Individual
Education Plans
A Guide for Parents
By Catherine Abraham and Joyce Gramin collaboration with the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils

Individual Education Plans: A Guide for Parents
Copyright © 2010–2014 Catherine Abraham and Joyce Gram
Revised and reprinted in 2014
Produced by the authors in collaboration with the BC Confederation of Parent
Advisory Councils
This publication may be reproduced without permission provided that
Catherine Abraham and Joyce Gram are acknowledged as the authors.
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank the following for their invaluable assistance andencouragement in the writing and reviewing of this guide: Diversity and Equity
Branch, Ministry of Education; Linda Siegel; Julie Parker; John Wilson; Wendy
Holtan; Barb Lund; Jennifer King; Diana Fournier; Kelly Dvorak; Deborah
Garrity; Dawn Dixon. We also thank Jennifer Mezei for reviewing this guideprior to republication in 2014, as well as Susan Wilson, Bonita Zarrillo, Jocelyn
Schonekess, Heidi Darroch, Shar McCrory and Vivienne Megas. The authors
take full responsibility for the contents of this guide. The opinions expressed
are those of the authors and may not reflect the opinions of all reviewers.
About the Authors
The authors have been involved in parent education in British Columbia forover twenty years. Catherine Abraham has written extensively for parents in theareas of special education, parent support and policy development. Joyce Gramhas written for parents in all areas through newsletters and websites. Both haveheld numerous executive and advocate positions on school and district parent
advisory councils and have worked at the provincial level.
The authors can be reached at parenteducation@hotmail.com.
Other guides for parents in this series are available electronically fromthe authors.
Student Assessment in B.C.’s Public Schools: A Guide for Parents
Building Student Success in B.C.’s Public Schools: A Guide for Parents
Aboriginal Education: A Discussion Guide
Reading: Breaking Through the Barriers. A Discussion Guide
This guide is available electronically at
http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/resources/individual-education-plans-guide-parents.

Individual Education Plans

Contents
Introduction

2

Collaboration—What Does It Look Like?

3

Sample IEP Goal Showing Collaboration

4

Our Child’s Role in the IEP

5Understanding Learning

6

Our Child’s Learning Style

7

Sample IEP Goal Using a Child’s Learning Style

8

Transitions

9

Sample IEP Goal on Making a Transition

10

Adaptations in an IEP

11

Modifications in an IEP

12

Sample IEP Goal on Adapting a Student’s Program

13

Reporting on Our Child’s Progress

14

Rights and Responsibilities

15

When Things Go Wrong

16

References and Resources

17

A Guide for Parents

Page 1

Introduction
Many parents are not sure what to expect at an
Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting. Whenthey meet school staff on behalf of their child,they may feel vulnerable or even frightened.
Often, they don’t know what to do and are notclear about their role in the process. The
framework for IEPs is the same across theprovince, but the process may look a little
different in each school district.
Some IEP guides focus on rights andresponsibilities in legislation and policy. In thisguide, we take a different approach. Our focus is
to help you understand how an IEP meeting
works and how you and your child, working
together with the school, can get the most out of
this process for the benefit of your child.
You know more about your child than anyoneelse. The school needs this information to tailor
its teaching to your child’s way of learning. A
good IEP brings together your knowledge about
your child with the school’s knowledge aboutteaching. The IEP meeting will produce a planof what the school will do to teach your childand help her succeed.

An IEP contains several elements:
goals and strategies to help your child learnservices and resources for your childways to track your child’s progressIt may also describe how the curriculum will be
adapted or modified for your child. In this guide,
you will find sample goals to illustrate all ofthese, showing the teamwork that goes intodeveloping an IEP.
The IEP may list the roles and responsibilities ofvarious staff members, but it will not list yourrole and responsibilities as a parent. While theplan will reflect your knowledge and input, it is arecord of what the school will do for your child,
not what you will do at home.
An IEP is, above all, a “living document,”
meaning it can, and will, be changed as yourchild’s circumstances change.
When schools and parents share theirknowledge, children benefit. A good IEP,
developed by the parents and the school
working together for the child, affirms theuniqueness of every child and helps the childlearn.

