, job-related skills, independent living skills, or social skills, the statement of present levels of educational performance in the child's IEP should provide information regarding the child's present levels of educational performance in those areas.

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"(2) A statement of measurable annual goals, including benchmarks or short-term objectives, related to-

"(i) Meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children), or for preschool children, as appropriate, to participate in appropriate activities; and

"(ii) Meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability;

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Additional Guidance
Each annual goal must include either short-term objectives or benchmarks. The purpose of both is to enable a child's teacher(s), parents, and others involved in developing and implementing the child's IEP, to gauge, at intermediate times during the year, how well the child is progressing toward achievement of the annual goal. [Appendix A to 34 CFR Part 300-Notice of Interpretation (Appendix A), Response to Question 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12471 (March 12, 1999).]

An IEP team may use either short-term objectives (that generally break the skills described in the annual goal down into discrete components) or benchmarks (which can be thought of as describing the amount of progress the child is expected to make within specified segments of the year), or a combination of the two, depending on the nature of the annual goals and the needs of the child. [Appendix A to 34 CFR Part 300-Notice of Interpretation (Appendix A), Response to Question 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12471 (March 12, 1999).]

A child's IEP must include measurable annual goals that relate to meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, and to meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability [34 CFR §300.347(a)(2)]. This may, depending on the child's needs, include annual goals that relate to the child's needs in such areas as behavioral skills, communication, self-determination skills, job-related skills, independent living skills, or social skills.

A public agency is not required to include in an IEP annual goals that relate to areas of the general curriculum in which the child's disability does not affect the child's ability to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum. If a child needs only modifications or accommodations in order to progress in an area of the general curriculum, the IEP does not need to include a goal for that area; however the IEP would need to specify those modifications or accommodations. [Appendix A, Response to Question 4, 64 Federal Register, page 12472 (March 12, 1999).]

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"(3) A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child-

"(i) To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;

"(ii) To be involved and progress in the general curriculum in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and

"(iii) To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section;

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Additional Guidance
The type and amount of services to be provided must be stated in the IEP, so that the level of the agency's commitment of resources will be clear to parents and other IEP team embers. [Appendix A, Response to Question 35, 64 Federal Register, page 12479 (March 12, 1999).]

The amount of time to be committed to each of the various services to be provided must be appropriate to the specific service and stated in the IEP in a manner that is clear to all who are involved in both the development and implementation of the IEP. [Appendix A, Response to Question 35, 64 Federal Register, page 12479 (March 12, 1999).]

The amount of a special education or related service to be provided to a child may be stated in the IEP as a range (e.g., speech therapy to be provided three times a week for 30-45 minutes per session) only if the IEP team determines that stating the amount of the services as a range is necessary to meet the unique needs of the child. For example, it would be appropriate for the IEP to specify, based upon the IEP team's determination of the student's unique needs, that particular services are needed only under specific circumstances, such as the occurrence of a seizure or of a particular behavior. A range may not be used because of personnel shortages or uncertainty regarding the availability of staff. [Appendix A, Response to Question 35, 64 Federal Register, page 12479 (March 12, 1999).]

The term "on behalf of the child" includes, among other things, services that are provided to the parents or teacher of the child with a disability to help them to more effectively work with the child. . . Supports for school personnel could also include special training for a child's teacher. However, in order for the training to meet the requirements of §300.347(a)(3), it would normally be targeted directly to on assisting the teacher to meet a unique and specific need of the child, and not simply to participate in an inservice training program that is generally available in a public agency. [Attachment 1-Analysis of Comments and Changes (Attachment 1), 64 Federal Register, page 12593 (March 12, 1999).]

If the IEP team determines that a child with a disability needs extended school year services to receive a free appropriate public education , the public agency must ensure that the child receives those services. A public agency may not-(i) Limit extended school year services to particular categories of disability; or (ii) Unilaterally limit the type, amount, or duration of those services. 34 CFR §300.309(a).

Section 300.346(a)(1) requires that, in developing each child's IEP, the IEP team, shall consider-(i) The strengths of the child and the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child; (ii) The results of the initial or most recent evaluation of the child; and (iii) As appropriate, the results of the child's performance on any general State or district-wide assessment programs.

Section 300.346(a)(2) requires that the IEP team also:

i. In the case of a child whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, consider, if appropriate, strategies, including positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports to address that behavior;

ii. In the case of a child with limited English proficiency, consider the language needs of the child as those needs relate to the child's IEP;

iii. In the case of a child who is blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the IEP team determines, after an evaluation of the child's reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the child's future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child;

iv. Consider the communication needs of the child, and in the case of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, consider the child's language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode; and

v. Consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services.

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"(4) An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section;

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Additional Guidance
The IEP team must consider the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class; the general curriculum; and in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities. If the IEP team determines that the child cannot participate full time with nondisaled children in the regular classroom, the general curriculum, and in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities, the IEP must include a statement that explains why full participation is not possible. [Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12593 (March 12, 1999).]

The IEP team must consider whether or not the child's education can be achieved satisfactorily in the regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services. The IEP team must consider the full range of supplementary aids and services that if provided, would facilitate the student's placement in the regular classroom. [Appendix A, Response to Question 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12471 (March 12, 1999).]

In determining the extent, if any, to which a child with a disability will be removed from the regular educational environment, a public agency must ensure that:

(1) such removal occurs only if the nature or severity of the child's disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily [34 CFR §300.550(b)(2)];

(2) a child with a disability is not removed from education in age-appropriate regular classrooms solely because of needed modifications in the general curriculum [34 CFR §300.552(e)]; and

(3) each child with a disability participates with nondisabled children in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities to the maximum extent appropriate (34 CFR §300.553).

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"(5)(i) A statement of any individual modifications in the administration of State or district-wide assessments of student achievement that are needed in order for the child to participate in the assessment; and

"(ii) If the IEP team determines that the child will not participate in a particular State or district-wide assessment of student achievement (or part of an assessment), a statement of-

"(A) Why that assessment is not appropriate for the child; and

"(B) How the child will be assessed;

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Additional Guidance
The IEP for a child with a disability must include a statement of any needed modifications in the administration of State or district-wide assessments, and must, if the IEP team determines that it is not appropriate for the child to participate in a particular assessment, provide a statement of why the particular assessment is not appropriate for the child and how the child will be assessed [34 CFR §300.347(a)(5)]. If the IEP does not indicate any needed modifications or that the particular assessment is not appropriate for the child, this is an indication that the IEP team has determined that the child will participate without modifications in the assessment.

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"(6) The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications; and

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Additional Guidance
An IEP that clearly states how often, how long and in what location the public agency will provide the specified services and modifications, and when services and/or modifications will begin meets the requirements of 34 CFR §300.347(a)(6).

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"(7) A statement of-

"(i) How the child's progress toward the annual goals described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section will be measured; and

"(ii) How the child's parents will be regularly informed (through such means as periodic report cards), at least as often as parents are informed of their nondisabled children's progress, of-

"(A) Their child's progress toward the annual goals; and

"(B) The extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year.

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Additional Guidance
Each public agency may determine the appropriate method for informing parents of their child's progress. However, the agency "must ensure that whatever methods, or combination of methods, is adopted provides sufficient information to enable parents to be informed of (1) their child's progress toward the annual goals, and (2) the extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year." [Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12594 (March 12, 1999).]

Generally, reports to parents are not expected to be lengthy or burdensome. The statement of the annual goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks in the child's current IEP could serve as the base document for briefly describing the child's progress. [Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12594 (March 12, 1999).]

The IEP team must revise the IEP to address any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general curriculum [34 CFR §300.343(c)(2)(i)].

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"(b) Transition services. The IEP must include-

"(1) For each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), and updated annually, a statement of the transition service needs of the student under the applicable components of the student's IEP that focuses on the student's courses of study (such as participation in advanced-placement courses or a vocational education program); and

"(2) For each student beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), a statement of needed transition services for the student, including, if appropriate, a statement of the interagency responsibilities or any needed linkages.

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Additional Guidance
The IEP team, in determining appropriate measurable annual goals (including benchmarks or short term objectives) and services for a student, must determine what instruction and educational experiences will assist the student to prepare for transition for secondary education to post-secondary life. [Appendix A, Response to Question 11, 64 Federal Register, page 12474 (March 12, 1999).]

Although the focus of the transition planning process may shift as the student approaches graduation, the IEP team must discuss specific areas beginning at least at age of 14 years, and review these areas annually. [Appendix A, Response to Question 11, 64 Federal Register, page 12474 (March 12, 1999). ]

If a participating agency, other than the public agency, fails to provide the transition services described in the IEP in accordance with 34 CFR §300.347(b)(1), the public agency shall reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objective for the student set out in the IEP [34 CFR §300.348(a)].

Nothing in Part B relieves any participating agency, including a State vocational rehabilitation agency, of the responsibility to provide or pay for any transition service that the agency would otherwise provide to students with disabilities who meet the eligibility criteria of that agency [34 CFR §300.348(b)].

If during the course of the IEP meeting, the team identifies additional agencies that are likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services for the student, the public agency must determine how it will meet the requirements of §300.344. [Appendix A, Response to Question 13, 64 Federal Register, page 12475 (March 12, 1999).]

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"(c) Transfer of rights. In a State that transfers rights at the age majority, beginning at least one year before a student reaches the age of majority under State law, the student's IEP must include a statement that the student has been informed of his or her rights under Part B of the Act, if any, that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority, consistent with § 300.517.

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Additional Guidance
If the public agency receives notice of the student's legal incompetence, so that no rights transfer to the student at the age of majority, the IEP need not include this statement. Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12594 (March 12, 1999).

The IEP could include a description of the rights that have been transferred, but it need not.

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"(d) Students with disabilities convicted as adults and incarcerated in adult prisons. Special rules concerning the content of IEPs for students with disabilities convicted as adults and incarcerated in adult prisons are contained in § 300.311(b) and (c).

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A) and (d)(6)(A)(ii))

§ 300.348 Agency responsibilities for transition services.

(a) If a participating agency, other than the public agency, fails to provide the transition services described in the IEP in accordance with § 300.347(b)(1), the public agency shall reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives for the student set out in the IEP.

(b) Nothing in this part relieves any participating agency, including a State vocational rehabilitation agency, of the responsibility to provide or pay for any transition service that the agency would otherwise provide to students with disabilities who meet the eligibility criteria of that agency.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(5); 1414(d)(1)(A)(vii))

§ 300.349 Private school placements by public agencies.

(a) Developing IEPs. (1) Before a public agency places a child with a disability in, or refers a child to, a private school or facility, the agency shall initiate and conduct a meeting to develop an IEP for the child in accordance with §§ 300.346 and 300.347.

(2) The agency shall ensure that a representative of the private school or facility attends the meeting. If the representative cannot attend, the agency shall use other methods to ensure participation by the private school or facility, including individual or conference telephone calls.

(b) Reviewing and revising IEPs. (1) After a child with a disability enters a private school or facility, any meetings to review and revise the child's IEP may be initiated and conducted by the private school or facility at the discretion of the public agency.

(2) If the private school or facility initiates and conducts these meetings, the public agency shall ensure that the parents and an agency representative-

(i) Are involved in any decision about the child's IEP; and

(ii) Agree to any proposed changes in the IEP before those changes are implemented.

(c) Responsibility. Even if a private school or facility implements a child's IEP, responsibility for compliance with this part remains with the public agency and the SEA.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(10)(B))

§ 300.350 IEP-accountability.

