Individual Education Plans for Students with Disabilities (IEPs)
The Individual Education Plan (IEP) process brings Parents/Carers, professionals and the student (where appropriate) together as a team to consider the student's current level of performance and to determine needs and learning priorities for the next six months. An IEP is not a plan of total instruction for students with disabilities. Other curriculum areas are covered in the general programming of the class, records of which are kept by the class teacher. An IEP is only one tool a teacher or specialist support staff member might use to record either:
- outcomes for an individual student that are different to the outcomes for their peers; or
- adjustments being made for individual students which are beyond the adjustments being made for other members of the class.
Prior to the introduction of the Educational Adjustment Program, IEPs were required for students with disabilities whose educational needs have been ascertained at level 4, 5 or 6. With the transition to the Education Adjustment Program, ascertainment levels are no longer assigned. However, IEPs are still required for any student with a disability where the plan would assist educators to meet the individual educational needs resulting from a disability. Professional judgement of specialist support staff is required to determine whether the IEP would assist in achieving positive learning outcomes for the student.
Additionally, IEPs are required for all children (3-6 years) who are receiving support through early childhood developmental programs.
Development of Individual Education Plans is a collaborative and ongoing process consisting of a number of stages.
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