Laura Kaloi, Public Policy Director at the National Center for Learning Disabilities, explains the ins and outs of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), including who develops them and how to put together a good one. For more information about IEPs, please visit http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/iep-504-plan

Your child has been evaluated and found eligible for special education. Now you will be attending your first Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. This short presentation will help you prepare and build your confidence. It’s a step-by-process – you will learn more and more as you move through special education with your child. For more information, visit www.pacer.org.

The first step in the process of special education is the identification or recognition that a child may be in need of special education services. The next step is planning for the evaluation which will determine if the child qualifies for special education. This webinar will help parents prepare to work with the school to develop an evaluation for the child. For more helpful videos, go to http://www.pacer.org/parent/video-trainings.asp

PACER Center's senior advocate and parent trainer discusses communication between parents and school staff.

We’re “at the special education planning table” again. This short video presentation will help you prepare for your meeting with the school to discuss the results of your child’s special education evaluation. For more information, visit www.pacer.org.

YourSpecialEducationRights.com is a FREE video-based website that helps you understand your special education rights. If you have a child in special education and want to advocate for your child, we are here to empower you. Join us TODAY! Know your rights! Membership is FREE! Accommodations ADHD Advocacy Applied Behavior Analysis ABA Aspergers Assessments Assistive Technology Behavior Disability Due Process Dyslexia Educational Strategies FAPE Functional Behavioral Assessment IDEA IEE IEP Goals and Objectives IEP Team Inclusion Independent Educational Evaluation Learning Disability Least Restrictive Environment LRE Mental Health Occupational Therapy Parental Rights Present Levels of Performance Prior Written Notice Procedural Safeguards Reading Comprehension Reading Fluency Related Services School District Sensory Integration Sensory Processing Disorder Social/Emotional Socialization Social Skills Special Education Advocate Speech Speech Language Pathologist SLP Transition

In this episode, we are going to focus on IEP Goals & Objectives. ● What Are IEP Goals? ● How Are IEP Goals Formed? ONE-ON-ONE SPECIAL EDUCATION TUTORING: https://specialedresource.com/free-consultation-long Specifically… this video focuses on the following aspects: IEP Goals & Objectives 1. Purpose Of IEP Goals 2. Criteria Used To Create IEP Goals 3. Data Collection 4. Parental Involvement Alright… let’s dive in and help shed some light on another special education topic IEP Goals & Objectives What Are IEP (Individualized Education Plan) Goals? ● Specific Details In Your Child’s Plan (IEP) ● Determine What They Should Accomplish During The School Year ● Individualized For Each Child ● Reviewed And Modified (If Necessary) Every Year Now that we have a clear idea of what IEP goals are… let’s talk about the purpose of these specific details. Purpose Of IEP Goals ● Create Milestones And Markers To Help Track Progress ● Determine Steps That Need To Take Place To Reach Optimum Success ● Offers The Ability For Service Providers To Work Together For A Specific Child’s Needs ● Much Easier For Parents To Track Their Child’s Progress The bottom line, Goals are absolutely critical to a child’s special education journey! Next… let’s cover the criteria used to create IEP Goals... Criteria Used To Create IEP Goals ● Based On A Child’s Diagnosed Disability ● Measurable Improvement In A Specific Area ○ Direction Of Behavior ■ Increase, Decrease, Maintain ○ Area Of Need ■ Reading, Writing, Social Skills, Communication, Etc. ○ Level Of Attainment Desired ■ To Grade Level, Without Assistance, Etc. ● The “SMART” Method Is Often Used In This Process ○ Specific - Details Matter! ■ Non-Specific Example; Alex Will Be A Better Reader ■ Specific Example; Alex will be able to read a passage in a grade-level book at 100-120 words per minute with random errors. ○ Measurable - Progress Can Be Measured ■ Through Standardized Tests, Screening, Etc. ○ Attainable - Progress That Is Realistic For Each Child ○ Results-Oriented - Clearly States What Your Child Will Do To Accomplish The Goal. ○ Time-Bound - Timeframe In Which Your Child Will Achieve The Goal. ■ Also, How Often Progress Will Be Measured During That Time. ■ The Time Frame Used Is Most Often When The Next IEP Meeting Is Scheduled. ● As a parent, you have the right to have the goals you desire for your child included * Keep in mind, Goals can have short term objectives if the IEP team feels that those would be beneficial. The short term objectives are essentially steps toward trying to accomplish the IEP goal within the IEP duration. In other words, IEP goals can include smaller milestones or pieces throughout the year that need to be achieved in order to ensure your child is on track to meet their IEP goal. Next on our list of discussion items regarding IEP goals, is data collection. IEP Goal Data Collection ● Data Collection Methods Vary Substantially From Teacher To Teacher ● Examples Include; ○ Collecting Grades ○ Keeping Track Of Assignments ○ Monitoring Participation Levels ○ Analyze Work Assignments Matched To Data Points ● Things To Watch For As A Parent ○ Progress Reports Every Few Weeks (Frequency Will Range) ○ Reflects Progress Toward IEP Goal ○ States Whether Or Not Your Child’s Teacher Feels The Goal Will Be Reached ○ Detail IF Any Progress Is Being Made ○ Supporting Documentation May Be Included ● Bottom Line, Data Collection For IEP Goals SHOULD Be A Priority Okay… let’s pivot slightly and move from the teacher involvement to parent involvement in the creation, implementation, and monitoring of your child’s IEP Goals… This is one of the MOST important parts of IEP goals… Parent Involvement In IEP Goals ● BE INVOLVED! ○ In the entire IEP Process ○ If you think the goals presented do not match your child… speak up! ● Ask questions until YOU have a clear answer ● Ask for a draft of the IEP before the meeting ● Push To Have Goals Documented With Physical Proof, Not Just Observation ● You Can Call An IEP Meeting Any Time To Discuss; ○ Goals ○ Objectives ○ Services ○ Etc ● Goals Drive The IEP And Thus Drive The Services Your Child Will Receive If you’re searching for one-on-one help with your child’s IEP, we can help! GET STARTED HERE: https://www.specialedinstruction.com/iep-consultation-page31470757 I truly hope this video helped you understand more about IEP Goals or, at the very least, opens up your mind to ask more questions for your child! If you like what you saw, please consider subscribing to our channel… If you have suggestions on what you’d like to see in a video topic or if you have additional questions related to IEP goals, please either leave a comment OR contact us at; Contact@SpecialEdResource.com We love interacting with our incredible community and strive to help simplify the crazy world of Special Education. From all of us at SpecialEdResource.com - Thank you for watching this episode of Special Education Decoded

Shows a high level of what the School-Based Medicaid reimbursement program is.

Laura Kaloi, Public Policy Director at the National Center for Learning Disabilities, explains what a 504 Plan is and how to become eligible for one. She also provides tips on how to develop your child's 504 Plan. For more information about 504 Plans, please visit http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/iep-504-plan