When we brought Daniel home from the hospital I thought that his having significant
challenges would make my life forever sad. It has not. I am happy in ways that I've
never imagined before. My son is a major reason for that joy. He grows my heart
bigger and helps me to see how capable I really am. He teaches me.
—Carolyn Murray, Acceptance

Page 2

Individual Education Plans

Collaboration – What Does It Look Like?
The research is clear: students do better inschool when parents are involved. In recent
years, schools have made many changes toincrease parental involvement and makethemselves more “parent-friendly.”

Verify the time limits for the meeting. Do
your best to respect them and ask others to
do the same—and stay focused.



Talk about what kind of ongoing
communication works for you—email,telephone or written correspondence. It
helps when teachers and others know what
you need in order to work with them.

However, the level of collaboration needed tosupport our children with special learning needs
goes beyond traditional parental involvement. It
takes us past the supportive role that most
schools have become comfortable with to a rolethat gives parents an equal voice.
We, as parents, can look at the IEP meeting as
the stage for our partnership with the school.
For a partnership to work, there must be trustand commitment on both sides. We can domany things to help set that all-important toneof respect and caring.

It’s OK to be nervous, and it’s even better if
you can share your feelings. Telling others
how you feel shows your openness and sets agood tone.



Ask school staff to stick to a few goals,
between three and five. Too many goals can
produce an IEP without a clear focus.
Include short- and long-term goals.



Make failure OK. When others see that you
understand that not everything may work,and that you want to learn from strategies
that don’t work, they will be more inclined totake risks and try new things.

Tips to foster collaboration:
Ask school staff to keep the meeting as small
as possible. Small groups have a betterchance of working together; larger groups
tend merely to share information.



Find out who is expected to attend themeeting and what each person’s purpose isfor attending. If you have reports to share,
pass them around a few days before themeeting and ask others to do the same.



Request a whiteboard, laptop, flipchart or
blackboard to write down goals andstrategies clearly, to avoid
misunderstandings.

Ask questions—don’t make accusations. An
IEP meeting is not the place to resolve
conflict.

Give some feedback at the end of themeeting and request feedback from others. It
helps when we understand each other’s
perspective.



Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
—Helen Keller

A Guide for Parents

Page 3Sample IEP Goal Showing Collaboration
Joe has just transferred from preschool into kindergarten
at his neighbourhood school. He has been diagnosed with
autism. Although his school offers all-day kindergarten,
his mom feels that an all-day program would be too longfor him. Joe has been gradually increasing the time hespends each day in kindergarten. He likes to playalongside other children but has some difficulty playing
with them. Joe struggles with language and does muchbetter when information is presented visually. He loves
using the computer at school. He likes school, but at thesame time he is becoming anxious, particularly in new
situations. He feels most comfortable in a structured
setting.
Goal: To increase Joe’s social skills andability to interact with his peers
Strategies
The teacher willuse structured visual teaching techniques,
including a visual schedule for the wholeclassuse a high level of structured activities inthose areas in which Joe is able to be mostsuccessful
give him daily computer-activity learning
time with a peer
provide structured and supported recessactivities
The teaching assistant willprovide one-on-one support to Joe in paired
and small-group instruction for social
language development and literacy

Page 4

identify times and activities where his anxiety
increases, and maintain a log to track theseincidents
provide daily computer-assisted learning
time with a peer for math

Goal assessment and evaluation
Every two weeks, using a logbook, the teacher
will review with Joe’s parents his increasing timein school and his progress in dealing with
anxiety.
Within one month, Joe willform friendships with two other students
Within two months, Joe willreduce the number of incidents of anxiety, as
noted in the logbook, to no more than one
per day
participate fully in the half-day programThis goal will be reviewed with his parents inthree months.

