If you’ve ever wondered what an IEP is, here’s a guide to unpacking the process to help everyone involved.

Besides being an acronym used often within the educational setting, what does IEP mean, and what does it do? Well, it stands for Individualized Education Plan. An IEP is a written set of goals for a child that is developed in a meeting. If a child has a disability and is falling behind in the educational setting, then an IEP is set in place to help them succeed.

If you’re still a little confused, it is okay; to better understand an IEP, we need to understand where it comes from. In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) was passed, which spoke of giving children with disabilities access to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Over the years, the EHA has been updated, changing it to the Individuals with Disabilities Education and Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). The IDEA 2004, as well as its predecessor, the EHA, apply to children with disabilities.

See the guide HERE