Equitable and Inclusive IEPs for Students with Complex Support Needs: A Roadmap

Equitable and Inclusive IEPs for Students with Complex Support Needs

A Roadmap

by Andrea L. Ruppar, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin–Madison

and Jennifer A. Kurth, Ph.D.
University of Kansas

Contents

I Before the Meeting ..... 1

1 Getting the Team Together 3
With Samantha Gross Toews
Appendix: Planning Worksheet—IEP Team Members 11
2 Organizing IEP Preparation and Communication 13
With Samantha Gross Toews
Appendix: IEP Team Data Collection Plan 23
3 Fostering Collaborative and Trusting Relationships with Families and Students 29
With Samantha Gross Toews and Jessica A. McQueston
Appendix: Resources for Communicating with Families 46
4 Discussing Data and Making Decisions 55
Appendix: Skill Data Collection Plan 77

II Developing the IEP ..... 79

5 Describing Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance 81
6 Planning for Special Factors, Extended School Year, and Alternate Assessment 95
Appendix: Summer Activities Planning Tool 106
7 Identifying Supplementary Aids and Services ..... 131
Appendix: Ecological Assessment with Supplementary Aids and Services ..... 145
8 Determining the Least Restrictive Environment ..... 147
With Katie M. McCabe
Appendix: Determining the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Decision Flowchart ..... 163

III At the Meeting and Afterward ..... 165

9 Setting an Agenda and Setting the Tone: Communication During the IEP Meeting ..... 167
With Lingyu Li, Sarah Bubash, and Yuewn-lann Radeen Yang
10 After the Meeting: Implementing the IEP ..... 179
Appendix: Resources for Implementing the IEP ..... 186

Preface

“I do not like the world as it is; so I am trying to make it a little more as I want it.”
–Helen Keller, circa 1912

Special education, as a system, is designed to be flexible, providing educational teams and families options for arranging individualized supports and services for students with disabilities in school. But when special education became legally mandated in 1975, many students with complex support needs were not attending school at all.

Who are Students with Complex Support Needs?

Students with complex support needs require accommodations and modifications to access learning and school activities throughout most or all the day. Although no single label defines this category of students, they typically are identified with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 categories of intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, autism, and other health impairment.

How are IEPs for Students with Complex Support Needs Different from Other IEPs?

In many ways, an IEP for a student with complex support needs should look like IEPs for students with less extensive needs. All IEPs must follow IDEA guidelines and include the following components:

  1. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)
  2. Special factors
  3. Challenging and measurable goals
  4. Description of how and when student progress toward measurable goals will be monitored and reported
  5. Description of supplementary aids and services that will support student access to and progress in the general education curriculum
  6. Explanation of the extent the student will not be educated with nondisabled students in the general education setting
  7. Statement of student’s participation in state and district-wide assessments
  8. The frequency, duration, and location of each service and when it will begin

Principles for Teaching Students with Complex Support Needs

Three principles guide decisions:

  1. Dignifying: Decisions acknowledge the inherent dignity of each student, celebrating their worth.
  2. Inclusive: Every decision is made to promote inclusive lives and opportunities.
  3. Ambitious and Enviable: Decisions aim for high expectations and positive outcomes for students with complex support needs.

Understanding Strengths-Based IEPs

A strengths-based IEP for a student with complex support needs will include contributions from many different school-based providers as well as the student and their family. An IEP should focus on a student’s strengths and how to make their education accessible.

Gathering the Team

An effective IEP team is essential. This team should include:

This collaborative approach fosters a shared commitment to creating an inclusive educational environment that prioritizes student outcomes.

Conclusion

This book aims to guide teams navigating the IEP process for students with complex support needs, ensuring equitable and inclusive educational practices.