Notes
The family has collaborated with theschool on this goal: gradual entry,half-day kindergarten, making
friends, using the computer.
– The resource teacher would likely
be involved in Joe’s IEP. Many
school districts have resource
teachers trained in developing
strategies to help students with
autism.
–Individual Education PlansOur Child’s Role in the IEP
Many of us struggle with the idea of involving
our child in an IEP meeting. We wonder if she
will feel intimidated or overwhelmed by the
discussion about her. Will she be too
embarrassed to talk about herself? Will she
understand what’s going on?
While our children are not required to attend
their IEP meeting, they are entitled to do so.
Students are encouraged to attend, particularly
when they are in secondary school. It may be
helpful to discuss your child’s attendance withthe teacher before the meeting.
(Interestingly, in the United States students withspecial needs are required to attend from the ageof 14 onward so that they can learn to plan for
after graduation.)
If your child wants to attend, take theopportunity to talk to her about the meeting.
Tell her who will be there and what kinds ofquestions she may be asked. If she already has an
IEP, review it with her, especially her strengths
and how she learns best. Talking about themeeting in advance will give her time to think
about her goals, strengths and areas in which she
may need help.1

If you and your child decide that she will notattend the meeting, you can nevertheless involve
her in setting goals in much the same way as if
she were attending.2 Once the IEP is completed,
you and the teacher can review it with her.
Whether or not your child ends up attending an
IEP meeting, helping her learn to advocate forherself is important. The more comfortable ourchildren are with their abilities or disabilities, themore they will be able to act as their own
advocate. This is particularly important when
they reach middle and secondary school andhave multiple teachers.

1 See B.C. Ministry of Education, Individual Education

Planning for Students with Special Needs: A Resource Guide for
Teachers, Appendix 3, for a helpful interview outline.
2 See Appendix 2 of the same resource for questions to ask
your child in preparation for the meeting.

If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples, thenyou and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an
idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.
—George Bernard Shaw

A Guide for Parents

Page 5

Understanding Learning
We know that children learn in many ways. We
also know that as they grow, they develop apreference for learning in different and uniqueways. To be successful, they must also learn toadapt.
For years, educators have studied learning
processes and have developed a number of ways
to describe how learning occurs. However,
because learning is such a complex process,there is little proof to support many of thesemodels. As a result, there is considerable debate
among educators as to the “right” and “wrong”
way to describe learning.
In this guide, we have chosen to show you one
straightforward model that is widely used in thefield of learning disabilities. While this model
may not ultimately be proven to be “right,” itcan still be helpful as we begin to uncover ourchild’s unique way of learning. Keep in mind
that any child may show characteristics in morethan one of these categories.
Visual learners like to see information. They
remember visual details
prefer to see what they are learninglike to have paper and pens handydoodle while listening
may have trouble following lectureslike to write down instructions or telephone
numbers

A visual learner may prefer a quiet location andmay like to look at the person who is talking. He
may do better if he sits at the front of the class.

Page 6

Auditory learners like to hear information.
They
enjoy oral discussion
remember by talking out loudneed to have things explained orallymay have trouble with written instructions
talk to themselves while learning somethingrepeat a telephone number in order toremember it

An auditory learner may prefer to work with apartner and will benefit from talking about the
topic.
Kinesthetic or tactile learners like to touch ormanipulate things. They
prefer activities
want to actually do whatever is being talked
about or learned
like to move around while listening or talking
often “talk” with their hands
like to touch things in order to learn aboutthemremember things by recalling who did whatrather than who said whatneed hands-on, active learning (touch andmovement)
don’t require instructions to assemble
somethingA kinesthetic or tactile learner may needfrequent breaks while he works and may need tofind a way to fidget while learning.