(a) Provision of services. Subject to paragraph (b) of this section, each public agency must-

(1) Provide special education and related services to a child with a disability in accordance with the child's IEP; and

(2) Make a good faith effort to assist the child to achieve the goals and objectives or benchmarks listed in the IEP.

(b) Accountability. Part B of the Act does not require that any agency, teacher, or other person be held accountable if a child does not achieve the growth projected in the annual goals and benchmarks or objectives. However, the Act does not prohibit a State or public agency from establishing its own accountability systems regarding teacher, school, or agency performance.

(c) Construction-parent rights. Nothing in this section limits a parent's right to ask for revisions of the child's IEP or to invoke due process procedures if the parent feels that the efforts required in paragraph (a) of this section are not being made.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)); Cong. Rec. at H7152 (daily ed., July 21, 1975))

IDEA Local Implementations by Local Administrators (ILIAD)
The Council for Exceptional Children
1920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1589
(877) CEC-IDEA; (703) 264-9418; (703) 264-9480 (TTY)
E-mail: ideapractices@cec.sped.org

The Policy Maker Partnership (PMP) for Implementing IDEA 97
National Association of state Directors of Special Education
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 320
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 519-3800; (703) 519-7008 (TTY)
E-mail: nasdse@nasdse.org
Web: www.nasdse.org

Regional Resource Centers

Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC)
Learning Innovations
20 Winter Sport Lane
Williston, VT 05495
(802) 951-8226; (802) 951-8213 (TTY)
E-mail: nerrc@aol.com
Web: www.wested.org/nerrc/

Serving: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Mid-South Regional Resource Center (MSRRC)
Human Development Institute
University of Kentucky
126 Mineral Industries Building
Lexington, KY 40506-0051
(859) 257-4921; (859) 257-2903 (TTY)
E-mail: msrrc@ihdi.uky.edu
Web: www.ihdi.uky.edu/msrrc

Serving: Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.

Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC)
School of Education
Auburn University Montgomery
P.O. Box 244023
Montgomery, AL 36124
(334) 244-3100; (334) 244-3800 (TTY)
E-mail: ebeale@mail.aum.edu
Web: edla.aum.edu/serrc/serrc.html

Serving: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Great Lakes Area Regional Resource Center (GLARRC)
OSU Center for Special Needs
700 Ackerman Road, Suite 440
Columbus, OH 43202
(614) 447-0844; (614) 447-8776 (TTY)
E-mail: daniels.121@osu.edu
Web: www.csnp.ohio-state.edu/glarrc.htm

Serving: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center (MPRRC)
Utah state University
1780 North Research Parkway, Suite 112
Logan, UT 84341
(435) 752-0238; (435) 753-9750 (TTY)
E-mail: cope@cc.usu.edu
Web: www.usu.edu/mprrc

Serving: Arizona, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Western Regional Resource Center (WRRC)
1268 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1268
(541) 346-5641; (541) 346-0367 (TTY)
E-mail: wrrc@oregon.uoregon.edu
Web: interact.uoregon.edu/wrrc/wrrc.html

Serving: Alaska, American Samoa, California, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated states of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and Washington.

Statement of Transition Service Needs--34 CFR §300.347(b)(1)

"The IEP must include...[f]or each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), and updated annually, a statement of the transition service needs of the student under the applicable components of the student's IEP that focuses on the student's courses of study (such as participation in advanced- placement courses or a vocational education program);"

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Present Levels of Educational Performance

[ Space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of Present Levels of Educational Performance--34 CFR §300.347(a)(1)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of the child's present levels of educational performance, including

"(i) How the child's disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children); or

"(ii) For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities;"

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[ Page 1 of 5 ]

Measurable Annual Goals (Including Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives)

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of Measurable Annual Goals, Including Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives--34 CFR §300.347(a)(2)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of measurable annual goals, including benchmarks or short-term objectives, related to

"(i) Meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children), or for preschool children, as appropriate, to participate in appropriate activities; and

"(ii) Meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability;"

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Special Education and Related Services [ space to write ]

Supplementary Aids and Services [ space to write ]

Program Modifications or Supports for School Personnel [ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of the Special Education and Related Services, Supplementary Aids and Services, Program Modifications, and Supports For School Personnel--34 CFR §300.347(a)(3)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include... a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child

"(i) To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;

"(ii) To be involved and progress in the general curriculum in accordance with 34 CFR §300.347(a)(1) and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and

" (iii) To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section;"

--ALSO--

Beginning Date, Frequency, Location, and Duration of Services and Modifications--34 CFR §300.347(a)(6)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . the projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications described in 34 CFR §300.347(a)(3), and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications;"

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[ Page 2 of 5 ]

Explanation of Extent, if Any, to Which Child Will Not Participate with Nondisabled Children

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Explanation of Extent, if Any, to Which Child Will Not Participate with Nondisabled Children 34 CFR §300.347(a)(4)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities described in 34 CFR §300.347(a)(3);"

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Administration of State and District-wide Assessments of Student Achievement

Any Individual Modifications In Administration Needed For Child To Participate In State Or District-wide Assessment(s)

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement Of Any Individual Modifications in Administration of State or District-wide Assessments 34--CFR §300.347(a)(5)(i)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of any individual modifications in the administration of State or district-wide assessments of student achievement that are needed in order for the child to participate in the assessment;"

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If IEP Team Determines That Child Will Not Participate In A Particular State Or District-Wide Assessment

Why isn't the assessment appropriate for the child?[ space to write ]

How will the child be assessed?[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

If Child Will Not Participate in State or District-wide Assessment--34 CFR §300.347(a)(5)(ii)

"If the IEP team determines that a child with a disability will not participate in a particular State or district-wide assessment of student achievement (or part of an assessment), the IEP must include a statement of

"(A) Why that assessment is not appropriate for the child; and

"(B) How the child will be assessed;"

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[ Page 3 of 5 ]

How Child's Progress Toward Annual Goals Will Be Measured

[space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

How Child's Progress Will Be Measured--34 CFR §300.347(a)(7)(i)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . .

a statement of how the child's progress toward the annual goals described in 34 CFR §300.347(a)(2) will be measured;"

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How Child's Parents Will Be Regularly Informed Of Child's Progress Toward Annual Goals And Extent To Which Child's Progress Is Sufficient To Meet Goals By End of Year

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

How Parents Will Be Informed of Their Child's Progress--34 CFR §300.347(a)(7)(ii)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of how the child's parents will be regularly informed (through such means as periodic report cards), at least as often as parents are informed of their nondisabled children's progress, of

"(A) Their child's progress toward the annual goals; and

"(B) The extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year."

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[ Page 4 of 5 ]

(Beginning at age 16 or younger if determined appropriate by IEP team)

Statement of Needed Transition Services, Including, If Appropriate, Statement Of Interagency Responsibilities Or Any Needed Linkages

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of Needed Transition Services--34 CFR §300.347(b)(2)

"The IEP must include . . . for each student with a disability beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), a statement of needed transition services for the student, including, if appropriate, a statement of the interagency responsibilities or any needed linkages."

Definition of "Transition Services"--34 CFR §300.29

"(a) As used in [Part B], "transition services" means a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that:

"(1) Is designed within an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

"(2) Is based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests; and

"(3) Includes: (i) Instruction; (ii) Related services; (iii) Community experiences; (iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and (v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.

"(b) Transition services for students with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction or related services, if required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education."

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(In a state that transfers rights to the student at the age of majority, the following information must be included beginning at least one year before the student reaches the age of majority)

The student has been informed of the rights under Part B of IDEA, if any, that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority. Yes [box to check]

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From the Regulations:

Age of Majority--34 CFR §300.347(c)

"In a State that transfers rights at the age majority, beginning at least one year before a student reaches the age of majority under State law, the student's IEP must include a statement that the student has been informed of his or her rights under Part B of the Act, if any, that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority, consistent with 34 CFR §300.517."

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[ Page 5 of 5 ]

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If the child has limited proficiency in English, the IEP team will consider the child's language needs as these needs relate to his or her IEP.

If the child is blind or visually impaired, the IEP team must provide for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille, unless it determines after an appropriate evaluation that the child does not need this instruction.

If the child has communication needs, the IEP team must consider those needs.

If the child is deaf or hard of hearing, the IEP team will consider his or her language and communication needs. This includes the child's opportunities to communicate directly with classmates and school staff in his or her usual method of communication (for example, sign language).

The IEP team must always consider the child's need for assistive technology devices or services.

For more information about these special factors, see §300.346.

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Will Parents Need an Interpreter in Order to Participate Fully?
If the parents have a limited proficiency in English or are deaf, they may need an interpreter in order to understand and be understood. In this case, the school must make reasonable efforts to arrange for an interpreter during meetings pertaining to the child's educational placement. For meetings regarding the development or review of the IEP, the school must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that parents understand the meetings--including arranging for an interpreter. This provision should help to ensure that parents are not limited in their ability to participate in their child's education because of language or communication barriers.

Therefore, if parents need an interpreter for a meeting to discuss their child's evaluation, eligibility for special education or IEP, they should let the school know ahead of time. Telling the school in advance allows the school to make arrangements for an interpreter so that parents can participate fully in the meeting.

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Supports for school staff may include professional development or more training. Professional development and training are important for teachers, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and others who provide services for children with disabilities.

The child's special education teacher contributes important information and experience about how to educate children with disabilities. Because of his or her training in special education, this teacher can talk about such issues as:

Beyond helping to write the IEP, the special educator has responsibility for working with the student to carry out the IEP. He or she may:

work with the student in a resource room or special class devoted to students receiving special education services;

team teach with the regular education teacher; and

work with other school staff, particularly the regular education teacher, to provide expertise about addressing the child's unique needs.

Another important member of the IEP team is the individual who can interpret what the child's evaluation results mean in terms of designing appropriate instruction. The evaluation results are very useful in determining how the child is currently doing in school and what areas of need the child has. This IEP team member must be able to talk about the instructional implications of the child's evaluation results, which will help the team plan appropriate instruction to address the child's needs.

The individual representing the school system is also a valuable team member. This person knows a great deal about special education services and educating children with disabilities. He or she can talk about the necessary school resources. It is important that this individual have the authority to commit resources and be able to ensure that whatever services are set out in the IEP will actually be provided.

The IEP team may also include additional individuals with knowledge or special expertise about the child. The parent or the school system can invite these individuals to participate on the team. Parents, for example, may invite an advocate who knows the child, a professional with special expertise about the child and his or her disability, or others (such as a vocational educator who has been working with the child) who can talk about the child's strengths and/or needs. The school system may invite one or more individuals who can offer special expertise or knowledge about the child, such as a paraprofessional or related services professional. Because an important part of developing an IEP is considering a child's need for related services (see the list of related services in the box on the previous page), related service professionals are often involved as IEP team members or participants. They share their special expertise about the child's needs and how their own professional services can address those needs. Depending on the child's individual needs, some related service professionals attending the IEP meeting or otherwise helping to develop the IEP might include occupational or physical therapists, adaptive physical education providers, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.

When an IEP is being developed for a student of transition age, representatives from transition service agencies can be important participants. (See the box below for more information about transition.) Whenever a purpose of meeting is to consider needed transition services, the school must invite a representative of any other agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services. This individual can help the team plan any transition services the student needs. He or she can also commit the resources of the agency to pay for or provide needed transition services. If he or she does not attend the meeting, then the school must take alternative steps to obtain the agency's participation in the planning of the student's transition services.

