Inclusive IEP Writing

I often get questions around how to make an IEP reflect the instructional strategies in an inclusive environment. I also get lots of questions around the justification in the LRE section.

I run a training in our district around inclusive IEP writing, but wanted to put out some handy tips and resources for all to share.

Cheryl Jorgenson, an Inclusion Consultant and researcher, has several sample IEPs on her website. While sharing sample IEPs can lead people to tempt the "copy and paste" syndrome, it can be important to have a reference and an idea of how particular sections should be crafted.

Inclusive IEPs:

• IEPs are living, breathing documents
• Goals are based on standards. Standards, standards, standards!
• The LRE is a continuum
• The LRE should be written as a narrative
• There are direct and indirect (consultative) services that can be written into the IEP

Specialized instruction can be provided by anyone, but is monitored and trained by the special education provider. You heard that right! The Colorado Department of Education agrees. Special education teachers don't have a magic wand to close the achievement gap.

LRE

In 2014 Erin Barton and Barbara J. Smith generated the ‘Brief Summary: Fact Sheet of Research on Preschool Inclusion’. One point states: “Children with disabilities do not need to be ‘ready’ to be included. Programs need to be ‘ready’ to support all children.”

The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) seems to be interpreted as a place where students are required to "earn" their way into the classroom. Let's be clear here: ALL students are supposed to start in the least restrictive environment possible, which is most times general education. Skill sets of teachers, mindset of adults on the IEP team and the district, and other adult barriers often prevent general education as being thought of as the first option for students with IEPs. Rather, students must "prove" they can behave in the class, learn their multiplication charts (just give them a calculator, people!), or read at a certain level before they're allowed "in" the general education room all day.

Ways to Increase Access to Other LREs

• How can we take a portion of the agenda and make it accessible?
• Do Now- accessible questions, draw a vocabulary term
• Mini-lesson- exposure
• Guided practice: students at seat with accessible packet of tools
• Independent practice: students are provided with materials at their instructional level. Can be completed independently OR in a small group.
• Master schedule
• Flexible scheduling
• Case management versus service delivery
• Collaborative structures and admin support
• Center program teacher has collaborative planning with other SPED teachers.
• Center program teacher has consultative time built in for applicable general education teachers

Direct Versus Indirect Supports

200 mpw in reading.  How many of those minutes are spent directly supporting the reading goal?! Do you need 200 minutes to provide instruction around the goal OR to help the student in reading class?  If it’s the latter, you’re writing minutes wrong.

The goal of special education is independence.  We want to create independence in our instructional strategies that we provide, in person through direct support and through INDIRECT support (creating the modifications)

Other General Rules of Thumb:

• 

  Minutes that match the need to teach the goal
• WHO can provide the specialized instruction
• What amount of time will be needed to prepare accommodations for the subject area in which the goal is related to?
• How does the goal relate back to how the disability manifests itself in the subject area?