Over one in three students receiving special education services has a _____

What is the IEP process?

Recall that the purpose of the procedural requirements is to make certain that the IEP process is followed in order to develop high-quality IEPs. Before they begin this process, however, educators should be familiar with some basic information about pre-referral practices and the guiding principles behind IDEA.

Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

What is the IEP process?
Pre-Referral
The Six Guiding Principles of IDEA
Alphabet Soup
Steps of the IEP Process
What proportion of students from 3 to 21 years of age receive special education services in the US multiple choice question?
Which disability is most common among students receiving special services?
What are the three most common disabilities in special education?
How many people have a learning disability?

Pre-Referral

When a child exhibits learning or behavior difficulties, teachers first try to determine whether systematic changes to instruction or other aspects of the learning environment are sufficient to address them. This is referred to as the pre-referral process, a team-based approach many schools use to help classroom teachers implement interventions for students with academic or behavioral problems. For some students, these minor changes are enough, and no further interventions are required. For others, though, the pre-referral process leads to a formal referral to be evaluated for special education services. (To learn more about the pre-referral process, see the link to the IRIS Module listed in the IEP Toolbox at the bottom of this page.)

The Six Guiding Principles of IDEA

The guiding principles of IDEA provide overarching guarantees to students with disabilities and their families that must be adhered to during the IEP process. There are six guiding principles, some of which were introduced on earlier pages but are described in more detail below.

Complete, individualized evaluation: All areas of the suspected disability must be assessed, including any specific parental concerns. The results of this assessment must be comprehensive enough to identify all of the student’s relevant academic and functional needs in order to guide future instructional decisions.
Free appropriate public education (FAPE): Each eligible student with a disability—one whose disability adversely affects school performance—is entitled to FAPE that is individualized to meet his or her unique needs and provided in conformity with that student’s IEP.
Individualized education program (IEP): An IEP is a written statement of the special education services provided to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability between the ages of 3 and 21. The IEP, a blueprint of the student’s FAPE, is developed in collaboration with the student’s parents.
Least restrictive environment (LRE): FAPE is to be provided alongside peers without disabilities in the general education settings to the greatest extent possible. Removal from the general education setting should only occur in instances when the nature or severity of the disability is such that an appropriate education cannot be satisfactorily achieved in that setting, even with the use of supplementary aids and services.
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least restrictive environment (LRE)
One of IDEA’s six guiding principles; requires that students with disabilities be educated with their non-disabled peers to the greatest appropriate extent.
Parent participation: The most basic of IDEA’s requirements is that parents are full and equal participants with the school district personnel on their child’s IEP team—a group that includes a variety of education professionals, the student’s parents, and the student, when appropriate.
Procedural safeguards: In addition to the right to active participation, parents have additional rights that include:
- Giving informed written consent for their child to be evaluated, and to seek an independent evaluation if they feel compelled to do so
- Access to their child’s educational records
- Dispute resolution through steps that can include state complaint, mediation, a resolution session, and/or a due process hearing
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  state complaint
  A procedure in which parents may file a complaint to an official state agency to report a possible violation of IDEA; part of IDEA’s procedural safeguards for parents, complaints will be reviewed and investigated by state personnel.
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  mediation
  When parents and school personnel disagree on a special education issue, a trained impartial mediator helps them negotiate a solution that is acceptable to both.
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  resolution session
  An option within IDEA’s procedural safeguards for parents; an intermediary step between mediation and a due process hearing in which the school district convenes a meeting with the parents and relevant IEP team members to discuss and attempt to resolve a complaint.
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  due process hearing
  Part of IDEA’s procedural safeguards for parents that is used when resolution sessions are not successful in resolving a disagreement about a special education issue; an impartial hearing officer listens to both parties, examines the issues, and then makes a ruling.
- Explanation of these rights in writing, and in their native language when possible

These guarantees are included in IDEA to ensure that each student with a disability receives the individualized FAPE to which he or she is entitled. To satisfy the requirements of the law, these provisions must be adhered to throughout the IEP process.

Alphabet Soup

The field of special education uses so many acronyms, it can sometimes feel like trying to read a bowl of alphabet soup. Look for the IRIS soup can throughout this module for a quick review of some of these acronyms and the words or phrases for which they stand. Below are the ones we covered on this page.

IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

LRE: least restrictive environment

FAPE: free appropriate public education

IEP: individualized education program

Steps of the IEP Process

As we pointed out above, IDEA provides overarching guarantees to students with disabilities and their parents that are intertwined with the IEP process. The IEP process involves a series of formal steps, each with clear guidelines on how and when the IEP should be developed. By following this overall process, schools abide by the procedural requirements of IDEA. These steps are briefly outlined in the table below.

