Referral Process

What is an IEP?
An “Individualized Education Program” means a written plan for a student with a disability that spells out the special education and related services the student will receive. The IEP is developed at a meeting that is scheduled at a mutually agreeable time. The written document is a record of the IEP Team meeting. The IEP is reviewed at least once a year.

View the IEP Timeline and IEP brochure written by CAUSE.

What is Included in the IEP?
The requirements include:

• a statement of the student’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance
• a statement of measurable annual goals and short-term objectives that address:
• how to help the student be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, and
• how to meet each of the student’s other educational needs related to his/her disability;
• a statement of how the student’s progress toward the annual goals will be measured and how the parents will be regularly informed of that progress;
• a statement of special education programs/services and supplementary aids to be provided to the student, and any program modifications or supports for the school personnel;
• the projected starting date for services as well as the duration, anticipated frequency, and location of where programs and services will be delivered;
• an explanation of when the student will not participate with non-disabled children in the regular class and other activities;
• a statement of any modifications the student would need to take the state- and/or district-wide assessment tests; (If the IEP Team determines that the test is not appropriate for the student, a different assessment will be used.)
• a statement of transition services beginning at age 16. Transition services include other aspects of adult life and often involve other agencies.

What Is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?
LRE looks at the setting in which the student receives an education. The law presumes that students with disabilities are most appropriately educated with their non-disabled peers in the general education setting.
Attending special classes or separate schools, or removing students with disabilities from the regular classroom occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability prevents the student from achieving satisfactorily even when supplementary aids and services are used.

What is a “Free Appropriate Public Education” (FAPE)?
FAPE means that education and related services are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge. The services provided must meet the standards of the Department of Education for all students and be designed to meet the student’s IEP goals and short-term objectives.

How does a Parent Participate in the Decision-Making Process?
Parents are encouraged to be involved in a variety of ways:

• Parents are key members in all decision-making meetings such as meetings that determine the identification, evaluation, educational placement, reevaluation, and the appropriate education of the student.
• Parents give consent for initial evaluations and reevaluations.
• Parents will receive regular reports on their student’s progress.
• Parents must notify the school district if they intend to remove their student from the public school or plan to request a due process hearing.
• Parents are encouraged to be involved in parent groups at the local level or at the ISD level through an advisory group called the Parent Advisors for Special Education (PASE). The Michigan Department of Education also involves parents in planning, implementing and reviewing activities.

Should the Student be Involved in the IEP?
Students often provide valuable insights regarding their strengths and needs. When they are involved in determining their own goals and objectives, they are more committed to achieving them. Each student should have the option to be a part of the IEP Team process. Students should participate in their own transition planning by age 14, or younger if appropriate. These plans are updated annually. Students who are age 17 are notified that their rights will be transferred to them upon reaching the age of majority (18). At age 18 both the student and parents are notified that the rights are transferred to the student.