And, last but not least, the student may also be a member of the IEP team. If transition service needs or transition services are going to be discussed at the meeting, the student must be invited to attend. More and more students are participating in and even leading their own IEP meetings. This allows them to have a strong voice in their own education and can teach them a great deal about self-advocacy and self-determination.

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The Regular Education Teacher as Part of the IEP Team
Appendix A of the federal regulations for Part B of IDEA answers many questions about the IEP. Question 24 addresses the role of the regular education teacher on the IEP team. Here's an excerpt from the answer:

"...while a regular education teacher must be a member of the IEP team if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment, the teacher need not (depending upon the child's needs and the purpose of the specific IEP team meeting) be required to participate in all decisions made as part of the meeting or to be present throughout the entire meeting or attend every meeting. For example, the regular education teacher who is a member of the IEP team must participate in discussions and decisions about how to modify the general curriculum in the regular classroom to ensure the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum and participation in the regular education environment.

"Depending upon the specific circumstances, however, it may not be necessary for the regular education teacher to participate in discussions and decisions regarding, for example, the physical therapy needs of the child, if the teacher is not responsible for implementing that portion of the child's IEP.

"In determining the extent of the regular education teacher's participation at IEP meetings, public agencies and parents should discuss and try to reach agreement on whether the child's regular education teacher that is a member of the IEP team should be present at a particular IEP meeting and, if so, for what period of time. The extent to which it would be appropriate for the regular education teacher member of the IEP team to participate in IEP meetings must be decided on a case-by-case basis."

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Related Services
A child may require any of the following related services in order to benefit from special education. Related services, as listed under IDEA, include (but are not limited to):

Audiology services

Counseling services

Early identification and assessment of disabilities in children

Medical services

Occupational therapy

Orientation and mobility services

Parent counseling and training

Physical therapy

Psychological services

Recreation

Rehabilitation counseling services

School health services

Social work services in schools

Speech-language pathology services

Transportation

If a child needs a particular related service in order to benefit from special education, the related service professional should be involved in developing the IEP. He or she may be invited by the school or parent to join the IEP team as a person "with knowledge or special expertise about the child."

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Transition Services
Transition refers to activities meant to prepare students with disabilities for adult life. This can include developing postsecondary education and career goals, getting work experience while still in school, setting up linkages with adult service providers such as the vocational rehabilitation agency--whatever is appropriate for the student, given his or her interests, preferences, skills, and needs. Statements about the student's transition needs must be included in the IEP after the student reaches a certain age:

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Needed transition services. Beginning when the child is age 16 (or younger, if appropriate), the IEP must state what transition services are needed to help the child prepare for leaving school.

Age of majority. Beginning at least one year before the child reaches the age of majority, the IEP must include a statement that the student has been told of any rights that will transfer to him or her at the age of majority. (This statement would be needed only in states that transfer rights at the age of majority.)

Measuring progress.
The IEP must state how the child's progress will be measured and how parents will be informed of that progress.

More information will be given about these IEP parts later in this guide. A sample IEP form will be presented, along with the federal regulations describing the "Content of the IEP," to help you gain a fuller understanding of what type of information is important to capture about a child in an IEP. It is useful to understand that each child's IEP is different. The document is prepared for that child only. It describes the individualized education program designed to meet that child's needs.

The school system schedules and conducts the IEP meeting. School staff must:

contact the participants, including the parents;

notify parents early enough to make sure they have an opportunity to attend;

schedule the meeting at a time and place agreeable to parents and the school;

tell the parents the purpose, time, and location of the meeting;

tell the parents who will be attending; and

tell the parents that they may invite people to the meeting who have knowledge or special expertise about the child.

Step 6. IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written.

The IEP team gathers to talk about the child's needs and write the student's IEP. Parents and the student (when appropriate) are part of the team. If the child's placement is decided by a different group, the parents must be part of that group as well.

Before the school system may provide special education and related services to the child for the first time, the parents must give consent. The child begins to receive services as soon as possible after the meeting.

If the parents do not agree with the IEP and placement, they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to work out an agreement. If they still disagree, parents can ask for mediation, or the school may offer mediation. Parents may file a complaint with the state education agency and may request a due process hearing, at which time mediation must be available.

Step 7. Services are provided.
Step 8. Progress is measured and reported to parents.
The school makes sure that the child's IEP is being carried out as it was written. Parents are given a copy of the IEP. Each of the child's teachers and service providers has access to the IEP and knows his or her specific responsibilities for carrying out the IEP. This includes the accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided to the child, in keeping with the IEP.

The child's progress toward the annual goals is measured, as stated in the IEP. His or her parents are regularly informed of their child's progress and whether that progress is enough for the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year. These progress reports must be given to parents at least as often as parents are informed of their nondisabled children's progress.

Step 9. IEP is reviewed.

The child's IEP is reviewed by the IEP team at least once a year, or more often if the parents or school ask for a review. If necessary, the IEP is revised. Parents, as team members, must be invited to attend these meetings. Parents can make suggestions for changes, can agree or disagree with the IEP goals, and agree or disagree with the placement.

If parents do not agree with the IEP and placement, they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to work out an agreement. There are several options, including additional testing, an independent evaluation, or asking for mediation (if available) or a due process hearing. They may also file a complaint with the state education agency.

Step 10. Child is reevaluated.

At least every three years the child must be reevaluated. This evaluation is often called a "triennial." Its purpose is to find out if the child continues to be a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, and what the child's educational needs are. However, the child must be reevaluated more often if conditions warrant or if the child's parent or teacher asks for a new evaluation.
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
To obtain this publication in an alternate format (braille, large print, audio cassette, or disk), please contact Katie Mincey, Director of the Alternate Format Center, at (202) 260-9895, or via e-mail at Katie_Mincey@ed.gov.

This document is also available online at:

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2. Introduction

3. The Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA

4. A Closer Look at the IEP

5. Contents of the IEP

6. Additional State and School-System Content

7. The IEP Team Members

8. Writing the IEP

9. Deciding Placement

10. After the IEP is Written

11. Implementing the IEP

12. Reviewing and Revising the IEP

13. What If Parents Don't Agree With the IEP?

14. Summary

15. Sample Form

16. Information Resources

17. Attachment A

Last Modified: 08/30/2019

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individualized education programs; special education; disabilities; special needs students;

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Archived: Guide to the Individualized Education Program

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The purpose of this archived guide is to assist educators, parents, and State and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities, including preschool-aged children.

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The National Association of Special Education Teachers published this website as an IEP guide. This website breaks down the beginning processes of the IEP and it's making. The NASET places an important emphasis on the parent and student's input on their part of the IEP. This website is also a great resource for teachers who need assistance in the IEP process to be able to go back and reference.

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A NASET series that looks at each component of the IEP in depth

Before diving into the specifics of what must be included in an IEP, it's important to consider the "Big Picture" of the IEP-its purposes, how it serves as a blueprint for the child's special education and related services under IDEA, and the scope of activities and settings it covers.
The IEP has two general purposes:
(1) to establish measurable annual goals for the child; and

(2) to state the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services that the public agency will provide to, or on behalf of, the child. When constructing an appropriate educational program for a child with a disability, the IEP team broadly considers the child's involvement and participation in three main areas of school life:

the general education curriculum

extracurricular activities

nonacademic activities

By general education curriculum, we mean the subject matter provided to children without disabilities and the associated skills they are expected to develop and apply. Examples include math, science, history, and language arts.

When we talk about extracurricular activities and nonacademic activities, we're referring to school activities that fall outside the realm of the general curriculum. These are usually voluntary and tend to be more social than academic. They typically involve others of the same age and may be organized and guided by teachers or other school personnel. Examples: yearbook, school newspaper, school sports, school clubs, lunch, recess, band, pep rallies, assemblies, field trips, after-school programs, recreational clubs.

The IEP can be understood as the blueprint, or plan, for the special education experience of a child with a disability across these school environments.

Most special educators have an awareness of what is basically required in a child's IEP. However, the more you understand about each individual part, and especially how they go together to form an action plan for a child's education, the easier it will be to write a well-grounded and effective IEP. Using information from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, this 11 part series will focus on each specific component of the IEP.

PAST ISSUE OF IEP COMPONENTS SERIES

How is the child currently doing in school? How does the disability affect his or her performance in class? This type of information is captured in the "present levels" statement in the IEP.

Once a child's needs are identified, the IEP team works to develop appropriate goals to address those needs. Annual goal describe what the child is expected to do or learn within a 12-month period.

Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives
Benchmarks or short-term objectives are required only for children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards. If you're wondering what that means, this article will tell you!

Each child's IEP must also contain a description of how his or her progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured and when it will be reported to parents. Learn more about how to write this statement in this short article.

The IEP must contain a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child. This article focuses on the first element: a statement of the special education that will be provided for the child.

To help a child with a disability benefit from special education, he or she may also need extra help in one area or another, such as speaking or moving. This additional help is called related services. Find out all about these critical services here.

Supplementary aids and services are intended to improve children's access to learning and their participation across the spectrum of academic, extracurricular, and nonacademic activities and settings. The IEP team must determine what supplementary aids and services a child will need and specify them in the IEP.

The IEP must also include an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in other school settings and activities. Read how this connects to IDEA's foundational principle of LRE.

IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or districtwide assessments. The IEP team must decide if the student needs accommodations in testing or another type of assessment entirely. In this component of the IEP, the team documents how the student will participate.

When will the child begin to receive services? Where? How often? How long will a "session" last? Pesky details, but important to include in the IEP!

After a child is found eligible for special education and related services, a meeting must be held within 30 days to develop to the IEP. The school system must notify the child's parents of when and where the meeting will take place, so they have the opportunity to attend and participate.

After a child is found eligible for special education and related services, a meeting must be held within 30 days to develop to the IEP. The school system must notify the child's parents of when and where the meeting will take place, so they have the opportunity to attend and participate.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs. The law requires that public schools develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each child. The IEP is a written plan for educating a child with a disability. The IEP describes the student's specific special education needs as well as any related services, including assistive technology.

The focus of this issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by the National Dissemination Center for Students with Disabilities (NICHCY). The article will connect you with resources in the employment world. Exploring what these organizations and centers have to offer can be extremely helpful when involved in planning a student's future in this area.

Certain members of the IEP team may be excused from an IEP meeting under specific conditions. These conditions will vary depending on whether or the team member's area of expertise is going to be discussed or modified in the meeting. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series will address the issue of excusal of IEP team members from IEP meetings.

Many different individuals come together to help the student plan for transition. Typically, transition planning is handled by members of the IEP team, with other individuals becoming involved as needed. It's important to involve a variety of people, for they will bring their unique perspectives to the planning table. The team draws upon the expertise of the different members and pools their information to make decisions or recommendations for the student. In addition to the regular players at the IEP table (parents, student, special education and general education teachers, related service providers, administrators, others), when transition is going to be discussed, representatives of outside agencies may be invited, especially those who are well informed about resources and adult services in the community. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series presents a list of four different agencies to consider, plus the ever-useful "Other" category. Each is discussed in some detail throughout this article.

NSTTAC is the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, an OSEP-funded project whose expertise is secondary transition. As part of its work, NSTTAC has developed extensive training materials to help states collect data about the transition services they provide to youth with disabilities. Those materials are also useful for our purpose here, which is to look closely at the type of transition information to include in a student's IEP. NSTTAC's materials include a checklist of questions to ask, which are adapted here for use by IEP teams as they plan a student's transition services and craft statements to include in the student's IEP. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series will present a checklist of questions to ask for IEP Teams as they plan a student's transition. NASET would like to thank the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center for their permission to use its materials for this publication.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Dr. John Nikolaros. The paper specifies critical measures required by the Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for students with special needs. The author explains and offers successful strategies in special education. The specific benchmarks that are examined consist of the process leading up the Individual Education Program (IEP) meeting, the impact of the special education chair, and the least restrictive environment (LRE). The purpose of this paper is to inform the audience of practices in special education that lead to consistency and successful implementation.