Individual Education PlansOur Child’s Learning StyleParents can find it difficult to label their child’s
learning style. But that is only because we don’t
think about what we know in those terms. Whenthe topic is presented differently, we reveal thetrue depth of our knowledge.
We have no trouble describing what we do when
we want to tell our child something important.
We may get down on one knee, make eye
contact, talk simply or ask our child to repeat tous what we have just told her. As parents, weknow what works for our child.
When we give our child a new game, puzzle ortoy, we know how she will approach it.
Intrinsically, we know our child’s learning style.
It is important that, with our help, the school
and teacher also know. This information should
be included in an IEP and be used in setting
goals and strategies. School assessments canaffirm our observations and shed light on ourchild’s learning style.
The Ministry of Education determines whatmust be included in an IEP. School districts
have the freedom to develop a format that meets
their needs. Nothing prevents us from asking foradditions or changes to suit our child. For
example, we may want to create a list like thefollowing:

My child learns best when ...
she can be seated at the front of the classshe can watch others doing the task firstinstructions are kept simple or are broken
down into steps
she has an opportunity to discuss the task
before beginning itshe is in a calm, quiet spaceshe feels she can work at her own pace anddoesn’t feel pressured
she has a chance to move around, rather
than sitting at her desk for long periods


We may also want to create a list showing when
our child becomes frustrated—at what times andin what circumstances. Strategies that work athome often transfer well to school, providing
consistency between the two settings.
Children learn best when material is presented ina way that matches their learning style andunique learning strengths. Part of the rationale
for creating an IEP with you, the parent, is totease out this kind of information that schools
need to help your child succeed. It’s part of thecollaborative process.

Parents need professionals. Professionals need parents.
The children need us both.
—Federation of Invisible Disabilities

A Guide for Parents

Page 7

Sample IEP Goal Using a Child’s
Learning Style
Mark is now in grade 4. In grade 3 he was assessed ashaving a learning disability, and he currently reads at agrade 1 level. He is a visual learner. His parents worry
that his self-esteem is low and he does not see himself asa good student. Mark is good at sports and enjoys them.
His parents are keenly interested in helping him.
Goal: To help Mark develop an interest andenjoyment in reading
Strategies
The teacher willadapt reading materials to Mark’s readinglevel, with the assistance of the resource
teacherhelp Mark select reading material at his
reading level, including books on sports
include material with a sports focus inlanguage arts units
extend time requirements for Mark tocomplete reading assignments, to improve
his success rate
provide oral tests and/or a quiet space fortestingprovide both oral and print directions,
adapted to his reading level, on classassignments
send school assignments home for preview
with parentssend vocabulary words home for preview
with parents

Page 8The teaching assistant willprovide one-on-one instruction in sounding
and blending unfamiliar words
maintain a daily journal, with Mark, to show
his reading progress and accomplishments
Goal assessment and evaluation
Mark will select and read three books per
week at progressive reading levels.
Mark’s grades will improve overall in thenext reporting period.
The teacher will meet with Mark and his
parents monthly to review his daily journal.
This goal will be reviewed by the teacher,resource teacher and Mark’s parents within threemonths.

Notes
Because Mark is a visual learner,
information will be given to him in
writing.
– To ensure that his low reading level
does not interfere with test results,
Mark will be assessed orally on his
understanding of concepts taught tothe class.
– Mark needs to experience successin order to be motivated to learn.
Keeping a journal will help him see
his progress.
– Using Mark’s interests andstrengths encourages him to learn.
– Other people, such as the resource
teacher, will likely have roles in thisgoal.
–

Individual Education Plans

Transitions
Transition to a new environment—a newschedule, new teacher, new classroom, newschool—can be difficult for any child, but
children with special needs are more likely tohave problems. Research clearly shows that long-term preparation is extremely important andthat our involvement in the transition is key toits success.
An IEP meeting is the logical and practical place
to plan with children and school staff to ease
these transitions. Ideally, when the transition is
between elementary and middle or secondary
school, staff from both schools will be involved.

