Decoding the IEP: 10 Key Terms You Need to Understand
Decoding the IEP: 10 Key Terms You Need to Understand
Reading through an IEP document can feel like decoding a foreign language. Understanding these key terms can help you participate more actively and confidently in your child’s special education journey:
IEP (Individualized Education Program): A legally binding document outlining your child’s learning goals and the services they will receive.
FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education): The educational right of children with disabilities to receive necessary support at no cost.
LRE (Least Restrictive Environment): Children with disabilities should be educated alongside their non-disabled peers whenever possible.
504 Plan: A plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act offering accommodations but not specialized instruction.
Annual Goals: Specific, measurable objectives that the IEP team sets for your child to achieve within a year.
Related Services: Additional services like speech therapy or occupational therapy that support educational progress.
Present Levels of Performance (PLOP): A summary of your child’s current abilities, challenges, and performance in school.
Transition Services: Planning and support for students moving from school to post-school activities, starting by age 16 (or earlier in some states).
ESY (Extended School Year): Additional special education services provided outside the regular school year to prevent regression.
Prior Written Notice: A document the school must give you when proposing or refusing to change your child’s educational plan.
Understanding these terms will help you advocate with clarity and confidence.