All children are created equal. However, some children are in need of some special care because of how they learn; how they pick up and store information – or, how they don’t. Schools have the ability to provide this kind of help for students who need it, and a program has been developed for just such a purpose. It’s called an Individualized Education Program, or IEP.

This individualized type program was developed by the Public School System for children with special needs. In fact, it’s designed to help children who have emotional, psychological, and other separate, provisional problems that could adversely affect the child’s educational progress. It’s an intervention tool, and it helps students who are not yet ready for mainstream but who could potentially become ready under this program.

The program is designed to help teachers and instructors to better help their special needs students. These students get specialized individual attention in their classrooms. Usually, there is a teaching assistant that helps the regular teacher; and that assistant helps the most needy of the children on a one-on-one basis.

In order to determine eligibility, however, there must be an evaluation of the student with at least one parent present. The determination takes place over a 30 day period. Based on the review after the 30 day period is up, the school will make a determination as to where the child will be placed in the system; what classes, what instructors/teachers, what course of treatment will be administered. The IEP is both a program and a written evaluation for the student and is therefore a guideline for that student’s reports.

Parents play the most important role of all regarding treatment for their child. The parents are in from the beginning all the way through the treatment process, and can themselves offer opinions as much as possible as the child progresses. In fact, as the child is reassured by the presence of the parent, it makes things a little easier for the child’s transition and helps the teachers and faculty know that they have the parent’s support.

Because the parents and the public school system work hand in hand to assist the child, his or her progress is shared at regular meetings. It helps everyone to stay abreast of the child’s progress for many reasons; so that the child can know how well he or she is doing, so that the parents can track the child’s progress from one level to the next, so that the system can continue to accommodate the child’s needs as they progress through their treatment program, and so that the teacher’s and instructors will know how their assignments are being received by their students each semester.

There are all kinds of ways to gauge the progress of a special needs child, and many more ways to assist them. This is one way to help that child to continue on a path of stability, confidence, and security. The path is easier when the child knows he or she is loved and cared for, for the right reasons; no matter what obstacles find their way in. This is especially true of education since it’s an ongoing necessity. Using the IEP report to better understand your child’s progress in education, is the right thing to do.

Author Bio: Earl Cronin writes about health and education issues for several web publications including about Special Education and Early Intervention.

Category: Education
Keywords: special education, special needs, IEP, Individualized Education Program, early childhood education