Individualized Education Program (IEP)
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) may be the appropriate way to address the needs of some students. The criteria for obtaining an IEP are spelled out in the Agency of Education Special Education Rules. A link to the Laws and Regulations, special education forms, parents' rights, and other resources may be found at http://education.vermont.gov/special-education.
The overview from the Programs and Services webpage provides the following summary:
"Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, Vermont is required to identify and evaluate students who have disabilities and to offer them individualized education programs (IEP) for special education and related services. Decisions regarding the services that are included in an IEP are made by a team using a process specified in the law. An IEP team includes a student’s classroom teacher, special educator, parent(s) and a representative of the school district who is empowered to commit resources such as staff time or funding. By law, schools are required to carry out provisions outlined in a student's IEP."
The Special Education Rules provide extensive details related to the process of evaluation and identification of students with disabilities. To qualify for special education a student must have a disability in one of the following categories: learning impairment, specific learning disability, visual impairment, deafness, speech and language impairment, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, deaf-blindness, multiple disabilities. The disability must also have a demonstrated adverse effect on a student's academic performance to the degree that he or she is functioning in the lowest 15th percentile of age and grade level students on three out of six measures of school performance comprised of classroom measures and standardized test scores. The evaluation and planning team must finally determine that the student requires specialized instruction that is significantly different in intensity and duration from the supports available through the school's Educational Support System or Section 504.
At CVU, our team of highly qualified special educators and para-educators provide a range of services to eligible students designed to meet their individual needs. These services may include assessment, direct instruction, and consultation, along with academic, social, and behavioral supports, and they are provided in the regular education environment as much as possible. Parents, the student, teachers, special education staff, and administrators all play important roles in developing and implementing individualized education programs and assessing student progress.
The overview from the Programs and Services webpage provides the following summary:
"Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, Vermont is required to identify and evaluate students who have disabilities and to offer them individualized education programs (IEP) for special education and related services. Decisions regarding the services that are included in an IEP are made by a team using a process specified in the law. An IEP team includes a student’s classroom teacher, special educator, parent(s) and a representative of the school district who is empowered to commit resources such as staff time or funding. By law, schools are required to carry out provisions outlined in a student's IEP."
The Special Education Rules provide extensive details related to the process of evaluation and identification of students with disabilities. To qualify for special education a student must have a disability in one of the following categories: learning impairment, specific learning disability, visual impairment, deafness, speech and language impairment, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, deaf-blindness, multiple disabilities. The disability must also have a demonstrated adverse effect on a student's academic performance to the degree that he or she is functioning in the lowest 15th percentile of age and grade level students on three out of six measures of school performance comprised of classroom measures and standardized test scores. The evaluation and planning team must finally determine that the student requires specialized instruction that is significantly different in intensity and duration from the supports available through the school's Educational Support System or Section 504.
At CVU, our team of highly qualified special educators and para-educators provide a range of services to eligible students designed to meet their individual needs. These services may include assessment, direct instruction, and consultation, along with academic, social, and behavioral supports, and they are provided in the regular education environment as much as possible. Parents, the student, teachers, special education staff, and administrators all play important roles in developing and implementing individualized education programs and assessing student progress.