(Part 3 in our School SLP Series)

Whether you’re a veteran Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) or this is your first year as a School-Based SLP, prepping for, running, and managing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) can be a very time-consuming element of your job. Here are some practical tips to get your school year off to a great start when it comes to IEPs:

Before the IEP

Scheduling

• Review Initials, Triennials (TRIs), and the 60-Day Calendar: Ensure you have a clear understanding of the timelines and deadlines for each type of IEP.

• Coordinate with Staff Availability: Work with teachers, therapists, and other staff to find a time that works for everyone involved.

• Calendar the Meetings: Use a coordinated online calendar so that everyone needed at the IEP can see it on their schedule far in advance.

• Send Out Meeting Notices to Parents: Give parents ample notice so they can make arrangements to attend.

Testing

• Conduct Required Testing for Initial or Triennial IEPs: Make sure all necessary assessments are completed. Our comprehensive testing tool, Articulation Test Center Hive, can help you streamline testing, analysis and report writing for assessments involving speech sound disorders.

• Review Data for Annual IEPs to Report Progress and Develop New Goals/Baselines: Use parental input, teacher input, informal observations and collected data from therapy sessions to inform new goals. Our comprehensive therapy tool, Articulation Station Hive, makes it easy to collect data and audio recordings for every session, so you’ll be set up for success when it comes time to report on the child’s progress and develop new goals that are data-driven.

Team Members

• Remind Team Members of the Upcoming IEP: Although you’ve already coordinated schedules, it is often helpful on the week of the meeting to remind all team members (including the parents).

• Align with Other Team Members on the Child’s General Needs: Collect insights and feedback from teachers and other professionals working with the child to ensure a unified approach to the child’s educational plan.

During the IEP

• Bring Necessary Technology: Ensure you have all required tech tools on hand, such as your computer for note-taking and referring to the IEP during the meeting and your iPad to review testing results or therapy data records with Articulation Test Center Hive and Articulation Station Hive.

• Be Prepared to Take Detailed Notes: Decide on an official note-taker for the meeting. Detailed documentation will ensure that everyone’s perspective is being heard and the notes serve as reminders of what was discussed in the meeting for future reference.

• Provide an Agenda for the Meeting: Sharing a structured outline of the meeting’s flow with the team members and parent helps everyone know what to expect and keeps the meeting on track.

• Lead with the Child’s Strengths: Start the discussion by highlighting the child’s achievements and positive attributes.

• Gather Input from Parents and Team Members: Encourage active participation from all attendees throughout the meeting. Don’t forget that parent input is crucial to the development of the IEP.

• Review Progress on Prior Goals: Discuss the child’s progress toward their previous goals- have they been met, are they making progress toward the goal, or does the goal need to be revised? You can show data records and audio recordings with Articulation Station Hive.

• Present New Proposed Goals: Clearly outline new goals, benchmarks and objectives. All team members, including the parents, should be aware of and in agreement with the student’s goals and the strategies being used to meet the goals.

• Demonstrate and Review How Parents Can Support at Home: Offer practical advice, and home programs if necessary, for parents to reinforce learning.

• Discuss Proposed Services: The goals drive the decision for the most appropriate services. Review the proposed services with the team – they may be the same as they were previously or you may be proposing a change. Discuss your reasoning for the service level and mode of service delivery. All team members must agree on the proposed services.

• Confirm Consent and Collect Signatures: As the meeting closes, you will ask all participants to sign the IEP to confirm their attendance. You will have the parents indicate their level of consent to the goals and services with their signatures as well.

After the IEP

• Finalize Documents: Upload documents to your IEP system and be sure to make a copy for yourself and other team members. Don’t forget to provide parents with a copy of the finalized IEP. Put the original copy of the IEP in the appropriate file for safe-keeping.

• Adjust Records: Make any needed updates to scheduling, grouping or to the child’s goals to reflect any changes made during the meeting.

• Consistently Collect Data: Utilize therapy and data collection tools like Articulation Station Hive to regularly track the child’s progress and to streamline future reporting.

• Maintain Open Communication: As the school year moves forward, keep parents informed and engaged to ensure alignment with their child’s IEP. Don’t let next year’s IEP be the only time you communicate with them.

Starting the school year with clear expectations and a well-organized approach to IEPs can significantly reduce your workload. By following these strategies, you’ll be better equipped to manage your responsibilities effectively.

If you found these tips helpful, be sure to tune in to previous posts in our School SLP Series: Strategies for School SLPs – Caseload and Scheduling and Strategies for School SLPs- Group Sessions in our School SLP Series for more tips and insights into school-based speech-language pathology.