Step	Description
Referral	The student is referred for a formal evaluation, usually by school personnel or her parents. The student’s parents must give written, informed consent. That is, they must understand that they are allowing their child to be evaluated to determine whether she has a disability that affects educational performance.
Evaluation Timeline: The evaluation must be conducted within 60 days of receiving parental consent or within state established timelines.	This initial comprehensive, individualized assessment of the student is conducted in all areas of concern, including both academic and functional performance. The data collected during this step form the foundation upon which the IEP will be developed. As such, its importance cannot be overstated.
Eligibility Determination	At this point, the student’s evaluation results are reviewed with an eye toward answering a pair of key questions: Does the student have a disability? Does that disability affect the student’s academic and/or functional performance to such an extent that she requires special education services? If the answer to both these questions is “yes,” the student is considered eligible for special education services.
IEP Development Timeline: The meeting must be conducted within 30 days of the eligibility determination.	When a student meets the eligibility criteria, the IEP team develops the IEP. The IEP team determines and documents: The student’s academic and/or functional needs, as identified in the evaluation Measurable annual goals that are reasonably calculated to enable the student to make meaningful progress The services and supports the student will receive, and: Which education professional(s) will provide them The frequency and duration of services The setting(s) in which the services will be delivered, sometimes referred to as placement The method and timeframe for monitoring the student’s progress The mode and frequency for communicating the student’s progress to her parents For more information about the required members of the IEP team, view this handout: IEP Team Members
IEP Implementation Timeline: The implementation must take place as soon as possible after the IEP is developed.	Education professionals provide the special education supports and services to the student as outlined in the IEP. If the student does not make appropriate progress, the IEP team meets to determine possible reasons for her lack of progress, and makes adjustments accordingly.
Annual Review Timeline: The annual review must occur within 12 months following the development of the previous IEP.	The student’s progress toward meeting her IEP goals is to be evaluated annually, unless the IEP team and the student’s parents agree otherwise. At this time, the student’s current performance, progress, needs, and placement are revisited and her IEP updated accordingly.
Re-evaluation Timeline: The re-evaluation must occur at least once every three years.	The student must be re-evaluated every three years, unless the IEP team members and the student’s parents agree otherwise. The purpose of the re-evaluation is to determine whether she is still eligible for and requires special education services. This usually entails another comprehensive, individualized evaluation (see Evaluation Step).

Note: The timelines described above are those specified by IDEA. State officials may develop state-specific timelines that shortens the process, but they cannot lengthen it. The only exception is the evaluation timeline; a state can have an evaluation timeline that is longer than 60 days, which some states base on calendar days and others on school days.

Though IDEA requires states to meet its requirements, the law does allow states to interpret, apply, and pass their own laws regarding students with disabilities. State special education laws are not allowed to contradict or provide less than what IDEA stipulates; however, they can provide more. In cases in which state laws exceed IDEA’s protections, special educators in the state must follow those laws. For example, IDEA requires that secondary transition planning be part of the IEP process when a student turns 16. In South Carolina, however, state law requires that transition planning must be included no later than the first IEP to be in effect after the student turns 13, while Tennessee requires this by age 14. Special educators must adhere to their state’s age requirement for transition planning.

secondary transition

The transitional stage in which students exit secondary education and enter the world of postsecondary education or employment as adults.

To help administrators, teachers, and parents understand and adhere to their state’s special education laws, most states publish guides to special education that can be found on their Websites. In addition, all states have an OSEP-funded Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) that can provide this information.

This toolbox describes additional resources related to the information presented on this page. These resources are provided for informational purposes only for those who wish to learn more about the topic(s). It is not necessary for those working through this module to read or refer to all of these additional resources to understand the content.

The Pre-referral Process: Procedures for Supporting Students with Academic and Behavioral Concerns

This IRIS Module highlights the benefits of the pre-referral process and outlines the six stages most commonly involved in its implementation.

Find Your Parent Center

The Center for Parent Information & Resources (CPIR) hosts an interactive site that can be used to identify the Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) for each state and territory.

What proportion of students from 3 to 21 years of age receive special education services in the US multiple choice question?

In 2020–21, the number of students ages 3–21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.2 million, or 15 percent of all public school students.

Which disability is most common among students receiving special services?

3The most common type of disability for students in prekindergarten through 12th grade involves “specific learning disabilities,” such as dyslexia or a brain injury.

What are the three most common disabilities in special education?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Learning Disabilities. Mobility Disabilities.

How many people have a learning disability?

1 in 5 children in the U.S. have learning and thinking differences such as ADHD or Dyslexia. 4 million children younger than 18 have learning disabilities in the United States.