Components of an IEP – What should be in your child’s IEP?

As a parent, it’s important for you to know what is SUPPOSED to be in your child’s IEP. School’s often bypass certain requirements such as transition planning (from high school to adult life), assistive technology or accommodations, measurable criteria for your child’s goals, and more.

Therefore, knowing the components of an IEP that are supposed to be included will help you keep your child’s IEP team and education on track.

Below, you’ll find the legal requirements for IEPs taken directly from the Federal IDEA regulations. On the pages of this tutorial that follow, I’ll explain which components of an IEP are required to be in each section of the IEP. You can navigate to using the “Forward” Button at the bottom of each page.

The required components of an IEP, as defined in IDEA §300.347(a) “Content of IEP” are—

(1) A statement of the child’s present levels of educational performance,

(2) A statement of measurable annual goals, including benchmarks or short term objectives,

(3) A statement of special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child,

(4) An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will NOT participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities described,

(5) A statement of any individual modifications in the administration of State or district-wide assessments of student achievement that are needed in order for the child to participate in the assessment,

(6) The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications, and

(7) A statement of how the child’s progress toward the annual goals will be measured and how the child’s parents will be regularly informed of the child’s progress.

(b) Transition planning —beginning at age 14 .

These are the basic requirements for the components of an IEP. Reading this list may make your eyes glaze over. To clear the fog, please continue through this tutorial by pressing the “Forward” button. In the upcoming pages, I’ll explain each of the components of an IEP in greater detail. I’ll tell you what is required to be in the section and how to approach writing that section of your child’s IEP.