What Happens After the IEP is Developed?

Once the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decides the educational placement and the services and accommodations your child will receive, you, the parent, must give consent before initial services can begin. To demonstrate consent, many states require parents to sign a document showing their agreement with the IEP. In Pennsylvania and many other states, this consent document is called the Notice of Recommended Educational Placement, or NOREP. Once the parents provide consent, the IEP will begin as soon as possible. In Pennsylvania, state law defines "as soon as possible" as no more than 14 calendar days for preschool children and no more than 10 school days for school-age children.

If this is your child's first IEP, services cannot begin until you provide consent by signing a NOREP or meet the consent requirements in your state.

Parents should never feel pressured to sign the NOREP or other consent document at the conclusion of an IEP meeting. Indeed, it is a good idea to take the final draft of the IEP home, review it, and discuss it with family and any professionals who may be working with your child outside of the school system, before deciding whether you will agree to the contents. Parents who agree with parts of the IEP and not others should specify this on the consent form or in a signed and dated letter to the school. Doing so will allow the undisputed parts of the IEP to begin while disagreements are resolved.

Changing or Revising the IEP

Remember, the IEP can be changed. A parent may request a new IEP meeting at any time if alterations need to be made. This request should be made in writing. It is also a good idea to specify what changes you think need to be made or why you are requesting the meeting. If your school district (or preschool special education program) agrees with your proposed changes, there may not need to be a meeting. You and the district (or preschool program) may agree not to convene a meeting to make the changes, and instead develop a written document to amend or modify your child's IEP. Of course, you are entitled to a face-to-face meeting, if that is your choice.

Yearly IEP Renewal

Your child's IEP is written to last for one year. Before the year is up, the IEP team must meet to prepare an IEP for the next year. This meeting must take place and cannot be waived. Be aware that depending on when your child was first referred for services, your child's IEP may not coincide with the school year. If this is the case, you may want to call a special IEP team meeting towards the end of the current school year to help prepare for the next year, especially if your child will be transitioning to a new school (for example, kindergarten, middle school, or high school). If your child is or may be transitioning from preschool services to school age services, there will automatically be a transition meeting which may result in a new IEP for your child when he or she enters kindergarten.

Consent Requirements

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires parents to give consent before an initial IEP is implemented. You may need to sign a document (for example, a NOREP in Pennsylvania) that shows you agree with the special education program contained within the IEP. However, IDEA does not require a school district (or preschool special education program) to obtain separate parental consent for additional services that the IEP team deems necessary after the initial IEP is developed or for the continuation of services after the parent has previously consented to them. Depending on where you live, however, state law may require parental consent for new or changed services.

In Pennsylvania, for example, the school must give a parent written notice of any proposed change to a child's special education program and/or placement. The parent must agree or disagree with the change on either a Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) or Prior Written Notice (PWN) form. However, Pennsylvania law allows schools to assume parental consent if the parents do not return the NOREP. If you do not sign the NOREP or indicate your disagreement with its contents within 10 days of receiving it, the proposed changes in the IEP will begin automatically.

Reevaluations

After your child is initially determined eligible for special education services, the law requires that your child be reevaluated at least once every 3 years, unless both the parent and the educational agency agree that it is unnecessary. (If your child has an IQ score below 70, your child's reevaluation must occur at least every two years. Reevaluations must also occur every 2 years for preschool students in Pennsylvania.) It is rarely a good idea to waive a reevaluation. A reevaluation can provide updated information about your child's needs and accomplishments, which will help the IEP team continue to provide an appropriate program for your child. In fact, if needed, you or your child's teachers can request a reevaluation at any time; however, reevaluations can be limited to once a year unless agreed otherwise. The school district must obtain your consent prior to conducting any new evaluations of your child.

Additional Resources:

• Pennsylvania NOREP/PWN for Preschool Children
• Pennsylvania Permission to Reevaluate for Preschool Children
• Pennsylvania Agreement to Waive Reevaluation — Preschool
• Sample Letter Requesting IEP Meeting
• Pennsylvania NOREP for School Age Children
• Pennsylvania NOREP for Preschool Children
• Pennsylvania Permission to Reevaluate for School Age Children
• Pennsylvania Agreement to Waive Reevaluation — School Age