Can we just be honest for a minute and admit that writing IEPs is hard? It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned veteran or just getting started in the education world. A lot is riding on those pieces of paper for our students and we have to get it right. And of course we want what is best for our kiddos! But how can you feel confident in building out IEPs?
A Team Effort
I recently sat down and chatted with Stephanie from both Mrs. D’s Corner and The Intentional IEP. As an IEP coach she has so much knowledge on how to start an IEP, how to stay organized throughout and how to feel confident in the process. She shared many great tips during our talk.
The first tip is that IEPs are a team effort. You may be the file holder, case manager, etc. but you are not alone in this process. There are other teachers, service providers, parents and administrators who are also equally responsible for making sure that the IEP is what it needs to be. There are times where it is appropriate for the student to carry some of that weight as well.
Use a Calendar
The next thing to feel confident in building out IEPs is to use a calendar…and I mean really use it! You need to have every date on there with reminders a few weeks before. By tracking all of this, you are less likely to fall behind.
Falling behind on IEPs is sorta like a kiss of death. It can be overwhelming to try to catch up. If you can work ahead then you can keep things manageable.
Get Input
Input from others can make or break an IEP. You cannot write a present level of performance, the meat and potatoes of the IEP, without input from others. You may only see the student a portion of the day, or maybe you para always handles math tasks…how are you going to speak about the progress and level of the student without asking those who see it firsthand.
Use questionnaires and send them out early. This can easily be done digitally or you can use the old school paper/pen version of them. You can even chat directly with the person and take notes. The bottom line is, gather the input from EVERYONE involved in this child’s day.
Use a Template
I know that IEPs are supposed to be individualized and that you cannot use a cookie cutter method to create the plans. However, in order to feel confident in building out IEPs I do recommend that you use some basic templates.
Templates just give us a base for what we are writing. It helps keep us organized and ensures that we are including all the necessary pieces. You are NOT doing a copy and paste, you are just using an outline to achieve the best results.
You can be a pro at writing IEPs and you can be confident that you are creating the best plan for your students. Just make sure that you are staying on top of it and keeping things organized and you will feel completely in charge.
If you need more help, check out Episode 155 of the Be the Exception Podcast. Stephanie may have shared a few freebies that will make life even simpler!