This issue of IEP Component Series was written by Catherine C. George, Ph.D. and Sharon A. Lynch, Ph.D. The 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act included substantial changes related to Individual Education Programs. These changes require school personnel to provide students with disabilities greater access to the general curriculum. Multidisciplinary teams must implement these changes when developing and measuring a student's IEP. This article highlights some of these changes and offers practical recommendations to assist educators in the IEP development process. Specifically, the present article provides a working guidance document for developing a quality statement of a student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance that leads to individualized benchmarks and goals. Additionally, the authors provide several recommendations regarding methods which can be used to measure student progress on a variety of benchmarks and goals.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Olga M. Torguet from Florida International University. Her article focuses on the barriers to full participation in the IEP Process. To advocate for their children and make informed educational decisions, parents must be able to understand the information presented at Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 legally mandated that students 14 and older be invited to participate in IEP meetings. As a means to better understand parents' and students' passive participation during these meetings, I analyzed current literature related to barriers that inhibit their full participation in the IEP process. Two studies were identified related to the readability of Procedural Safeguard documents provided by states department of education. Eight published articles were dissected to identify the reasons for the inactive involvement of parents and students. Overall arguments that emerged repeatedly across all articles concerned the inability to advocate due to the high readability level of parents' rights documents, jargon utilized in meetings, and lack of understanding of system procedures and policies.

This issue of IEP Component series was written by Arnold Chee Keong, CHUA, MEd/BCSE. Young children with developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, global developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome is on the rise in Singapore. Children diagnosed with such disabilities at the age of three years or below will undergo an early intervention program to prevent or minimize developmental delays. Teachers in the early intervention sector require to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child's individual needs. Every child who receives special education services must have an IEP. Educators working with children of various disabilities need to consider several factors in the formulation of an appropriate IEP. Using the proposed S.M.A.R.T. framework, this paper discusses five key elements of designing an IEP (S: Specificity, M: Meaningful, A: Appropriateness, R: Routine-based, and T: Transferability) which educators can adopt so as to improve the quality of written IEP goals and objectives. It is hope with this framework, the child's learning can promote engagement, social interaction, and finally independence.

Adolescence is a time for dreaming-for youth to imagine and set a course for the future. High school students naturally spend time imagining the future-if and where to continue their education, to find a job or pursue a career, to move away from home, or to start a family. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes a process to help youth with disabilities turn their dreams into reality. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series comes from a Parent Brief from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition and was written by Ceci Shapland, Co-Director of the Healthy & Ready to Work National Center. It provides information on the benefits of and strategies for including health in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability and discusses career planning and vocational assessment for transition-age youth. Many youth with disabilities have not had the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers in terms of exposure to career preparation options. In the past, the career planning process for youth with disabilities often did not reflect the values of choice and self-determination. Many youth with disabilities were relegated to passive roles in their own career planning process. As a result, many youth have not had the opportunity to pursue career options that they found motivating and satisfying.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Jay Gottlieb, Ph.D., Mark Alter, Ph.D., and Marc A. Gottlieb, Esq. Why, forty years after passage of the original Education for All Handicapped Act of 1975 (the predecessor legislation to IDEA), is there is still no agreed-upon operational heuristic for defining the least restrictive environment? As with so many aspects of public education, the answer is complex. Schools are ultimately responsible for identifying the LRE, but they are buffeted by many external and internal influences that affect the quality and quantity of education IEP students receive. Even in the absence of internal or external influences, substantial variability in LRE implementation is to be anticipated; in fact, it is desirable. The underlying rationale of the federal special education law is that each student is unique and requires a tailored program. The potential wealth of services and placements recommended on an IEP define an appropriate education, and they should be different for each person.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Dr. Heidi D'Ambrosio and Ms. Lora Reese. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) coupled with the Free Appropriate Education Act (FAPE) mandates the honoring of student rights to have complete access to curriculum and communication with zero rejection. Despite the legal demands of these two great Acts, some children are still being left behind. The purpose of this article is to bring attention to just one of many cases where the rights of a student with autism, a prevalent diagnosis, was denied his due entitlement to reach full academic and social potential. The United States Supreme Court has adjudicated cases as recently as Spring 2017. A case law review was conducted to offer insight into the world of school litigation and legislation as it relates to achievement, accountability, parental involvement, and special and remedial education reform policies and practices.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) lists five special factors that the IEP team must consider in the development, review, and revision of each child's IEP. Read IDEA's exact words. The importance of these special factors in the education of children with disabilities and the need for individualized consideration of these factors in IEP development and revision cannot be underestimated. The special factors are: (1) Behavior; (2) Limited English proficiency; (3) Blindness or visual impairment; (4) Communication needs/Deafness; and (5) Assistive technology. This edition of NASET's IEP Components series will provide you updated information and resources regarding special factors in IEP development.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, Operating on the premise that the student with a disability-who is the focus of all this discussion and planning- may have something vital to contribute to planning his or her educational program and future, IDEA clearly provides for the child's inclusion in, and participation on, the IEP Team whenever appropriate.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, A significant aspect of IDEIA's requirements relates to including transition-related goals and statements in the IEPs of students preparing for life after high school. Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series comes from The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) and takes a much closer look at the kind of information that might need to be included in a student's IEP as part of transition planning.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series is designed to connect you with basic information about transition planning. We've included articles, guides, and online trainings designed for specific audiences, because we all process and use information from the vantage point of why we want to know and what we're going to do with the info.

Assistive technology enables children with disabilities to participate more fully in all aspects of life (home, school, and community) and helps them access their right to a ?free appropriate, public education? in the ?least restrictive environment?. The IEP team must determine whether an individual child needs an assistive technology device or service, and if so, the nature and extent to be provided. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series comes from the Center for Parent Information & Resources. The checklist provided is designed to help IEP teams consider the needs of students with disabilities for assistive technology. It was adapted from the Nebraska Department of Education's Nebraska IEP Technical Assistance Guide (1998, September).

This issue of NASET's IEP Components series was written by Rebecca Fields. The article focuses on collaborating with parents through the transitioning stages of an IEP. Transitioning from one stage of life to another can be tedious. More-so tedious when considering a student with disabilities (SWD). One can imagine the hesitation, frustration and fear that conjures from the anticipation of the unknown for both the parent and the SWD. Specifically, transitioning from high school to the next step in life can be a nerve wrecking experience for most parents to SWD. For this reason, it is plausible to assume that being a well-informed parent is critical for the success of the student in many ways. By creating a culture of open communication and providing resources for both the parent and student, it is possible to establish a sense of ease in relation to transition. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the effects that parental involvement has on SWD and their transitioning stage into post-school settings. It is a product of five articles that examine transition planning, family involvement, and parental collaborations.

Developing appropriate Individual Education Program (IEP) academic goals can be a daunting task for IEP teams when considering that many special education students perform below grade level. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, student IEPs must be aligned with grade-level standards. A recent study that focused on identifying how teachers were navigating the potentially competing demands of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Language Arts expectations and best practices for students with mild to moderate disabilities raised some potential concerns regarding IEP compliance in regards to academic goal development. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series will present those findings and provide implications for future practice, and research.

This issue of NASET's IEP Components series was written by Jessica Ramos. The Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) mandates parents' participation in planning the Individual Education Program (IEP). This review of the literature examines parents' experiences during the IEP meeting and the capacity in which parents are included. Additionally, the literature analyzes the barriers and limitations parents encounter due to culturally and linguistically diversity (CLD). According to the research, CLD parents of are less likely to feel fully involved in the IEP process due to bureaucratic procedures, legal jargon and verbal and nonverbal barriers. Research suggests, empathy along with formalizing relationships are key components in delivering an effective partnership between parents and educators in creating a quality IEP for students with disabilities.

By Ricki Sabia, Martha L. Thurlow, and Sheryl S. Lazarus Source: Sabia, R., Thurlow, M. L., & Lazarus, S. S. (2020, January). Developing IEPs that support inclusive education for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (Brief #3). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series comes from the TIES Center. The IEP team must consider the general education classroom in the student's home school first before considering a more restrictive placement such as a special education class. The goal for the IEP team is to determine the least restrictive environment in which the student can be educated satisfactorily. It should be difficult to overcome the presumption that students should be educated in the general education classroom. Simply being behind peers in progress in the curriculum is not a reason to move a student to a more restrictive setting. "Restrictiveness" in LRE decisions relates to the amount of time spent with nondisabled students in the general education classroom or other general education environments (e.g., study hall). That is why the general education classroom is considered less restrictive than a special education classroom. The type of support a student may need, such as an aide in the general education classroom, does not make the setting more restrictive. Similarly, "LRE requirements apply to transition services, including employment-related transition services, and apply equally to the employment portion of the student's program and placement." There are many resources available for parents, but not all focus specifically on ensuring that the IEP is written in a way that supports inclusion in the general education curriculum and classroom. The purpose of this issue of NASET's IEP Component series is to identify specific ways in which the IEP can be written to support inclusion.

As part of a student's transition planning for life after high school, the student and the other members of his or her IEP team will probably consider the possibility of more education or training. In keeping with the options specifically mentioned in IDEA, the discussion of education/training after high school may focus on: (1) postsecondary education at a college, university, or community college; (2 ) vocational education to learn a trade or specific job skill; or (3) continuing and adult education. This edition of NASET's IEP Component series comes from the Center for Parent Information and Resources and will connect you with organizations and articles that can help tackle the education/training question during transition planning.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Elizabeth M. Vasquez. Parents and guardians of students with disabilities play a fundamental role in their child's education. They play the advocate for their students in a room full of professionals. They are a piece of the puzzle that creates an Individualized Education Plan for their student. Their involvement in education allegedly is cohesive with the educators, psychologists, therapists and administrators. But there is a lack of parameters in effective parent involvement and engagement practices. The Individuals with Disability Education Act states clearly that parent participation needs to be ensured in their student's education, but there are no clear criteria. This leaves the idea of parent involvement for either parties, educators and/or parents, left up to their perception or understanding. With no guidelines parent involvement remains inconsistent, leaving those culturally or linguistically diverse less involved and uninformed.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series comes from the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials, otherwise known as the AEM Center. It provides excellent guiding questions for those involved in writing a student's IEP. It begins by answering such basics as: What are accessible educational materials and technologies?; Why is it important for IEP teams to consider whether a student needs them in order to access the general curriculum? What does IDEA require? Where in the IEP should certain AEM-related information be included-and how? (Great examples!) The brief looks at key parts of the IEP where AEM-information can be and needs to be inserted, given the student's particular AEM needs.

The U.S. Department of Education (Department), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has received requests from a diverse group of stakeholders asking that the Department issue new guidance interpreting requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in light of the many challenges of the COVID?19 pandemic and as more schools and programs are returning to in-person services. Topics include meeting timelines, ensuring implementation of initial evaluation and reevaluation procedures, determining eligibility for special education and related services, and providing the full array of special education and related services that children with disabilities need in order to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). In addition, stakeholders have inquired about the implications of delayed evaluations and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families served under IDEA Part C. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series highlights certain Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements related to the development and implementation of individualized education programs (IEPs) and other information that state educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs), regular and special education teachers, related services providers, and parents should consider.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series offers our readers the opportunity to view a webinar from the U.S. Department of Education. Content is focused explicitly and in detail on the development and implementation of IEPs as students return to school. Revisions to a student's IEP may be crucial, given changes that may have occurred in the social, emotional, mental, and behavioral well-being of the child during the pandemic. Students may need to reevaluated to determine what their current needs are, so these can be addressed in their IEPs. Much discussion centered around compensatory services: what they are, when and how schools should determine whether a student needs such services, and more.

