Obtaining an IEP for Elementary School Age Child
Hey there - we just moved from Brooklyn and my younger daughter has had some executive functioning issues and i would like to get her an IEP assessment. Being that i just moved here- does anyone know where i begin? She will be starting 4th gr. at Oxford in a few weeks.... any help is amazing! Thank you!
Aug 2, 2022
Parent Replies
Research the DREDF - CA website for information, they also have phone contacts and workshops on navigating the IEP process. Good Luck..
Make your request in writing to the principal of the school, detailing your concerns and requesting evaluation for an IEP.
Make sure to attend the free training "IEP Basics and Beyond" which is offered on the first monday of every month (next one is August 8, which is tomorrow). This is hosted by DREDF: Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, which is located at the Ed Roberts campus on Adeline (it sits on top of the Ashby BART station). To register, go to the website https://dredf.org The training is full of so much information. be prepared to take lots of notes.
Just in case it's relevant. An IEP is where you don't have to do the same work as the other kids. There was a non-verbal girl in my daughter's class in third grade, and she was not required to read or write (except single words) -- that was an IEP. My daughter has a 504 plan. A 504 plan is where you get accommodations such as seating in the front of the class or more time on tests. If it's an executive functioning issue, a 504 might be what she would qualify for.
An IEP is an Individualized Education Plan, starts with a educational needs assessment, and must include educational services related to the child's specific learning issues and needs. It typically includes educational services + accommodations. It is not simply an exception to doing the same work as the other kids. If applicable to the needs of a specific child, that aspect may be specifically written into the IEP for that individual child as one of the accommodations. In the instance where a classmate's parent observed a non-verbal child with an IEP... if the IEP was properly executed, it would have included services/lessons that were most likely done on a pull-out basis (the child leaves class and goes to a special education classroom for 30-60 minutes each day for lessons pertaining to their IEP). This parent of a classmate may not notice or understand the specifics of another child's IEP, because it is confidential.
A 504 plan is named after Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a federal civil rights law that offers protection for people with disabilities. It is usually applied for students who do not need special education but who do need accommodations for their education in regular classrooms. While some kids have a disability that requires educational services + accommodations, kids with a 504 typically have accommodations only.
I am not an expert, but it is important to be careful with assumptions on terminology, and to look it up. If you research the terms attend the IEP Basics and Beyond, or carefully read websites like DREDF and Understood.org, you can find more information.
- Mom of a kid with an IEP