Selection of IEP Management Systems

No abstract available for this article.     

Twelve Ways to Incorporate Strengths-Based Planning into the IEP Process

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA) requires public schools to assure that parents of students with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Strengths-based IEPs focus on student strengths and abilities, rather than weaknesses and disabilities, in preparing parents and teachers for the IEP meeting, presenting information at the meeting, and documenting the meeting in writing. As a special education administrator for more than 27 years, the author has experience in working with parents from the strengths-based perspective, including encouraging parents to participate in the IEP process. In 1994 the author, along with parents of students with disabilities, developed a checklist for parents and public school teachers that focused on the strengths-based approach and was intended to encourage parents to participate actively in IEP meetings. Twelve techniques for reducing conflict and encouraging parents to participate in the IEP planning process at the middle and high school level are presented and described.     

Student perceptions of their IEP targets

The 2001 Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs ( DfES, 2001 ) explicitly states that students with IEPs should have an active role in the writing and implementing of them. A research project was conducted in which 19 Year 8 students in three schools were interviewed, with the findings cross‐referenced against an examination of their individual education plans (IEPs) and interviews with the SENCos. Very few students were able to communicate a clear understanding of IEPs. Students' stated targets mostly reflected mainstream target‐setting: very few stated targets matched with those in their IEPs. Consistent with these findings is literature which argues that meaningfully involving students in the IEP process takes considerable time and effort, which would appear to imply that the number of students with IEPs in any one school must be limited. Against this are pressures, particularly from OFSTED but also from examination boards, to have IEPs available as evidence that students' needs are being met. The article concludes by suggesting that SENCos look to limit the number of IEPs issued, alongside a robust defence of the school's special educational needs policy within the school evaluation form to ensure that students' needs are met and also are seen to be met.     

Parent perspectives on student IEP involvement

As key members of the Individualised Education Program (IEP) team and strong child advocates, parents play a critical role in special education. In this study, we sought to understand a crucial, yet underexamined, aspect of special education – parent perceptions regarding student participation in IEP development. Specifically, we asked parents how schools could better support student involvement in the IEP process, including IEP meetings. Participants included 646 parents of students with disabilities aged 5–21 years currently receiving special education services across the United States. Constant comparative analysis was used to code data. Qualitative coding revealed four major themes, including: (1) promoting an active student role, (2) supportive school staff, (3) making changes to IEP meetings and (4) considerations and concerns regarding student participation. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.     

Selecting Appropriate Assessment Instruments to Ensure Quality Transition Services

The transfer from an early intervention system to a program for a 3-year-old is a critical event that not only brings opportunities but also presents challenges to children and their families. In order to help families handle these transition related issues, professionals should collect authentic data about family concerns, needs, and expectations during transition so as to design developmentally and culturally appropriate transition goals and deliver family-centered services. The purpose of this study is twofold: to review and compare possible transition instruments with a focus on reliability and validity; and to describe how to involve families in transition assessment, planning, and intervention activities, thus ensuring a smooth, successful transition for young children.     

Enhancing the IEP Process Through Consultation

Numerous problems have been documented in the individualized education program (IEP) process that is intended to link student's needs with the educational services that the student receives. The IEP process should be conceptualized as a problem-solving task to which consultation principles can be applied. Practical suggestions are organized according to phases of the IEP process involving preparation, development, and implementation.     

Park Dean School tries the IEP

The Individual Education Program, which is part of American law on special education, can help to improve multi-professional practice in British schools too, suggests Robin Attfield, deputy head, Park Dean School, Oldham.     

Applying systems-based thinking to build better IEP relationships: a case for relational coordination

This paper explores methods by which the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development process can be improved through the use of systems-based thinking, specifically through the use of Gittell’s (2016) Relational Coordination Model. IEP development meetings have been described as meaningless rituals where parents often leave feeling ostracized from their child’s academic experience due to an overemphasis on academic jargon and procedure (Rock, 2000; Salas, 2004). Systems-based thinking would encourage administrators to empower parents as equal partners in the IEP development process, as originally intended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1994. Furthermore, using Relational Coordination as a framework for work-group structure would also allow school officials to create meaningful relationships with parents based on trust, thus resulting in a more positive IEP development experience and more robust educational plans.     

My IEP: A Student-Directed Individualized Education Program Model

Students with disabilities need to be more involved in planning and presenting individualized education program (IEP) meetings, and teachers need an effective, efficient curriculum to teach students how. My IEP curriculum uses folding graphic organizers to teach students to self-direct IEP meetings, targeting self-advocacy and self-determination to combat student apathy toward and passive participation in IEPs. Students who received My IEP (n = 25) spoke on average for 36.78% of IEP meeting time, while comparison group students (n = 14) spoke on average 2.15%. My IEP students recalled significantly more IEP knowledge and had shorter meetings. School faculty and staff were significantly more satisfied with My IEP meetings.     

Clery Act: Road to Compliance

The purpose of this study was to explore what factors served as impediments to institutional efforts to comply with Clery Act guidelines through the perceptions of campus law administrators. Statistical analyses were performed on data collected from an online survey, which was distributed to members of the International Association of Campus Law Administrators currently working at colleges and universities in the United States. Survey items were designed to explore the relationship between the following factors and Clery Act compliance: (a) institutional resistance, (b) ambiguity in the Act, (c) lack of funding, (d) lack of support, and (e) inaccurate reporting. Mazmanian and Sabatier’s Theory of Effective Policy Implementation was used as a conceptual framework to examine challenges to institutional compliance with the Clery Act statute. The findings in this study will be used to help college administrators assess how to improve the performance level of campus law personnel in relation to promoting campus safety and complying with the Clery Act statute.     

Clery Act: Road to Compliance

The purpose of this study was to explore what factors served as impediments to institutional efforts to comply with Clery Act guidelines through the perceptions of campus law administrators. Statistical analyses were performed on data collected from an online survey, which was distributed to members of the International Association of Campus Law Administrators currently working at colleges and universities in the United States. Survey items were designed to explore the relationship between the following factors and Clery Act compliance: (a) institutional resistance, (b) ambiguity in the Act, (c) lack of funding, (d) lack of support, and (e) inaccurate reporting. Mazmanian and Sabatier’s Theory of Effective Policy Implementation was used as a conceptual framework to examine challenges to institutional compliance with the Clery Act statute. The findings in this study will be used to help college administrators assess how to improve the performance level of campus law personnel in relation to promoting campus safety and complying with the Clery Act statute.     

转型期民办学校质量评价

文章从我国民办教育发展的现状入手,分析我国民办学校在转型期发展阶段的特征表现,提出了转型期中民办学校办学质量该如何评价的问题;并从教学质量、生活管理、学校特色、家校关系、品牌影响五个方面进行评价和分析,为民办学校的内涵发展提供借鉴意义.     

高校实现从"又快又好"到"又好又快"发展的若干思考

高校从"又快又好"到"又好又快"发展,是贯彻落实科学发展观,实现高校全面协调可持续发展的关键。文章主要阐述了高校实现"又好又快"发展,必须做到坚持育人为本,创新人才培养模式;坚持人才为本,创新队伍建设模式;坚持依法治校,创新高校管理模式;增加教育投入,创新高校发展模式的观点。     

大学数学向现代数学的转变

现代数学无疑是推动了各类学科的文明发展,其自身的不断革新提高也为各学科做出了奠基。本文以现代数学的发展作为主要出发点,对比与传统数学的局限性,对于现代数学为大学数学社会文化带来的改观和潜能发展进行浅析。