TOP TEN SPECIAL EDUCATION MISTAKES

FAILING TO HAVE SCHOOL PERSONNEL CONDUCT EVALUATIONS OF STUDENTS AND DEFERRING TO OUTSIDE EVALUATIONS

PROVIDING INADEQUATE NOTICE OF THE IEP MEETING IF THE PARTICIPANTS CHANGE, OR IF ANY OTHER ASPECTS OF THE NOTICE CHANGE, AN AMENDED NOTICE MUST BE GIVEN DON’T COMPLICATE MATTERS BY SPECIFYING THE NAMES OF THE PARTICIPANTS—USE TITLES. THE PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS MUST ACCOMPANY THE NOTICE OF THE IEP MEETING.

HAVING TOO MANY IEP TEAM MEMBERS  PARENTS  SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER  REGULAR EDUCATION TEACHER  LEA REPRESENTATIVE  SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL INPLICATIONS OF EVALUATIONS  OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERTISE REGARDING CHILD  WHEN APPROPRIATE, THE CHILD.

FORGETTING TO INDIVIDUALIZE THE IEP ► THE SERVICES AND PLACEMENT MUST BE DETERMINED INDIVIDUALLY AND MUST ALLOW A REASONABLE CHANCE OF EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. ► THE SERVICES IN THE IEP MUST BE SPECIFIED WITH CLARITY SO THAT IT CAN BE EASILY DETERMINED THE AMOUNT OF A PARTICULAR SERVICE THAT IS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE IEP.

PUTTING TOO MUCH INFORMATION AND SPECIFICTY IN THE IEP THE IEP IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SO DETAILED AS TO BE A LESSON PLAN. THE IEP IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SO DETAILED AS TO BE A LESSON PLAN. SPECIFYING A METHODOLGY IN THE IEP IS NOT TYPICALLY DONE. SPECIFYING A METHODOLGY IN THE IEP IS NOT TYPICALLY DONE. BRAND NAMES OF EQUIPMENT AND SPECIFIC SOFTWARE ARE NOT TYPICALLY SPECIFIED IN THE IEP. BRAND NAMES OF EQUIPMENT AND SPECIFIC SOFTWARE ARE NOT TYPICALLY SPECIFIED IN THE IEP.

LOADING UP THE IEPS WITH TOO MANY RELATED SERVICES  RELATED SERVICES ARE NOT PROVIDED ON THE BASIS THAT THE STUDENT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE SERVICE  THE SERVICE MUST BE NECESSARY FOR THE PROVISIONS OF FAPE.  STUDENTS MISS CLASS TIME WHEN THEY ARE REMOVED FOR RELATED SERVICES.

MAKING CHANGES TO THE IEP WITHOUT A MEETING THE IEP MUST BE IMPLEMENTED AS WRITTEN UNTIL AMENDED IN ANOTHER IEP MEETING. THE IEP MUST BE IMPLEMENTED AS WRITTEN UNTIL AMENDED IN ANOTHER IEP MEETING. THE IEP CANNOT BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY OUTSIDE OF AN IEP MEETING. THE IEP CANNOT BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY OUTSIDE OF AN IEP MEETING.

OVERLOADING THE IEP WITH ACCOMODATIONS THE SERVICES AND ACCOMODATIONS PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT MUST MATCH THE IEP. THE SERVICES AND ACCOMODATIONS PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT MUST MATCH THE IEP. ALL TEACHERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS MUST BE MADE AWARE OF THE IEP REQUIREMENTS AND ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THEM. ALL TEACHERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS MUST BE MADE AWARE OF THE IEP REQUIREMENTS AND ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THEM.

ADDING TOO MANY SERVICES TO THE IEP AT THE PARENTS REQUEST ► THE PARENTS DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THAT GOALS, OBJECTIVES OR SERVICES BE INCLUDED IN THE IEP. ► NOTHING IS PUT IN THE IEP UNLESS THERE IS AGREEMENT BY THE SCHOOL DIVISION. ► CONSIDERATION MUST BE GIVEN TO ANY REQUEST FROM THE PARENTS FOR SERVICES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE IEP.

FAILING TO UNDERSTAND DISCIPLINE PROVISIONS TOO MANY MANISFESTATIONS ARE FOUND IN CASES OF DRUGS AND WEAPONS. SCHOOL DIVISIONS CONTINUE TO BELIEVE ERRONEOUSLY THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CANNOT BE DISCIPLINED FOR MORE THAN 10 DAYS NORMALLY OR MORE THAN 45 DAYS IN CASES OF DRUGS OR WEAPONS.