What must be in an IEP?

Quick answer

An IEP must include your child's present levels of performance, measurable annual goals, the special education and related services, the supplementary aids and services, and any program modifications or supports for school personnel (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)). It must state how progress will be measured and reported to you, the projected start date and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of each service, and how your child will take part in state and district assessments. It must also explain the extent, if any, to which your child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class (34 CFR 300.320(a)(5)). That explanation is not the placement decision. Placement is decided separately under 34 CFR 300.116 by a group that includes you, and it must be based on the IEP. Transition services belong in the first IEP that will be in effect when your child turns 16, which usually means writing them at the annual meeting during age 15 (34 CFR 300.320(b)).

What this means for parents

Schools sometimes hand parents a service grid and call it an IEP. Federal law requires more than a list of minutes.

• Present levels describe how your child is doing now in academics, behavior, communication, and other relevant areas.
• Goals must be measurable and tied to present levels so you can tell whether services are working.
• Services must state type, frequency, duration, and location, not vague phrases like as needed.
• Supplementary aids and services, and any program modifications or supports for school personnel, are required content (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)). Both are easy to overlook. Check that both are filled in.
• Placement is not on the list of required IEP content. A group that includes you decides placement after the IEP is written, and that decision must be based on the IEP (34 CFR 300.116).
• The IEP team, including you, writes the IEP. The school cannot present a finished plan with no real discussion.

Questions to ask about IEP content

Use this checklist before you sign or consent to services.

1. Where in the IEP are present levels for academics, behavior, and functional skills?
2. Are annual goals measurable, and do they match the needs described in present levels?
3. Does the service page list exact frequency, duration, and provider for each service?
4. What placement was considered, and why is this setting the least restrictive appropriate option?
5. How and how often will progress be reported to me?

Simple parent script

Common mistakes to avoid

• Signing an IEP that lists services without measurable goals.
• Accepting present levels copied from last year with no current data.
• Letting placement be decided before services and goals are clear.
• Assuming a verbal promise of support counts if it is not written in the IEP.
• Not asking how accommodations, behavior supports, or transition plans fit into the document.

When to get more help

Consider getting help when the school pressures you to sign an incomplete IEP, removes required sections without explanation, or you need help comparing the draft to evaluation data and your child's daily needs.