This issue of NASET's IEP Components series comes from the Center for Parent Information and Resources. It will help you when it comes time to help students plan for transition to life after high school and especially to write an IEP that will: capture the student's postsecondary goals in concrete, measurable terms; write corresponding IEP goals to support and prepare the student to achieve the postsecondary goals after leaving high school; reflect the IEP team's decisions about the transition services the student needs (including what the student will study while still in high school) in order to achieve the postsecondary goals. Transition planning is complicated and involved. There are so many dimensions of adulthood to consider! That's why, for students with disabilities, planning ahead is critical. The more significant the disability is, the more imperative it is to prepare, plan, specify, investigate, coordinate, and support. Adulthood's coming.

This issue of NASET's IEP Components series comes from the Fall 2022 edition of JAASEP. It was written by Michael Dunn, Ph.D. and Mary Rice, Ph.D. This study investigated special educators' perspectives about an online toolkit that offers teachers example goals and objectives statements to use in service plans for students with special educational needs as well as teaching strategies and assessments. Special education teachers in a large school district in a Pacific Northwestern state answered a short survey (n=19). Some respondents also participated in group interviews (n=6). The research questions were: what are special education personnel's perspectives about the online toolkit materials for writing goals and objectives for children with special educational needs; and, what do special education personnel perceive to be online toolkit's limitations as well as weaknesses? Results indicated that the participants preferred to use the online toolkit for identifying initial ideas for goals and objectives statements in the disability service plans. However, the teachers desired more professional learning and collegial dialogue to learn about instruction, strategies, and assessment tools. The authors also discuss implications and suggested next steps for online tools in professional learning for teachers.

This issue of NASET's IEP Components series was written by Buruuj Tunsill, Ed.S. A global pandemic placed a strain on many educators across the world, educators and students alike had to suddenly switch to a different mode of education--online learning. Online learning is when students receive instruction through synchronous or asynchronous interactions via the internet (Rice & Carter, 2015). Without professional training, educators were expected to deliver all lessons virtually to all students, which includes students with disabilities. Prior to the pandemic, educators have had difficulties implementing individualized education plans for students with disabilities. The research identifies key issues that impact educators who teach culturally and linguistically diverse students via online learning and provide recommendations for how special educators and other practitioners can better serve culturally and linguistically diverse students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Thought fictitious scenarios incorporating Yessenia and Shawn, issues that may negatively influence online learning experiences will be examined to determine the best approaches to resolving the issues in an online learning setting. There were four identified factors that can contribute to culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities online success and proper implementation of their rep: Collaborate with families, build relationship with student, familiarize yourself with students' IEP and exceptionalities, and professional development for online teaching.

Transition planning is complicated and involved. There are so many dimensions of adulthood to consider! That's why, for students with disabilities, planning ahead is critical. The more significant the disability is, the more imperative it is to prepare, plan, specify, investigate, coordinate, and support. This issue of NASET's IEP Component Series will address transition goals in the IEP. It will help you when it comes time to help students plan for transition to life after high school and especially to write an IEP that will: capture the student's postsecondary goals in concrete, measurable terms; write corresponding IEP goals to support and prepare the student to achieve the postsecondary goals after leaving high school; and reflect the IEP team's decisions about the transition services the student needs (including what the student will study while still in high school) in order to achieve the postsecondary goals.

This issue of NASET's IEP Components Series was written by Lydia K. Mallah. Parents' involvement in their children's education is paramount to their children's successful learning and behavior outcomes in schools. As the school-age population continues to grow with students from diverse races and ethnicities, parents face the challenge of smoothly collaborating with schools and teachers to support their children. The CLD families of children with disabilities who are served with IEPs under the IDEA face more barriers and feel marginalized in implementing their legal rights in IEP meetings where decisions are made about their children with disabilities education or behavioral support. This review presents current trends in the growing population of various races and ethnicities and impacts on education, CLD families' experiences in IEP meetings, challenges, and recommendations that teachers can use to improve their collaboration with families and their experiences and participation in the IEP process.

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The National Association of Special Education Teachers-national membership org for teachers, professors, and college students involved in special education

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This website guide includes many common questions about IEPs. It is a help guide for teachers and parents to help them in the process of making an IEP. There are different links that you can click that will take you to different sections describing specific parts of the IEP creation process. It also talks about how to review a student's IEP each year and the importance of that. This help guide is great for teachers who may have common specific questions about IEPs and that process.

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IEPs are a essential component for children with disabilities and their educators. They are designed according to the individual's need; so, teachers need to be careful about Individualized Education Plans and here is the guide:

The Ultimate IEP Guide for Teachers

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that ensures that students with disabilities within the public school system are provided appropriate and free special education. A child with a disability that has been shown to impact his or her ability to learn is eligible for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

This guide outlines what teachers need to know about IEPs. Creating and implementing an IEP can seem like a long and daunting operation (and IEPs themselves are usually long documents). The process is multi-layered and involves a team of other individuals, from parents to school officials to healthcare providers.

It is important to note that IEPs will vary in format, length, and information included based on not only the individual students but also on the State and local school districts. Some schools may require information that other schools do not; there is some flexibility in design from state to state. However, the overall purpose and goals of an IEP are consistent: to facilitate effective teaching, promote learning, and to achieve better results for children with disabilities.

What is the Purpose of an IEP?

IEPs are provided to children who are eligible for special education within the public school system. These plans are designed with the needs of each student in mind and with the purpose of providing services, accommodations, modifications, and equal opportunities for children with disabilities. IEPs are tantamount to creating the best possible school conditions in which a child can learn, grow, and reach his or her full potential.

It takes a village to create an effective IEP. Parents, teachers, school staff, and other professionals come together and analyze the student's unique needs. With their knowledge and experience in tow, these people devise an educational program that will help the student participate and progress in the school curriculum. IEPs determine precisely which special education services the student receives, depending on the specific nature of the disability.

Who Qualifies for Special Education and an IEP?

Candidates for special education are usually first identified by either their parents or teachers. Parents or teachers can request that the student undergo an evaluation by the school in order to determine if he or she has a disability that qualifies him or her for special education services under IDEA. Currently, there are 13 categories under which a child is eligible:

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Deaf-blindness

Deafness

Emotional disturbance

Hearing impairment

Intellectual disability

Multiple disabilities

Orthopedic impairment

Other health impairment

Specific learning disability

Speech or language disability

Traumatic brain injury

Visual impairment

It is important to note that not all students with disabilities require special education or related services. It must be shown that the disability negatively affects the student's ability to learn.

In the case of learning disabilities, teachers are often first to notice if a student is struggling academically and whether or not this indicates a more serious issue. KidsHeath has compiled a list of signs that may indicate the presence of a learning disability. They include :

Consistently getting poor grades, despite putting in the effort

Needing step-by-step guidance, sometimes repetitively

Having trouble understanding the logic behind problem-solving tasks

Having a poor memory or written or spoken material

Having trouble learning new tasks

Forgetting skills

Significant difficulties with reading, writing, or mathematics

Demonstrating communication problems

Becoming extremely frustrated with school and homework

For public school students with disabilities, IDEA stipulates that they are provided the following:

Access to a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living

Protection of the rights of children with disabilities and the parents of said children

For local governments and agencies, IDEA promises the following:

Assistance for States, localities, educational service agencies, and Federal agencies to provide for the education of all children with disabilities

Assistance for States in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families

For schools and educators, IDEA ensures the following:

Educators and parents should have the necessary tools to improve educational results for children with disabilities by supporting system improvement activities; coordinated research and personnel preparation; coordinated technical assistance, dissemination, and support; and technology development and media services

IEP Overview

IEPs are a crucial component for children with disabilities and their educators. Under an IEP, teachers are provided with tools, accommodations, and modifications to improve teaching, and the students should show improvement in learning and academic results. Each IEP is individualized; there is no "one-size-fits-all" program.

Before any mention of an IEP, a child must be identified and evaluated for the possibility of needing special education and its related services. Parents or caregivers can request an assessment for their child. Teachers can also refer students for evaluation, but this usually occurs only after attempts have been to remedy the issues within the regular classroom. Once a student has been referred for evaluation, qualified professionals assess the results and make the final decision as to whether or not the child has a "disability" as defined by IDEA. Once a child is determined to be eligible for special education and related services, the school will notify the parents (and student, if applicable) and schedule an IEP meeting.

During the IEP meeting, parents must, first and foremost, give consent for their child to receive special education and related services. If the parents disagree with the evaluation or IEP at any point, they are eligible for mediation via their state's education agency.

Once an IEP is drafted and approved, special education is provided immediately. This includes all accommodations, curriculum or schedule modifications, and extra support as outlined within the IEP.

Teachers and school administrators will regularly assess the student's progress and report back to the parents. After one year (and annually, continuing forward), IEPs are reviewed and tweaked based on the child's overall progress, whether or not goals have been met, and suggestions from teachers and parents. After three years, children are reevaluated to make sure they continue to qualify as having a disability defined under IDEA. Additionally, they are evaluated for any changes to their educational needs. These "triennial" evaluations continue until the child finishes school or is deemed ineligible.

The IEP meeting is not the only time that teachers get to work face-to-face with parents and other professionals regarding their students' special education needs. IEPs are "works in progress" that are reassessed annually; depending on a variety of factors-including teacher input-IEPs can even be modified throughout the school year.

What Goes into an IEP?

By law, the IEP must include certain information about the student and should present an educational strategy that takes into account his or her disability and particular needs. In a nutshell, this information is:

The IEP will include the following:

Current performance (also known as Present levels). This is an overview of how the child is doing currently. This information is gleaned from the student's grades, test results, performances on assignments or projects, classroom behavior, attention, habits, and observed skills. Using measurable baseline data, this section assesses how the student's disability affects his or her progress and involvement in the school's general curriculum.

Goals. IEP Goals are a measure of the student's progress and act as target points for academic, behavioral, social objectives. Goals are broken down into smaller, achievable parts, which allows teachers to easily monitor and measure how the student is progressing. Goals are reassessed annually during the IEP review.

Offer of Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). IEPs painstakingly detail the individualized special education and services that are to be provided. This includes supplementary aids, modifications, and accommodations. Teachers can use the general rule-of-thumb to distinguish the between a modification and an accommodation: If the teacher changes the work (an assignment or a test) or changes the level of work, then this counts as a modification; if something (a device, for example) helps the student to complete work at the same level as the other students, then it is an accommodation.

Participation. The IEP outlines if the student will participate in a regular classroom-either full- or part-time-or if he or she is to be placed in small-group instruction. The IEP may recommend that a student not participate with non-disabled children in particular activities. Additionally, the IEP will describe when and how (or even if) a student takes achievement tests. It will also specify there need to be any modifications during district-wide testing.

Transition services. Once a student has reached age 16 (sometimes younger), the IEP includes goals that will help the student once he or she transitions out of school.

The Teacher's Role in an IEP

Teachers, parents, school representatives, and other professionals are all key members of the IEP team. Parents offer personal insight into the strengths of their child, as well as other aspects and skills that they have observed at home. School representatives are informed about the breadth of services and accommodations available, and they are responsible for ensuring that the outlines of the IEP are met. Other professionals might include healthcare providers (like psychologists, speech/language therapists, or occupational therapists) or translators.