A number of factors can change with atransition:a new teacher or teachers, or from one
teacher to many teachers, each with adifferent teaching stylenew resource teachers and other staff
friends and classmatesclassrooms and other locations
rules and expectations for student behaviour
schedules and the organization of the schooldayAll of these factors and more must be
considered in IEP planning. We know ourchildren and have essential information to sharewith the school about their fears and thechallenges they will face. The more we prepare
our child, and the more we ensure that each ofthese factors is considered, the better thetransition will be.

Transitional periods are also opportunities for growth if children have learned coping skills andare given an opportunity to understand and adapt to their new environment. Ideally, a transitionteam is composed of school counselors, teachers, administrators, parents and students. They
collaborate, plan and support student transitions by acknowledging student concerns and bycreating a sense of belonging in the new environment.
—Leah Davies, M.Ed., Helping Children Cope with School Transitions

A Guide for Parents

Page 9Sample IEP Goal on Making a Transition
Sarah is a Grade 7 student with a developmental
disability, who attends her neighbourhood school. She
enjoys music and art and learns well when information ispresented orally. She has lots of friends at school. Her
speech can be difficult to understand, but her classmates
are able to understand her. In math and language arts,
Sarah is working at a Grade 3 level. She is excitedabout going to secondary school but is concerned aboutkeeping her friends there.
Goal: To assist Sarah in making thetransition to secondary school
Strategies
The Grade 7 teacher willarrange additional transition visits with thesecondary school resource teacher
give Sarah’s parents a list of after-school
sports activities at the secondary school thatthey may wish to attend
identify two students to help Sarah with thetransition. They may wish to accompany her
for lunch at the secondary school on a
weekly basis.
help Sarah prepare a five-minutepresentation about herself. Sarah will givethis presentation to secondary school staff.
The teaching assistant willaccompany Sarah on secondary school visitsliaise with secondary school aides onappropriate strategies to use with Sarahshow Sarah the art room and music room,
and introduce her to those teachers

Page 10Goal assessment and evaluation
Sarah willreport every two weeks to the Grade 7
teacher and her parents on her positive
experiencesbe able to find her way around the secondary
schoolgive a presentation to secondary staff within
two months
with her parents, meet with the secondary
school resource teacher within one monthand arrange for further meetings
This goal will be reviewed in three months.

Notes
The more familiar Sarah becomeswith the various aspects ofsecondary school, the more
comfortable she will be.
– Visiting the art and music rooms isa way to use Sarah’s interests to
help in the transition.
– Sharing her anxieties ahead of timein regularly scheduled meetings will
help guide her parents andteachers in the ways they can help
Sarah make a smooth transition.
– It is important that Sarah’s
relationships with her peers
continue into secondary school.
Including other students in her visits
will help make that transition easier.
– Having Sarah prepare apresentation about herself will help
develop her self-advocacy skills
and will use her auditory learning
style.
–

Individual Education Plans

Adaptations in an IEP
IEPs may include adaptations or modifications
to accommodate a student’s particular learningneeds. The Ministry of Education says thatformal decisions on whether a program, or partof a program, includes adaptations ormodifications do not need to be made until
grade 10.1
Adaptations are changes tothe strategies used to teach a studentthe materials available to the studentthe assessment tools used to evaluate hislearning
Adaptations are made to ensure that the student
is able to achieve the learning outcomes of thecurriculum.
For example, a student who is blind or partiallysighted may have a better chance at success if he
can have someone read subject materials out
loud to him or he can use a Braille reader. Other
common adaptations include
taking tests orally rather than in writinghaving extra time to complete assignments
using a computer with word prediction or aspell checker
working on learning outcomes from a lower
grade level

Adaptations such as these can be made for
specific courses; the student may not need themor continue to need them for all courses. Or hemay need to have reading materials at a lower
level for all courses and still be able to meet thelearning outcomes for a subject.
In all these cases, the student will receive reportcards at the same time as other students. His
report card will reflect whether he is meeting thelearning outcomes in the curriculum. (For moreon this, please see “Reporting on Our Child’s
Progress” on page 14.)
For information on adaptations to provincial
exams, see the Ministry of Education’s website
on “Provincial Examinations—Adjudication” at
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/
adjudication/, and speak to your child’s teacher.
Students whose program includes adaptations
will usually be eligible to receive a Dogwood
Diploma on graduation.



