Individual Education Plans
What is an Individual Education Plan (IEP)?
An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a written statement that describes the adjustments, goals and strategies to meet a student’s individual educational needs so they can reach their full potential.
Why are IEPs important?
IEPs:
• help teachers develop a learning program for individual students
• track a student’s progress against short-term SMART (specific, measurable, agreed, relevant, timely) goals to support achievement of long-term goals.
• share information between the school, students, the student’s family and other support professionals, for example, a Koorie Engagement Support Officer, social worker or speech pathologist.
• help teachers identify resources the student may need to achieve their goals. For example, visual supports for classroom schedules and activities
• outline clear educational goals for the student and encourages student voice to allow the student to engage and take part in their own learning.
Which students legally require an IEP?
• students in statutory Out-of-home care (OOHC)
• Koorie students (as required by Marrung – Victorian Aboriginal Education Plan 2016 to 2026)
• students supported under individualised disability funding programs including the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD)
• students undertaking Flexible Learning Options (FLOs).
Families of students who require an IEP and Student Support Group (SSG) will be contacted to book in an allocated time with their teacher and the Wellbeing and Inclusion Team.
Why don’t all children require an IEP?
Not all children require an Individual Education Plan. The classroom teacher plans at your child’s level of instructional need and supports within the weekly classroom program through whole class and small group instruction.
If your child’s teacher has a group of students in their class that are 1 year or more below or 2 years or more above expected level, your child will not require an IEP, as the classroom teacher will make accommodations, supports and modifications in their weekly planning documentation.
If this is the case for your child, your classroom teacher can discuss with you the areas they are working on to support or extend your child as well as strategies to assist at home.
What if my child’s learning needs cannot be accommodated within the standard differentiated classroom program and practices?
If your child’s learning needs extend beyond the standard differentiated classroom practices and program, then your child’s classroom teacher will contact you to discuss an IEP for your child.
What will an IEP meeting look like?
• Due to our limited resourcing, IEP meetings for non-required IEPs will run for no more than 20 minutes.
• To maximise the time, teachers may send out a draft of the IEP for the parents to read beforehand so any recommended suggestions or changes can be discussed during the meeting.
• Teachers may offer face-to-face meetings, phone calls or video conferencing to accommodate parents.
• Once the IEP has been finalised, we ask parents/ carers as well as the classroom teacher to sign off on the IEP and a signed IEP will be sent home to parents/carers by the classroom teacher.
*Please note that the Wellbeing and Inclusion Team will not be able to attend every IEP meeting
An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a written statement that describes the adjustments, goals and strategies to meet a student’s individual educational needs so they can reach their full potential.
Why are IEPs important?
IEPs:
• help teachers develop a learning program for individual students
• track a student’s progress against short-term SMART (specific, measurable, agreed, relevant, timely) goals to support achievement of long-term goals.
• share information between the school, students, the student’s family and other support professionals, for example, a Koorie Engagement Support Officer, social worker or speech pathologist.
• help teachers identify resources the student may need to achieve their goals. For example, visual supports for classroom schedules and activities
• outline clear educational goals for the student and encourages student voice to allow the student to engage and take part in their own learning.
Which students legally require an IEP?
• students in statutory Out-of-home care (OOHC)
• Koorie students (as required by Marrung – Victorian Aboriginal Education Plan 2016 to 2026)
• students supported under individualised disability funding programs including the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD)
• students undertaking Flexible Learning Options (FLOs).
Families of students who require an IEP and Student Support Group (SSG) will be contacted to book in an allocated time with their teacher and the Wellbeing and Inclusion Team.
Why don’t all children require an IEP?
Not all children require an Individual Education Plan. The classroom teacher plans at your child’s level of instructional need and supports within the weekly classroom program through whole class and small group instruction.
If your child’s teacher has a group of students in their class that are 1 year or more below or 2 years or more above expected level, your child will not require an IEP, as the classroom teacher will make accommodations, supports and modifications in their weekly planning documentation.
If this is the case for your child, your classroom teacher can discuss with you the areas they are working on to support or extend your child as well as strategies to assist at home.
What if my child’s learning needs cannot be accommodated within the standard differentiated classroom program and practices?
If your child’s learning needs extend beyond the standard differentiated classroom practices and program, then your child’s classroom teacher will contact you to discuss an IEP for your child.
What will an IEP meeting look like?
• Due to our limited resourcing, IEP meetings for non-required IEPs will run for no more than 20 minutes.
• To maximise the time, teachers may send out a draft of the IEP for the parents to read beforehand so any recommended suggestions or changes can be discussed during the meeting.
• Teachers may offer face-to-face meetings, phone calls or video conferencing to accommodate parents.
• Once the IEP has been finalised, we ask parents/ carers as well as the classroom teacher to sign off on the IEP and a signed IEP will be sent home to parents/carers by the classroom teacher.
*Please note that the Wellbeing and Inclusion Team will not be able to attend every IEP meeting