Teachers are vital to the IEP and the child's success. One or more of the child's regular teachers will be invited to participate in drafting the IEP. The teacher provides insight into and recommendations based on the overall curriculum in the regular classroom. He or she offers advice about the types of services the child may require and may suggest changes to the curriculum that will help the child learn and progress. He or she may also implement strategies for problematic behavior, if that is an issue. At the meeting, the teacher will bring test results, behavior charts, math scores, writing samples, or any other demonstrative samples that illuminate problematic areas.

In most cases, IEP services can be provided in regular education classrooms. Sometimes, IEP services are provided in separate resource classrooms or even separate schools, but this is determined by the student's needs and the school district's resources.

Regular classrooms are the least restrictive for students with disabilities. For those students whose IEPs stipulate regular classroom attendance, it is important for teachers to be familiar with the student and the services, accommodations, or modifications stipulated in the IEP.

Sometimes students with IEPs will join small-group instruction. This usually takes place in a separate learning support classroom under the guidance of a certified special education teacher. Special education teachers are well-versed in how to teach children with disabilities. Their unique training provides insight into how to modify curriculums to help children learn, offers supplemental aids and services that promote success, and modifies testing conditions and exams so that the student can demonstrate what he or she has learned. Special education teachers may work with students individually as well. These meetings ensure that the student's specific needs are being met and that he or she is making sufficient progress toward the goals identified in the IEP. Special education teachers also meet with the student's regular teachers and other school staff to offer expertise.

Students who need intense intervention, however, may be taught in a special school environment. These schools generally have fewer students per teacher, which allows for individualized attention. Teachers in these schools usually have specific training in helping students with specific special educational needs.

Conclusion

Special education provides students with disabilities the opportunity to learn and grow. IEPs are an essential component of special education. Creating effective IEPs that provide a foundation for student success involves numerous players, steps, and considerations. IEPs are collaborative efforts, and teachers are a pivotal component in their drafting and implementation.

Sources

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/iep-teachers.html https://sites.ed.gov/idea/ https://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/individualized-education-programs-iep/the-iep-process-explained/ https://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html#process

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Ultimate IEP Guide: Everything that an Educator Needs | Otsimo

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IEPs are crucial for children with disabilities and their educators. In this guide, you can get tips and tricks for IEP meetings.

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This website is created by teachers to provide helpful tips and resources for other teachers. This article is about IEPs. This website breaks down what an IEP is and the process. It supports the reasoning behind some of the logic in creating an IEP by providing links to other sites that provide more information. Overall, this is a shortened, quick guide to IEPs. Teachers can use this website if they have general questions about the basics of an IEP. Teachers may have to follow some of the other links provided on the site to find more specific information.

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Most teachers have at least one or two students with IEPs in their classrooms each year, and sometimes many more. What is an IEP, and how does it affect students, teachers, and families? Here's what you need to know.

What is an IEP?

Source: Modern Teacher

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. It's a legal document that clearly defines how a school plans to meet a child's unique educational needs that result from a disability. IEPs were first introduced in 1975, when Congress passed legislation that gave children with disabilities the right to attend public schools.

Today, IEPs are covered under t he Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This federal law entitles all children with certain types of disabilities a free, appropriate education . Children who qualify must be provided with an education that meets their unique needs, provides access to the general education curriculum, and meets state grade-level standards.

What is the purpose of an IEP?

The IEP is the cornerstone of a child's special education program. It assesses their present performance, sets reasonable measurable goals for the child, and specifies the services the school will provide. IEPs grow and change along with a child and are regularly reevaluated to ensure they're still effective (at least annually, sometimes more frequently).

IDEA says that school districts must provide a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all children. What's more, they must allow students to participate in that education in the least restrictive environment (LRE) possible. They must be given the opportunity to participate in the traditional school experience to the full extent possible.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Source: LREs at Undivided

When federal law first required public schools to admit special education students in the 1970s, many of them grouped these students together into special ed classrooms or buildings. This isolated them from their peers, leading to stigma among the general public. Plus, students of wildly varying abilities were often all in one classroom, making it difficult to meet all of their needs.

When IDEA went into effect in 1990, one goal was to change the stigma and give all students a more appropriate education among their peers. To that end, the law stated students must learn in the least restrictive environment. In other words, schools were urged to find ways to serve students with special needs in the general classroom whenever possible.

An IEP can help schools and teachers figure out how to help students succeed in the LRE that's right for them, which for many is a general education inclusion classroom, possibly with push-in, pull-out services. For some students, a general classroom isn't an appropriate LRE. However, the law requires schools to do their best to keep kids learning alongside their peers before opting for a different choice.
Learn more about Least Restrictive Environments (LRE) here.
Who qualifies for an IEP?

IDEA covers children from birth until they graduate high school or turn 21, whichever comes first. To qualify, a child must fall under one of 13 disability categories, and their disability must adversely affect their school performance. Just because a child has a disability does not mean they need special services or require an IEP. They do have the right to be evaluated for one, though.

These are the included categories and legal definitions under IDEA:

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A developmental disability that mainly affects a child's social and communication skills, and sometimes behavior

Deafness: A severe hearing impairment that prevents a child from processing language through hearing

Deaf-Blindness: A combination of a hearing and a visual impairment

Hearing Impairment: Hearing loss that is less severe than deafness

Intellectual Disability: Below-average intellectual ability

Multiple Disabilities: A child with more than one condition covered by IDEA

Orthopedic Impairment: An impairment to a child's body, no matter the cause

Other Health Impairment: Conditions that limit a child's strength, energy, or alertness

Specific Learning Disability: A learning issue that affects a child's ability to write, listen, speak, reason, or do math

Speech or Language Impairment: A range of communication problems such as stuttering, impaired articulation, etc.

Traumatic Brain Injury: A brain injury caused by an accident or some kind of physical force

Visual Impairment, including Blindness: Partial or complete loss of sight, not correctable by eyewear

What information does an IEP include?

Each IEP must be an individualized document, created especially for the child in question. There is no standard form, but the law does require it to include sections for present levels of performance, goals, and services. See a sample IEP with its sections explained here.

Present Levels of Performance (PLOP, PLP, or PLAAFP)

Source: Maryland Online IEP

This section documents a child's current school performance and how their disability affects their progress and involvement. These are reevaluated on a regular basis, at least annually, and updated as needed. They should include a detailed look at:

Academic Achievement: This refers to a child's progress in academic subjects like reading, math, science, etc. It could be based on observations of classroom teachers, grades, results of state and district standardized tests, special education evaluations, and more.

Functional Performance: This term encompasses all the skills and activities kids learn that aren't directly related to academics. That might include language development, social skills, behavior, life skills, mobility skills, and so on.

Learn more about the Present Level of Performance component of an IEP here.
Goals

Source: A Day in Our Shoes

An IEP must include measurable goals for the student that can be reasonably accomplished in a school year. The goals are based on the student's present level of performance and focus on the student's specific needs.

It's vital that the goals on an IEP be "measurable." This means they must be very specific in their wording. A goal should include how success will be measured, and when progress is expected to be seen.

Here's an example of a poorly written IEP goal: "The student will improve their reading skills by focusing on sight words." This goal doesn't include any way in which progress can be measured, or a projected time frame for meeting the goal.

Instead, this goal might say, "At the end of the first grading period, the student will demonstrate mastery of a list of 50 common sight words by reading aloud the words when presented on flash cards, with an accuracy of 95%."
Discover much more about IEP goals here.
Services

Source: IEP Related Services at Undivided

In this section, schools state the ways they'll help the child achieve their IEP goals. This might include:

Accommodations: These are special arrangements that aren't part of the standard classroom equipment or policy. For instance, a child with sensory-processing issues might be permitted to wear noise-cancelling headphones in the classroom. Or a student with vision challenges might have a written test read aloud to them and be allowed to respond orally. Accommodations don't change what a student learns, it only changes how they learn it. See more examples of classroom accommodations here.

Modifications: Modifications do involve changes to what a child is learning. They might lower or raise expectations for specific standards, or reduce the amount of work a child is expected to produce. Learn about modifications vs. accommodations here.

Assistive Technology: Examples include text-to-speech software, typing instead of handwriting, closed-captioning, hearing aids, pencil grips, etc. See more about assistive technology here.

Related Services: These are any other services kids need to help them succeed in the LRE, such as transportation services, occupational therapy, social skills groups, interpreters, or classroom aides. Here's more on IEP related services.

Who creates an IEP?

Source: FosterVA

Under IDEA, schools are required to actively seek out and identify students who qualify for special education services. It's often a classroom teacher who first suggests a student be evaluated for these services. Other times, a doctor, counselor, or parent may initiate the process.

Once a school decides to evaluate a student, they must seek parental approval. Schools usually have set processes in place, including assessments and evaluations, but they must follow the law. Most districts have IEP coordinators to help with the process. Parents may also choose to have their children evaluated privately, at their own cost.

After an evaluation determines a child qualifies for special education services, the IEP team is assembled. This might include:

Classroom teachers

Special ed team members

Counselors or psychologists

Behavioral specialists

District representatives

Other interested parties, such as other teachers or staff members who interact with the child

Parents or legal guardians

Child, if appropriate

The IEP team changes over time, and not all members must attend meetings. However, at each formal yearly evaluation, it's best to assemble as many members of a team as possible.

What rights do parents have in the IEP process?

Source: Dr. Nicole Connolly

The law gives parents some very specific rights in the IEP process. Parents and legal guardians have the right to:

Request a special education evaluation at no cost

Give or deny consent for a special education evaluation

Agree or refuse the special education services offered

Have an independent evaluation performed (at their own cost)

Disagree with a school's decision by asking for a due-process hearing or mediation

Participate in or request IEP meetings, and bring others to the meeting

Review IEP documents at any time

Control who has access to their child's IEP

Receive prior written notice of any proposed changes to the IEP

Find out more about IEPs and parental rights here.
IEP Resources

In addition to the resource links throughout this post, here are some additional places to find info for parents, teachers, and schools on IEPs.

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As a parent or a teacher, you might wonder "What is an IEP, and how can it help a child succeed in school?" Find out more here.

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This website provides lessons for general education teachers. The lessons are categorized by subject (mathematics, literacy, science, social studies, etc) and then by grade level. These lessons are good tools for teachers to have access to assist them in their planning. There are some creative ideas for lessons that can be taught in the classroom. The lessons are engaging and hands-on. Students would enjoy doing these lessons because they are interesting and fun.