1 See A Guide to Adaptations and Modifications by the Ministryof Education.

Every single person has capabilities, abilities and gifts. Living a good life depends onwhether those capabilities can be used, abilities expressed and gifts given. If they are, theperson will be valued, feel powerful and well connected to the people around them. And
the community around the person will be more powerful because of the contribution the
person is making.
—John P. Kretzmann and John L. McKnight

A Guide for Parents

Page 11

Modifications in an IEP
The number of students needing modifications
to their learning outcomes is much smaller than
the number needing adaptations. A student
whose program is modified will be working on
goals different than the provincial curriculum.

Sometimes it is clear that a student’s IEP
includes modifications rather than adaptations.
At other times the distinction is blurred. It is agood idea to talk about this in the IEP meetingand to read the Ministry’s guide.

The Ministry of Education says thatmodifications should be considered for thosestudents whose special needs are such that they
are unable to access the curriculum, for example,
students

A student whose IEP contains modifications will
receive report cards with comments or letter
grades in relation to the particular goals in the
IEP rather than to the learning outcomes for the
subject or course.

with limited awareness of their surroundings
with fragile mental or physical healthmedically and cognitively or multiply
challenged1

The student might earn a School Completion
Certificate, now known as an Evergreen, upon
graduation.



Examples of students who might havemodifications in their IEP are

1 See A Guide to Adaptations and Modifications by the Ministrya student who is learning to count money
while her peers are learning algebra
a student who is learning to name the planets
while her peers are studying the solar system
a grade 5 student who is learning how tolisten to stories at a pre-primary level and toturn pages at the appropriate timeof Education.

The decision to use modifications should be based on the same principle asadaptations—that all students must have equitable access to learning,
opportunities for achievement, and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of
their educational programs.
—B.C. Ministry of Education, A Guide to Adaptations and Modifications

Page 12

Individual Education Plans

Sample IEP Goal on Adapting a Student’s
ProgramJohn lives with his father. He dislikes school and isfrequently absent. He prefers to play video games andenjoys playing soccer. John learns best through hands-on
activities. He has a reported history of drug use and has
few known friends. He attended a number of different
schools before coming to this secondary school. He has
been seeing a counsellor at the school.
Goal: To increase John’s attendance atschoolStrategies
The counsellor willidentify the times at school that John enjoys
and the times he avoids
arrange for him to attend the Learning
Assistance Centre and drop his Frenchcoursearrange for four weekly sessions of Academyof Reading and Math computer-assisted
learning
introduce John to the soccer club and thephysical education teachers
review John’s self-recording system in hisplanner for monitoring his attendanceinform all subject staff of John’s IEP and his
strength as a hands-on learneract as a resource for staff for questions orconcerns, as well as strategies that use hislearning style
The youth worker/outreach worker willinvolve John in sports activities in school
and the community twice weeklyliaise with John’s father to monitor John’s
attendance and his possible drug use

A Guide for Parents

Goal assessment and evaluation
John willmeet with the counsellor and his father in
one month to review his attendance andrevise his program based on information thecounsellor has gathered on classes that John
enjoys and doesn’t enjoy
improve his attendance so that he misses lessthan three days per monthparticipate in school sports as part of his
programparticipate in community sports twice weekly
The counsellor, learning assistance teacher andyouth worker will meet with John and his father
in two months to assess the effect of thesestrategies and plan for the next two months.

