10 basic steps Special Education

1. Program Development,
Implementation and
Management
Clinical/Research Project
SPED 433
Susan Quick

2. Step 1 Child Find
“Child Find.” The state must identify, locate, and evaluate all
children with disabilities in the state who need special education
and related services.
The school can ask the parents for permission to evaluate their child or the parents may ask the
school to do an evaluation.
We had a new family move into the district and that added three children to our school. After
receiving the files from the previous school and some observation it was decided that an
evaluation was needed for reading on two of the siblings.
Parental consent is
needed before the child may be evaluated. Evaluation needs
to be completed within 60 days of the parent giving consent

3. Step 2 - Evaluation
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
Of the two students that were evaluated one just is getting modification and
assessment now look like things are getting better and may not need any
modification come next fall. The other student was found to need a little more
evaluation.

4. Step 3 – Eligibility Decided
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.
The special education teacher, English teacher, principal and the parents went
over the evaluation. We also had the student there so if they had any
questions they could be part of it, or ask. It was decided that the child did
meet the child with a disability as defined by IDEA. The parents agreed so we
didn’t have anybody challenge the decision.

5. 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
Since the student was found eligible emails went out to the appropriate IEP team members.
Unfortunately since it is very difficult to get everyone together at the same time, a lot of
times their suggestions and goals are sent through emails and phone calls. If they can’t
initially meet in person, there is a conference call just to get things going. It is the Special
Education teacher who put all of the goals together.

6. Step 5 – IEP Meeting Scheduled
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
We scheduled the IEP meeting and notified the family. We were able to meet one morning before school

7. Step 6 – IEP Meeting Held/IEP 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 IEP is written and this consent is given
The student was also able to attend this meeting. We went over the goals that we
wanted the student to be able to meet during the semester. The parents did have
questions on a couple of the suggestions and had some ideas that they would like to
see implemented also. The additions were noted so that they could be added and
changes made to the IEP. Everyone had an opportunity to go over all of it and ask
any questions. At the end of the meeting, the IEP was signed by all that were there.
Parent, Special Education Teacher, English Teacher, Administrator, Student. Final
copies were given to all.

8. Step 7 – Services are Provided
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
This student started receiving their services. There were services provided in the
general education class as well as services outside of the classroom. Occasionally
another educational professional from our ESU would come in as part of the IEP and
work with this student as well to help meet their goals.

9. Step 8 – Progress Measured and Recorded
The child’s progress toward the annual goals is measured, as
stated in the IEP. His or her parents are periodically informed
of their child’s progress toward achieving the annual goals
(such as through the use of quarterly or other periodic
reports, perhaps issued at the same time as report cards).
Part of this students schedule put them in a “seminar” class (study hall) that was actually monitored by the
Special Education Teacher. This was a mixed class of students that had IEPs and other students that were
Gen. Ed. Students. Part of this class, she checked ALL of their grades and classes everyday to make sure
they aren’t missing any work and that they are keeping up with their grades. I liked that she checked
everybody’s grades and then NOBODY was singled out AND she could keep up with the IEP kids and make
sure that goals were being worked on. The student was also given several assessments over the semester by the
Special Education Teacher, English teacher, the ESU professional to help measure the progress and see that
they were meeting goals. These were recorded in the students file, they were also recorded on report cards so
that during parent teacher conferences, there was a physical copy of things for the parents to have. And also
they were able to see the progress being made by their student.

10. 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.
Since this student only just received their IEP this year, unless the teacher or parents want
an earlier review, the IEP won’t need too review or make revisions until the 2015-2016 school
year .

11. Step 10 – Re-Evaluation
At least every three years the child must be reevaluated, unless
parents and the school system agree that a reevaluation is not
necessary. The purpose of the reevaluation 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.
Parents
must give their consent for their child’s reevaluation
This student will probably be re-evaluated sooner than the three years as they will be getting
ready to go into transition mode. Some goals are going to be added and there I know there
were some new things that both the parents and the teachers were having concerns about. I’ve
worked with students with IEPs before but haven’t really got to see or follow a student and
“sit in” while they were going to each of their “classes”

12. References
Excerpted from Küpper, L. (2011). The Basic Special Education Process under IDEA 2004
Communicating with your child’s school through letter writing
(Parent’s Guide 9). Washington, DC: National Dissemination Center for Children with
Disabilities (NICHCY). Available online at: http://www.nichcy.org/schoolage/steps/
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/wp-content/uploads/repo_items/10steps.pdf