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Curriki has curated collections of the best lessons, videos, units, courses, and more so you can find exactly the lesson you need. In the spirit of Open Educational Resources (OER), Curriki encourages adaptation of the materials for blended learning, supplementing curriculum, building your own OER course, and more.
CTE: Electronics Technology Program YE Academy by Youth Entrepreneurs®
Voices of History by the Bill of Rights Institute

Chevron STEM Initiatives Sponsored by Chevron

Arts Adventure Study Companions by The Jefferson Performing Arts Society
AP Computer Science Principles Course Sponsored by Oracle Oracle Academy Workshops by Oracle Academy Oracle Academy Courses by Oracle Academy Watch this page for new additions!
Arts Collections

Arts Adventure Study Companions by The Jefferson Performing Arts Society

Computer Science Collections

AP Computer Science Principles Course Sponsored by Oracle

Problem Solving through Computational Thinking for Educators Sponsored by AT&T

Computational Thinking Resource Collection Sponsored by AT&T
Oracle Academy Courses by Oracle Academy
Oracle Academy Workshops by Oracle Academy

Mathematics Collections

Polyup - a free and open platform where students can experiment with numbers and functions
Curriki Curated Mathematics Collections - Standards Aligned
Geometry Common Core CCSS-M Aligned Course by Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District
Project Based Learning:
Science Collections

Chevron STEM Initiatives Sponsored by Chevron

AP Environmental Science Video Collection by Bozeman Science

Physical Sciences Collection - aligned to Next Generation Science Standards Sponsored by Oracle Foundation

Project Based Learning: Physics of Sailing Sponsored by Oracle Foundation
NASCAR Acceleration Nation Speed and Energy Units
Social Studies Collections

Voices of History by the Bill of Rights Institute
American History
All About the Constitution by the National Constitution Center
Oral History Projects in the Social Studies Classroom
Learn Liberty Video Collection by the Institute for Humane Studies

Social Science & Economics Collections

Learn Liberty Video Lessons by Institute for Humane Studies

English Language Arts Collections
Anne Frank Collection of Resources Literature of Edgar Allan Poe Writing Writing Expository Essays
Study Skills Collections

Study Skills Collection
Have a recommended unit or course? Send your suggestions to Janet Pinto, CAO: jpinto@curriki.org.

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Curriki has curated collections of the best lessons, videos, units, courses, and more so you can find exactly the lesson you need. In the spirit of Open Educational Resources (OER), Curriki encourages adaptation of the materials for blended learning, supplementing curriculum, building your own OER course, and more.

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This website is an interactive website that can be used in the classroom to talk about digital citizenship. The website contains modules that can be chosen based on the grade level of the students. The modules include activities, videos, and discussions that can engage the class when talking about digital citizenship. Technology is an important part of the world we live in today. It is vital that students understand digital citizenship and safety while using technology.

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Common Sense Education provides educators and students with the resources they need to harness the power of technology for learning and life. Find a free K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum, reviews of popular EdTech apps, and resources for protecting student privacy.

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The Pearson website provides some free resources for teachers to use in the classroom for literacy instruction. Some of the lessons provided are for back to school and season-specific. This website would be useful for teachers who are looking to do something extra to allow their students to be creative and have fun. These lessons are provided in the form of a lesson plan template, what grade it would be best for, and any activities or printable resources that can be used with the lesson. Students would enjoy doing something different during the school day and this is a great resource to do that with.

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Resources | Support & free resources for ELT | Pearson English

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Bring your young learners together with new digital resources and components, tried and tested lessons, helpful resources for mixed groups and fresh activity ideas that children will love. We've upgraded our digital components and platforms to support you in planning, managing and delivering your online classes, and ensure that your students get the most out of their course.

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This website is correlated to the National Literacy Association. There are classroom resources teachers can use to support their literacy instruction. There are professional development opportunities that teachers can complete and use. Some of the meetings may require you to pay for them, but they are not very expensive for teachers. The other tab is videos that can be shown to students to help with literacy and phonics concepts. Finally, there are resources for parents to use to support their child and their literacy growth at home. This website would be great for teachers to use during literacy instruction. It can also be recommended to parents so they can work with their child at home.

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Not your everyday calendar, here you can find important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, all with related activities and resources that make them more relevant to students.

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Not your everyday calendar, here you can find important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, all with related activities and resources that make them more relevant to students.

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This website allows teachers to create a free account and access some resources to use in their classrooms. Many of the resources have to be purchased but some school districts use this website and have accounts for teachers to use at no cost. There are various Webinars that teachers can sign up for that would be great professional development. There are videos that can be used in the classroom to support the learning of students. This resource is great but first check to see if you can access anything helpful with your free account. If not, then check and see what the school district offers.

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With continuing education courses and professional development resources, Teaching Channel is your one-stop shop to becoming an empowered educator.

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This website provides resources for classroom teachers to assist them in their instruction. There are printable resources for different things that may be taught. There is also a section for bulletin board printable that teachers can print out to use in their classrooms. Every teacher should take advantage of the free resources that are on this website. There are a variety of printables and tools that teachers can always use in their classrooms.

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Resources and Classroom Management for Teachers

If you are looking for ideas to in assigning classroom responsibilities or daily chores, then you will find some great ideas in our Classroom Management section. If you are looking for classroom organization or projects to facilitate daily activities check out our Teacher Tips. We also have an active teacher forum if you want to get some fresh ideas. Looking for a career in teaching? Drop off some applications with the open positions in our job postings.

In addition, we have popular resources like a Pen Pal service, dome incredible worksheet makers, even a section for librarians.

Classroom Management
Learn effective ways to help your classroom run smooth and efficiently.

Teacher Tips & Tricks
We have put together a collection of resources that will help you in your day-to-day classroom operations. There are a variety of topics for any teacher. *NEW*

Printable Worksheets
Use our generators to make math worksheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, match-ups, sudoku, word scrambles, brain teasers, money worksheets, time worksheets and more!!

Pen Pals & Key Pals
We help you match your classroom to other classrooms around the world. This is a free service!

Librarians
Great resources for those in charge of their school library.

Games and Activities
A selection of educational toys and activities specifically recommended by The Teacher's Corner. You will find a lot of coding activities and toys that will teach logic and science in such a fun way that the kids won't even know they are 'educational' activities.

Web Sites
Find great resources on the internet. Everything from graphics to classroom management to professional development.

EMAIL us your favorite teacher resource.

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Teacher Resources and Classroom Management

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If you are looking for ideas to in assigning classroom responsibilities or daily chores, then you will find some great ideas in our Classroom Management section. If you are looking for classroom organization or projects to facilitate daily activities check out our Teacher Tips.

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This website has the education laws for North Carolina. This resource would be great for teachers to have to reference if they ever need to do things like changing their name or look at the privacy laws. This website contains links that take you to the different sections of the education laws in North Carolina. That tool is helpful to find the specific information that you are looking for. Going through all of the laws to find the specific law you are looking for can be overwhelming.

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Most federal education laws focus on broad matters such as civil rights and free speech. But education is primarily controlled at the state level, including how public schools are funded; relations with teachers' unions; and state university systems. North Carolina, for instance, school is mandatory for children ages seven to 16 (with certain exceptions). And unlike some other states, North Carolina law explicitly allows teachers and principals to use "reasonable force" as a means of punishment. This section covers education laws, including privacy of school records; compulsory education requirements; and prayer in public schools.

Learn About North Carolina Education Laws

North Carolina Education Law Articles

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Most federal education laws focus on broad matters such as civil rights and free speech. But education is primarily controlled at the state level, including how public schools are funded; relations with teachers' unions; and state university systems. North Carolina, for instance, school is mandatory for children ages seven to 16 (with certain exceptions).

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This PDF is the guide for the Code of Ethics established by the North Carolina State Board. I think all teachers should read this document and be familiar with the Code of Ethics. This helps teachers provide the most ethical teaching practices they possibly can for their students. Teachers can download and keep this PDF on their computer or bookmark it for future reference.

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This site has the NCDPI teacher's manual and other important documents for teachers. All teachers need to be familiar with the NCDPI information because that is also where the standards they teach come from. These can be found on this website through a downloadable document. Teachers can use this site to reference and learn about the requirements and expectations for teachers in the state of North Carolina.

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NCEES Information and Resources - Teachers

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NCEES Policies Use this link to access evaluation policies for educators in North Carolina.

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This resource was published by Cornell University and covers the topic of Universal Design. There are many different resources that teachers can use on this website to gain knowledge on Universal Design. There are links to other sites that can be referenced if you are looking for additional information. This source would be great for teachers to be able to have that contains a detailed description of Universal Design and what that looks like in the classroom.

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Universal Design for Learning | Center for Teaching Innovation

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Universal design for learning (UDL) is a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminates unnecessary hurdles in the learning process. This means developing a flexible learning environment in which information is presented in multiple ways, students engage in learning in a variety of ways, and students are provided options when demonstrating their learning.

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This website is a fact sheet on all things Universal Design. There are many facts and topics relating to Universal Design that teachers can implement in the classroom. There are sections covering the Universal Design framework and the implementations in the school setting. Teachers can use these facts to improve their teaching in the Universal Design standard.

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LINCS | Adult Education and Literacy | U.S. Department of Education

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TEAL Center Fact Sheet No. 2: Fact Sheet: Universal Design for Learning

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UDL is an approach to curriculum design that can help teachers customize curriculum to serve all learners, regardless of ability, disability, age, gender, or cultural and linguistic background. UDL provides a blueprint for designing strategies, materials, assessments, and tools to reach and teach st…

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This website is from the National Disability Authority and it is their Universal Design page. There are links that can be clicked on that will take you to different sections of the Universal Design page. This website would be great for teachers to reference when they have questions about Universal Design. It breaks down many of the concepts and this would be beneficial for teachers to be aware of if they are wanting to use Universal Design techniques in their classroom.

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Universal Design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. An environment (or any building, product, or service in that environment) should be designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use it. This is not a special requirement, for the benefit of only a minority of the population. It is a fundamental condition of good design. If an environment is accessible, usable, convenient and a pleasure to use, everyone benefits. By considering the diverse needs and abilities of all throughout the design process, universal design creates products, services and environments that meet peoples' needs. Simply put, universal design is good design.

New to Universal Design?

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Centre for Excellence in Universal Design

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Universal Design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. An environment (or any building, product, or service in that environment) should be designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use it.

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his website has many "courses" that teachers can use to learn more about a topic. This one is based on Universal Design learning in the classroom. There is a video at the top that summarizes Universal Design. Then some links can take you to other websites and resources to support teachers in their implementation of Universal Design in the classroom. This website covers the basics in a course form for teachers to complete.

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Universal Design for Learning
What is UDL?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is "a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn" ( CAST Institute). The goal of UDL is to design instruction in such a way as to reach the widest possible audience.

UDL provides a framework for designing and teaching all aspects of your course - including the materials you present (representation), the opportunities you offer students to demonstrate their knowledge (expression), and the classroom learning environment that you foster to encourage motivation (engagement). UDL recognizes that individual variability in learning is the norm rather than the exception and offers strategies to tailor teaching practices and develop flexible learning activities for all students.

Sharing the same goal with Universal Design (UD), UDL considers as many individuals as possible with designs that work from the outset and do not require retrofitting. What makes UDL different is its focus on learning and teaching. Furthermore, UDL takes the principles of UD and expands it to the learning and cognitive domain. In addition to compliance with accessibility requirements, UDL also requires usability and does not segregate learners.

Adapted from Burgstahler, S. E., & Cory, R. C. (2008). Universal design in higher education. Universal design in higher education: From principles to practice , 3-23.

Accessibility refers to the ability to engage with, use, participate in, and belong to the world around us.

Usability is the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specific context of use. (International Organization for Standardization, 1998)

Inclusion captures the ethos and practice of actively including and supporting students of varying abilities in the mainstream environment, without segregation.

Why UDL matters

Designed to support the success of all students, UDL embraces diversity and difference as the norm of any learning environment. UDL thus advocates for learning experience design that will help all students achieve their educational goals.

Utilizing UDL principles in curriculum design benefits the instructor and students in the following ways:

Integrate Diversity: UDL helps educators appreciate the differences that each student brings to the learning process and provides guidance for proactive curriculum and learning environment design that is accessible, adaptable, and inclusive.

Maximize learning: By drawing on insights from the latest learning sciences research, UDL enables instructors to design curriculum and lessons that can fully engage students during learning and optimize the learning experience for individual learners.

Minimize barriers: UDL helps educators minimize barriers in instruction and provide appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, while maintaining high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency (Higher Education Opportunity Act; Public Law 110-315, August 14, 2008).