Notes
John’s program is being adapted tomeet his needs; he will not have afull program this year. Helping him
develop a sense of belonging andmake friends in the school may be
an important first step to increasing
his attendance.
– By identifying what John enjoys andwhat is difficult for him, and by
reducing the difficult things, thecounsellor may help John acquire amore positive outlook on school.
– John has to feel that he is achieving
success in order to be motivated tolearn. Dropping those courses thatare more difficult for him may benecessary for a while for him to feel
successful.
–Page 13

Reporting on Our Child’s Progress
The Ministry of Education requires that threeformal progress reports be given to parents.1
These are the report cards we are familiar with.
For kindergarten to grade 3, report cards use
written comments to tell us what our child can
do and where he is having difficulty. For grades
4 to 12, they must use letter grades. For grades 4
to 7, they must also include written comments.
For grades 8 to 12, they can include writtencomments where appropriate.
If our child’s IEP includes adaptations toaccommodate his special learning needs (asdescribed for the blind or partially sighted
student), thenif he is meeting the learning outcomes in the
curriculum, the report card he receives forhis course or grade will be as outlined aboveif he is not meeting the learning outcomes in
the curriculum, his report card will reflect his
progress in relation to the goals in his IEP

If our child’s IEP includes modifications (asdescribed for the student who is learning tocount money while her peers are studying
algebra), then her report card will reflect her
progress in relation to the goals in her IEP.
(Further information can be found in the Student
Progress Report Order.)Report card conferences can be a natural trigger
for an IEP review. The Ministry of Education
requires that IEPs be reviewed at least once ayear.2 Good practice tells us that more frequent
reviews will help ensure that the IEP is indeed
the “living document” it is supposed to be, adocument that changes and adapts as our childprogresses in his learning.
During an IEP review, we can identify withschool staff what has worked and what has not.
We can replace short-term goals that have been
met with new goals. We can ensure that the IEP
is on track with our child’s learning style.
1 B.C. Ministry of Education, Student Progress Report Order
2 B.C. Ministry of Education, Individual Education Plan Order

Key components of an IEP review include
involvement of the parent and (where appropriate) the student
examination of assessments and discussion of observations by teammembers– consideration of problems and concerns of IEP team members– revision of goals, objectives, strategies, services and materials– identification of priorities for the next instructional period– referrals for new assessments and services– recording of the next IEP review date––

—Ministry of Education, Individual Education Planning for Students with Special Needs:
A Resource Guide for Teachers

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Individual Education Plans

Rights and Responsibilities
All parents have certain basic rights with respect
to their children in our public school system.
One of those rights is to be informed of theirchild’s “attendance, behaviour and progress inschool, and to receive, on request, annual reports
respecting general effectiveness of educational
programs in the school district.” Parents are also
entitled to examine all records kept by theirschool board pertaining to their child.
Parents of students with special needs have theadditional right to be consulted on their child’splacement in school and on the preparation of
their child’s IEP. They do not, however, have aveto over the content of the IEP, nor the rightto approve the IEP in order for it to be put inplace.
The Ministry of Education requires that an IEP
be reviewed at least once a year.
School principals carry the overall responsibility
for making sure that, for every student in theschool who requires an IEP, the IEP isdeveloped, put into action and reviewed
annually.

Teachers who carry the responsibility for a
student with special needs must also design,
supervise and assess that child’s educational
program. Other school and district staff may
also have responsibilities to ensure that strategies
contained in an IEP are met.
Asking for a copy of the draft IEP can help clear
up misunderstandings early. See page 16, “WhenThings Go Wrong,” for steps to take when ourviews on the IEP differ from those of theschool.

For the Ministry of Education’s extensive legislation andpolicy on special education services, see Special Education
Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines.
The Ministry’s Individual Education Plan Order lists
circumstances in which an IEP is not required for a
student with special needs.

