{"id":3167,"date":"2021-03-26T14:16:17","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T18:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.columbusspeech.org\/?p=3167"},"modified":"2023-08-15T13:37:47","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T17:37:47","slug":"navigating-the-iep-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/navigating-the-iep-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating the IEP Process"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<p>By: Lora McConnell, M.A., CCC-SLP<\/p>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<p>What do you do if you have a concern about how your child is functioning at school? There are several specific steps you should follow and information you should know in order to get your child the help he\/she might need.<\/p>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<ul>\n<li>First, talk to his\/her teacher and see how they are doing in the classroom setting.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Write a SPECIFIC letter\/email outlining your concerns and ask for an evaluation. Be sure to document everything! Send it to the principal, school psychologist, and speech-language pathologist (if an area of concern).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Be sure to provide any evaluations\/testing\/reports you may already have.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Instead of an evaluation, you could ask that your child begin interventions though the RTI (Response to Intervention) process, where your child would be provided with interventions targeting the specific area of concern.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">If you request an evaluation, the school has 30 days from receiving the request to explain the process, get your permission, and set up testing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">The school has 60 days from receiving your permission to do full testing in the area(s) of concern. They will write an Evaluation Team Report (ETR) documenting testing conducted and testing results. An ETR is conducted every 3 years.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li>After the IEP is established, you may request a re-evaluation at any time. You can also request that your child&#8217;s IEP team meet to discuss or review the IEP at any time, even if it falls outside of annual meetings and tri-annual ETR meetings.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">If your child qualifies for services, an initial Individualized Education Plan\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">(IEP) meeting will be scheduled to set up specific goals for your child. Within another 30 days from the ETR and, as soon as possible, services begin. The IEP is reviewed annually.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">This can be a long process, so stay on top of it! Know your rights and your child\u2019s rights. You will be given the document \u201cWhose IDEA is This?\u201d, which is a helpful guide for special education.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Remember: a child is eligible for school services only if the disability adversely affects his\/her educational performance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 2\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<h5>If the school doesn\u2019t feel your child needs further services but you still do\/disagree:<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>You may request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) \u2013 done by an outside site only in the areas tested by the school. The school will provide you with participating locations. An IEE may be paid for at public expense or by the parent, depending on location.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">You can also seek additional services\/tutoring\/therapy elsewhere.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 2\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<h5>WHAT DO ALL OF THOSE LETTERS MEAN?!?!<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>SLP \u2013 Speech-Language Pathologist<\/li>\n<li>OT\/PT \u2013 Occupational Therapy\/Physical Therapy IS \u2013 Intervention Specialist<\/li>\n<li>RTI \u2013 Response to Intervention<\/li>\n<li>ETR \u2013 Evaluation Team Report<\/li>\n<li>IEP \u2013 Individualized Education Plan<\/li>\n<li>IEE \u2013 Independent Educational Evaluation<\/li>\n<li>ODE &#8211; Ohio Department of Education<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 2\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<h5>HOW DO I STAY INVOLVED IN MY CHILD\u2019S PROGRESS?<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>The school will sent periodic reports updating goals. Review these carefully.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Be sure to attend parent\/teacher conferences. Additional professionals working with your child often attend these as well.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Attend all IEP related meetings. Ask lots of questions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Remember: the IEP team is on the same team with you \u2013 they want your child to succeed , too!<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Set up time at home for nightly homework and targeting your child\u2019s goals in a natural setting. Your child\u2019s IEP team can give you ideas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5>Additional Resources:<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/parentmentor.osu.edu\/\">Parent Mentors<\/a> \u2013 free service, parent of a child with a disability employed by each school district, parent who can help answer questions and provide support.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Parent Advocate \u2013 an advocate for you and your child paid by you to help to try and get the services you desire for your child.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocecd.org\/\">OCECD<\/a> \u2013 Ohio Coalition for Education of Children with Disabilities (Marion, OH) \u2013 statewide, non profit organization serving children and their families, and educators, agencies providing service to them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Interpreters are available if requested and set up prior to a meeting All of the above can help with transition services<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/education.ohio.gov\/Topics\/Special-Education\/A-Guide-to-Parent-Rights-in-Special-Education\"><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">A Guide to Parent Rights in Special Education<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/education.ohio.gov\/\"><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Ohio Department of Education Website<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/education.ohio.gov\/Topics\/Other-Resources\/Scholarships\/Special-Needs-Scholarship\">John Peterson Scholarship<\/a> \u2013 funds for therapeutic services if your child has an IEP but is attending a private school.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/education.ohio.gov\/Topics\/Other-Resources\/Scholarships\/Autism-Scholarship-Program\">Autism Scholarship<\/a> \u2013 funds for additional therapeutic services if your child has received a diagnosis on the autism spectrum.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/talk-tips-to-go-newsletters\/\">Talk Tips to Go!<\/a> Columbus Speech &amp; Hearing\u2019s monthly newsletter highlighting various speech and language topics and resources for all ages. Email jails@columbusspeech.org to sign up!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By: Lora McConnell, M.A., CCC-SLP What do you do if you have a concern about how your child is functioning at school? There are several specific steps you should follow and information you should know in order to get your child the help he\/she might need. First, talk to his\/her teacher and see how they&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3168,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"schema":"","fname":"","lname":"","position":"","credentials":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-speech"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3167"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3167\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8858,"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3167\/revisions\/8858"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/columbusspeech.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}