How To Organize All That IEP Paperwork

If you have a child with an IEP, you know you will undoubtedly be receiving a TON of paperwork, forms, reports, etc all the time! It can be very confusing as to what each one is and what it all means. Staying organized as you receive each set of paperwork can help alleviate the feeling of being so overwhelmed.

Creating an IEP 3 ring binder with tab dividers and a 3 hole puncher can help you not only look but feel more prepared for your next IEP meeting.

Email me at IEPconsultingLLC@gmail.com for how to order copy of my IEP Binder Organization set! This packet includes divider page covers to organize all the paperwork you receive from your school. My packet also includes helpful handouts such as parent-school communication tools, IEP acronyms and definitions, meeting prep tools for the parent, meeting note taking tools, and more!

Ideas for divider pages for your IEP binder organization or filing system may include:

--Procedural Safeguards (you will receive a copy of this document annually)

--Domain paperwork updated every 3 years or as needed (includes consent for evaluation or re-evaluation, Identification of Needed Assessments, & Evaluation Reports)

--IEP Meeting Invite & Draft of Reports for your upcoming meeting (you should receive a draft copy of updated progress and draft of proposed new goals before your next annual review IEP meeting)

--Finalized current IEP in place (to be replaced after each annual review meeting)

--Meeting Notes (include your own notes as well as the school's notes)

--IEP Amendments if applicable (amendments are edits/changes to the IEP throughout the year)

--Progress Reports on Goals & Report Cards (you may want to tab each goal by related service area using post-its)

--Parent-School Communication (copies of emails and notes from school staff to quickly refer to later if needed)

Once you receive your finalized paperwork after your IEP meeting, you may want to tab the following pages with post-it notes so you can easily refer to each section when needed:

--Present Levels of Performance

--Behavior Plan (if applicable)

--Goals & Objectives/Benchmarks

--Accommodations, Supports, & Modifications

--Services, Minutes, & Placement

--Transportation

--ESY (Extended School Year)

--Transition Plan (starting at age 14 ½)

Store old IEPs in a separate file in chronological order, marked with the dates it was in place. You may want to refer back to it later, even if it is just to see how far your child has come over the years.

You may want to create a separate binder(s) to store/organize student work samples by grade, including tests/quizzes (both good & bad), homework, etc. You can use it to refer to in a meeting and/or to document your child’s growth.

To order printable download of "A Parent's IEP Binder Organization Set", visit:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Parents-IEP-Binder-Organization-Set-3528792

If you are unsure or too overwhelmed, hand over all your paperwork to me and I can help you sort it out, organize, and make sense of it all as part of my report review service!

To place an order, it is quick, easy, and free to create an account for access to tons of great parent resources on TeachersPayTeachers.com. You don't have to be a teacher to shop! Shop where the teachers shop for printable downloads and resources for your child! 

Also, be sure to like IEP Consulting, LLC's new Facebook page for updates on IEP advice and tips! Feel free to tag your friends in your support groups! The more resources in parents' hands, the better, so keep spreading the word! https://www.facebook.com/IEP-Consulting-LLC-1725330307778410

If you have a request for an IEP blogging topic you would like to read about, feel free to comment in the comment section below!

Written by: Carly Quinlan, IEP Consultant & Advocate with IEP Consulting, LLC

IEPconsultingLLC@gmail.com 

Behavior Intervention Plans: What You Need To Know!

A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) can be part of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) if your child's behavior interferes with his or her learning and/or the learning of others. A BIP is how an IEP addresses the child's negative behaviors called "targeted behaviors". The first step to getting a BIP is a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) with parent's consent. This assessment looks at behavioral data to determine the possible function of the behavior. All behavior is a form of communication.
Functions, or purpose, of behavior may include:

• to gain attention
• to escape/avoid something non-preferred
• to gain access to a preferred tangible
• to get automatic sensory stimulation (i.e.: hand flapping)
• a medical cause

A well written and implemented Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) can make all the difference in a student's success at school. A student can't get to academic learning until behavioral learning is under control. A BIP should include specific behavioral strategies and supports, motivators and rewards for positive reinforcement, and the teaching of replacement behaviors based on the identified function of behavior. There should also be an IEP goal to go with the BIP to monitor progress toward his or her behavior goal. A correct identification of the function of behavior can allow for an effective BIP, as evidenced by the reduced frequency and severity of your child's targeted negative behaviors.

However, an incorrect identification of the function of behavior can actually worsen your child's behavior. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor the effectiveness of the current BIP.

If your child is having behavior issues at school, stay in frequent contact with the social worker, teacher, and school team. If your child is not making progress and/or is regressing with his/her current Behavior Intervention Plan, then this necessitates the team to re-look at the FBA and BIP to determine what changes need to be made to help the child become more successful. Perhaps this may include reconsidering the function of the behavior and/or changing up the motivator & reinforcers to make it more enticing to the student.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the scientific study of behavior and learning. This can make all the difference when writing and implementing an effective BIP.

You may want to contact an IEP advocate to help you when:

• your child's behavior is causing the school team to reconsider your child's placement
• your child's behavior is getting worse in severity and frequency
• you disagree with the determined function of behavior, interventions, or any other component of the current BIP
• your child does not yet have a BIP but continues to have behaviors that interfere with the learning environment
• the team is not teaching your child appropriate replacement behaviors that serve the same function in a more appropriate way (i.e.: student will slap his desk to replace striking out at others)
• the school refuses to try a 1:1 aide or outside ABA therapist when behavior continues to worsen
• your child gets suspended or expelled for behavior that is the result of his or her disability