IEP stands for Individualized Education Program

More specifically, an IEP is:

• a legal, written document describing a child's unique educational needs;
• a written individualized plan that determines whether a child is eligible to receive special education services;
• developed by a team including the parents who give their input about their child's strengths and needs, as well as participate in the development of annual goals and short term objectives;
• a description of services to be delivered;
• for all children who are eligible for special education based on assessment need; and
• a document written with information for students 16 and older oriented towards pre-vocational/vocational issues and life skills training considered essential for transition planning (ITP).

Understanding the IEP Process

Chapter 2 of the Tri-Valley SELPA Parent Handbook is a great resource for understanding the IEP process. It provides detailed information about the following stages of developing and managing an IEP:

• Referral
• Assessment Plan
• Assessment
• Composition of the IEP Team
• Development of IEP
• Related Services
• Signing of IEP
• Placement, Implementation and Review of IEP