At The Center for Teaching Excellence, we promote the use of Universal Design for Learning as a best practice in teaching. The following pages outline UDL-informed teaching methods, resources, and instructional technologies to guide for developing and teaching courses.
Our thanks to Dr. Richard Jackson and Scott Lapinski of the Lynch School of Education for their assistance with this section of the CTE Resources site.
Recommended Websites

Recommended Research

CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA:

Hall, T., Meyer, A., & Rose, D. H. (2012). Universal Design for Learning in the classroom: Practical applications. New York: Guilford Press.

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Universal Design for Learning - CTE Resources

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Universal Design for Learning Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is "a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn" ( CAST Institute). The goal of UDL is to design instruction in such a way as to reach the widest possible audience.

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This website provides a great visual representation of Universal Design. It has the chart that has the three sections of engagement, representation, action and expression. It then breaks down each one and you can click on the links to learn more about a particular link. This website is one of my favorites because of the visual chart. This resource is great for teachers who need a quick reference guide to be able to see if they are correctly implementing Universal Design for learning in their classroom.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Coming soon! UDL Guidelines 3.0

The UDL Guidelines are a living, dynamic tool that is continuously developed based on new research and feedback from practitioners. In 2020, CAST launched our most recent effort to update the UDL Guidelines, with a specific focus on equity. There has been a strong call from the field-both practitioners and researchers alike-to more fully develop the Guidelines to address critical barriers rooted in biases and systems of oppression. The current update aims to respond to this call and to work toward fulfilling the promise of the Guidelines as a tool to guide the design of learning environments that more fully honor and value every learner.

Since our launch in 2020, we have been committed to a community-driven, inclusive, and transparent updating process. As part of this effort, we are:

Collaborating with an Advisory Board, a UDL Guidelines Collaborative, and a Young Adult Advisory Board to guide our work

Conducting focus groups with a diversity of participants to learn from their perspectives, lived experiences, and feedback

Reviewing the research on the UDL Guidelines research pages to understand the balance of different research fields, methodological approaches, epistemological approaches, and author positionalities

Conducting literature reviews of equity-oriented research that connect to and extend the Guidelines, such as disability studies and critical pedagogy studies

We are excited to share this next iteration of the UDL Guidelines in 2024. If you are interested in receiving our UDL Guidelines 3.0 newsletter to stay updated on our progress and to share your ideas and perspectives, please complete this brief form.

Review the Summary

Explore the Full Draft

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST.

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The K-12 Educational Technology Handbook 

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The K-12 Educational Technology Handbook 

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This website is an interactive handbook including everything that you need to know about Universal Design. There are interactive questions that you can click on throughout the handbook that serves to check your understanding of Universal Design. This handbook provides many great examples that all teachers can use in their classrooms.

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TIP: If you are already familiar with principles of UDL, check out some of the supplementary videos for more information and review, and explore some of the resources at the end of the chapter.

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A "Word" about Vocabulary Considerations Packet 

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A "Word" about Vocabulary Considerations Packet 

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This is a PDF packet of different activities for vocabulary instruction. At the top, some general activities can be adapted to all grade levels. This PDF document would be great for teachers looking to have differentiation in their Vocabulary instruction. Teachers could also print these pages out and include them in their stations as word work activities. This allows students to work on something different each day and practice a new vocabulary skill.

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This PDF is full of different vocabulary activities that can be done as whole group instruction, or independent practice. Some activities are grade-level specific in this PDF. Some of these activities have printable charts, cards, or graphic organizers. Teachers can use this PDF to enhance their phonics and vocabulary instruction. There are a variety of ways that teachers can use these activities in the classroom.

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This website is titled "Everything Teachers need to know about Teaching Vocabulary Effectively." That is what this website is. There are many tips and tricks that teachers can use to teach vocabulary in the classroom. I also like that this website provides specific examples of what that looks like in the classroom. This website is also rich in information pertaining to what students who already know about vocabulary.

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Vocabulary development by age

Students' communication abilities, including their vocabulary, can vary immensely. However, there are certain milestones we can expect children to reach before starting formal schooling:

12 months: 2 words plus mummy/mommy and daddy (or equivalent in languages other than English)

18 months: 10-50 words

2 years: 300 words

5 years: 450 words

3 years: 1000 words

4 years: 2000 words

5 years: 5000 plus words

This early language acquisition is an essential platform for future learning. There is a huge body of evidence suggesting that deficient early vocabulary development is a strong marker for a continued difficulty in all aspects of schooling.

During the school years, vocabulary size must grow at a rapid pace in order to equip students for everyday, as well as academic, communication. By the age of 17, students are expected to know between 36 000 to 136 000 words.

So just what is it that allows some students to learn a staggering 100 000 more words than their peers?

Teaching vocabulary

Effective vocabulary instruction within the 6M Learning Framework includes opportunities to motivate, model, master, magnify and maintain vocabulary knowledge with meaningful feedback guiding the sequence of learning.

Motivate

Students need to understand the benefits of a rich vocabulary knowledge. As with all teaching, some students may be naturally curious, while others will need to be coaxed into the journey. Some tips and tools for enhancing motivation are:

Take the time to demonstrate the value of a rich vocabulary knowledge

Make word exploration an integral part of classroom culture

Create a word-rich environment

Find puns, jokes and other comedic devices to add engagement to word studies, especially those that humoursly interchange multiple meanings

Designate a word of the week with a challenge to use it creatively in that week's work

Model

In an explicit approach to vocabulary instruction, teachers should model the skills and understanding required to develop a rich vocabulary knowledge.

Say the word carefully. Pronunciation is critical to allow students to make strong connections between written and spoken language. Use syllabification to assist in articulating each part of the word.

Write the word. There is a strong correlation between spelling and vocabulary. To allow students to access their vocabulary in both passive and active contexts, they must be equipped to spell new vocabulary.

Give a student-friendly definition. The concise nature of dictionaries means they require significant vocabulary knowledge to interpret. Simply providing students access to dictionaries and thesauruses will not necessarily give them the information they need to understand the meaning of the word. Provide a definition that is meaningful for students, their experiences and their existing vocabulary knowledge.

Give multiple meaningful examples. Use the word in sentences and contexts that are meaningful to students. But don't stop at one! Provide a wide range of examples to allow everyone to connect and relate to the word.

Ask for student examples. It may be valuable to have students attempt to articulate their own examples of the word in context. By including this in the explicit teaching phase, there are opportunities to clarify understanding when words have multiple meanings and deal with any misconceptions.

Master

Provide opportunities for students to master an understanding of new vocabulary in context through hearing, saying, reading and writing.

Using words is the best way to remember them. The following methods can help learners to consolidate their vocabulary knowledge:
Show students how to recognise new words
The best way to help students to remember and retain the new words they're introduced to is to connect it with an object in the real world. Pictures and flashcards are good, but real-world items are even better. This can get difficult with more abstract words, but by dedicating more time and thought, the image or object used, and your explanation of it, will help build students understanding.
Reinforce their remember new words
After a word has been introduced, we want students to see it at least 10 more times so it sticks. Activities like 'fill in the blank' and 'word bingo' help students make strong connections between the introduced words.
Have them use their new words
After new words have been introduced, students are ready to find the ways they can use these words to make meaning. Activities like using the word in a sentence, mind maps, fill in the blanks (with no options) develop students' use of words as tools for meaning and communication.
Graphics organisers
A simple graphic organiser can be an effective method to help students master their knowledge of new words.

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Everything Teachers Need to Know About Teaching Vocabulary Effectively

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"Vocabulary size is a convenient proxy for a whole range of educational attainments and abilities - not just skill in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, but also general knowledge of science, history, and the arts." A wealth of words, by E. D.

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This website can be used to enhance instruction in an elementary school classroom. Teachers can create an account that gives them a variety of resources to use. Some things that are popular from this website are videos, interactive activities, and textbook readings. I have seen teachers use the activities in whole group lessons to help guide discussions and enhance the learning of the students.

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Discovery Education | Your Daily Learning Platform

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Discovery Education inspires educators to go beyond traditional learning with award-winning digital content and professional development. Learn more today!

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This website is an educational resource that teachers can use to support them in learning how to work with their students with disabilities. There are interactive links that can be clicked on that will lead you to more specific information and strategies. This website breaks down the teacher's role as academics, and social, emotional, and behavior skills that could be helpful depending on the situations in the classroom. Teachers should have this resource to reference when determining how to support students in different ways in the classroom.

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Ideas That Work | Preparing children and youth with disabilities for success

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SWIFT is a national K-8 center that provides academic and behavioral support to promote the learning and academic achievement of all students, including students with disabilities and those with the most extensive needs by providing intensive technical assistance to schools, districts, and states.

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All teachers should have this website for reference. This the North Carolina website containing all of the standards for K-12 education. Teachers need to know the standards of the content they are teaching. It would also be helpful for them to know the grade level above and below so they have an idea where students will be going with their academics and what students should already know.

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SC&I Division

The primary purpose of the K-12 Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction Division is to serve as the authoritative source for the review, revision, and support for the implementation of state content standards in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The Division additionally supports multiple legislative and grant-related programs, initiatives, and reporting requirements. Please visit the K-12 Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction Google Site to access information, materials, and resources across areas and programs.

Remote Learning Resources:

Includes Remote Learning Resources for AIG Learners. K-12 ADVANCED LEARNING LABS developed in partnership with Duke TIP ADVANCED LEARNING LABS are provided for K-12 students each week beginning May 1st. Students explore logic puzzles, go on field studies, engage in research explorations, participate in mindfulness activities, and more -- all through remote learning.

In an effort to support families and teachers, the NCDPI Office of Early Learning provides weekly learning activities that do not require technology and are aligned to NC standards. Resources are organized by age and grade level. You may access resources for children birth through grade 2 here.

UNC-TV and the NC Department of Public Instruction are partnering to support school-age children learning at home by providing free, curriculum-informed, over-the-air content that is widely accessible to students-especially those with limited or no internet access. Please visit the UNCTV At-Home Learning website for additional information and the weekly schedule online here.

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K-12 Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction

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The primary purpose of the K-12 Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction Division is to serve as the authoritative source for the review, revision, and support for the implementation of state content standards in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The Division additionally supports multiple legislative and grant-related programs, initiatives, and reporting requirements.

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Teachers can create a free account with Scholastic. Many books on there can be read from the website for teachers to use in the classroom. Teachers can order Scholastic books for their classrooms at discounted prices. Teachers can also create wishlists for anyone who wants to donate books to the classroom. A cool feature that scholastic does is each month, they offer a book of the month for a dollar. Some teachers get these books every month as book club books or for students to have their own copy.

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Scholastic Book Clubs is the best possible partner to help you get excellent children's books into the hands of every child, to help them become successful lifelong readers and discover the joy and power of good books.

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This website is a good resource for teachers to learn about tolerance and diversity in their classrooms. There are many resources that can help that process. Teachers can create an account that will give them more access to resources. There are various professional development activities and workshops that teachers can register for and attend through this website.

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Understanding how school discipline policies can contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline is essential for educators and families. Harsh punishments, automatic out-of-class time and police involvement for discipline can push young people out of classrooms and into the criminal legal system. But educators, parents and caregivers can help to change this harmful system by advocating for and implementing practices that prioritize mental health and well-being.

We offer this new resource page that highlights LFJ articles and content to open dialogue, shift practices and foster change to benefit all young people.

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Learning for Justice | Education Resources

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Learning for Justice provides free resources to educators-teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners-who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.