Related services under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) - Tampa Bay special education | Examiner.com

Related services under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) - Tampa Bay special education | Examiner.com



The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a plan of action to help remediate weaknesses in your child’s school performance. It also is a legal document which provides your child with a disability with necessary related services in order to benefit from special education services in order to receive a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) under t
he Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Related services considered for each child with a disability depending on their disability and/or need include the following:
• Audiological services
• Aide services
• Speech/language services
• Transition services
• Special transportation services
• Adaptive physical education services/recreation services
• Interpreting services
• Orientation and mobility services
• Medical services
• Counseling services
• Nursing services
• Social work services
• Occupational therapy services
• Physical therapy services
• Psychological services
IDEA requires that a child be assessed in all areas related to his or her suspected disability. This evaluation must be sufficiently comprehensive so as to identify all of the child’s special education and related service’s needs, whether or not those needs are commonly linked to the disability category in which he or she has been classified. These areas to be assessed include health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communicative status, and motor abilities. [Section 300.304(c)]
It is the IEP team’s responsibility to review all of the evaluation information, to identify any related services the child needs, and to include them in the IEP. Goals can be written for a related service just as they are for other special education services. The IEP must also specify with respect to each service; when the service will begin; how often it will be provided and for what amount of time; and where it will be provided. [§300.320(a)(7)]
Each child with a disability may not require all of the related services listed above. Furthermore, the list of related services is not exhaustive and may include other developmental, corrective, or supportive services if they are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. Examples include artistic and cultural programs, art, music, and dance therapy. The IEP is a written commitment for the delivery of services to meet a student’s educational needs. A school district must ensure that all of the related services specified in the IEP, including the amount, are provided to a student. Changes in the amount of services listed in the IEP cannot be made without holding another IEP meeting. However, if there is no change in the overall amount of service, some adjustments in the scheduling of services may be possible without the necessity of another IEP meeting.
IDEA does not require that the IEP team include related services personnel. However, if a particular related service is going to be discussed in an IEP meeting, it would be appropriate for such personnel to be included or otherwise involved in developing the IEP. IDEA states that, at the discretion of the parent or the public agency, “other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate” may be part of a child’s IEP team.
School districts may not charge parents of eligible students with disabilities for the costs of related services that have been included on the child’s IEP. Just as special and regular education must be provided to an eligible student with a disability at no cost to the parent or guardian, so, too, must related services when the IEP team has determined that such services are required in order for the child to benefit from his or her education.
At the initial IEP meeting and then at each review IEP meeting, related services will be discussed in order to determine services for the student. You, as the parent, have the right to add input in order to provide appropriate related services for your child.

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