A student with special needs: A student who has a disability of an intellectual, physical,
sensory, emotional or behavioural nature, has a learning disability or has special gifts or
talents.
—Manual of Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines, Section E

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When Things Go Wrong
When something bad happens to us, we usuallytake the time to think before we act. Whensomething bad happens to our children—
especially our most vulnerable children—ouremotions often run much higher. Instinctively,
we want to protect our children, even more than
we would protect ourselves.
How do we reconcile our emotional turmoil
when an IEP is involved? What do we do whenthe IEP is not being followed or we are notbeing consulted? What happens when our viewsof our child’s needs differ from those of theschool?
These are legitimate questions. They deserve to
be answered.
Most of the problems parents encounter can betracked to a failure of process or an absence ofprocess, for example:
the process was set up and then ignored
the process was not properly understoodthe process was never set up in the first placeWhen the relationship between parents and theschool becomes adversarial, the focus often
switches to blame. Who is at fault? Why won’t
they admit it? Immediately, emphasis shifts fromthe child to the adults.

The answer to this dilemma is to request ameeting as soon as possible, for two purposes:
to revisit the process that was, or shouldhave been, set up at the IEP meetingto address the conflict and find a resolution

BCCPAC’s Speaking Up: A parent guide to
advocating for students in public schools is aninvaluable resource when problems of thisnature arise.
In this guide, we have intentionally emphasizedcollaboration as fundamental to developing aneffective IEP. When people collaborate, issues
get resolved through respectful dialogue. A good
IEP meeting is, by its nature, non-adversarial. It
involves taking the time to create a process todeal with issues. It allows for failure, by
acknowledging that not everything will work andthat failure can be a tool for getting things right.
Sometimes we, as parents, need to be strong
advocates for our children. We have the rightand responsibility to make our voices heard on
their behalf. Advocacy at an IEP meeting uses acollaborative voice—and that is a powerful tool
to help our children.

Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones
are being formed, his blood is being made, and his senses are being developed. To him
we cannot answer ‘Tomorrow’; his name is ‘Today.’—Gabriela Mistral, Su Nombre es Hoy (His Name is Today)

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Individual Education Plans

References and Resources
Baker, Fiona, “Learning Styles in Children,” Kidspot: Your Kids. Your Life. Available at http://
www.kidspot.com.au/schoolzone//Learning-Learning-styles-Learning-styles-inchildren+4053+391+article.htm
B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils, Speaking Up! A parent guide to advocating for students in publicschools, 2008. Explains how to advocate for your child, parent rights and responsibilities, fairness in decision
making, and tips on resolving issues. Available at: http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/resources/speaking
B.C. Ministry of Education, A Guide to Adaptations and Modifications. Available at: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/
specialed/docs/adaptations_and_modifications_guide.pdf
B.C. Ministry of Education, Individual Education Plan Order. Available at: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/legislation/schoollaw/e/m638-95.pdf
B.C. Ministry of Education, Individual Education Planning for Students with Special Needs: A Resource Guide for Teachers,
November 2009. Contains comprehensive information on IEPs. Includes tips for parents (Appendix 2) and forstudents (Appendix 3) on participating in the IEP. Available at: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/docs/
iepssn.pdf
B.C. Ministry of Education, “Provincial Examinations—Adjudication.” Available at: http://
www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/adjudication/
B.C. Ministry of Education, Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines, April 2010.
Outlines services for students with special needs. Contains links to legislation and Ministerial Orders and a
special section on IEPs. Available at: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/special_ed_policy_manual.pdf
B.C. Ministry of Education, Student Progress Report Order. Available at: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/legislation/schoollaw/e/m191-94.pdf
British Columbia Council of Administrators of Special Education, Supporting Meaningful Consultation with Parents,
2008. Looks at key elements in building meaningful consultation with parents, benefits and barriers, questions
and answers, and case studies and examples. Available at: http://sd41.bc.ca/learning_support/pdf/
meaningfulConsultation.pdf“Different Learning Styles,” Your Dictionary: The Dictionary You Can Understand. Available at http://
education.yourdictionary.com/for-teachers/different-learning-styles.html
Murray, Carolyn, “Acceptance,” Children’s Disabilities Information. Available at: http://
www.childrensdisabilities.info/parenting/acceptance.html

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