1. IEP (Individualized Education Plan): A legal document outlining the educational program designed to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability.

2. Collaboration: Working together with others, in this context, referring to the cooperation between parents and teachers in the development of IEPs.

3. Daunting: Intimidating or challenging, often used to describe a difficult task or process.

4. Elaborative: Detailed and thorough, in this context, related to the process of writing comprehensive IEPs.

5. Laborious: Involving a lot of effort and hard work.

6. Gate Opener: Something that initiates or facilitates communication, in this case, referring to the input forms that open the communication between teachers and parents.

7. Dynamic: Referring to the changing and evolving nature of relationships or interactions, in this context, the dynamic between the teacher and the family.

8. Miscommunication: Failure to communicate clearly or effectively, leading to misunderstandings.

9. Equitable: Fair and just, ensuring that each individual receives what they need based on their unique circumstances.

10. Demystifying: Making something less mysterious or complex, in this context, simplifying and explaining the IEP process.

11. Intentional: Deliberate and purposeful, often used in the context of the intentional development of IEPs.

12. Proposed Draft IEP: A preliminary version of the Individualized Education Plan that is shared with the family for review and feedback.

13. LRE (Least Restrictive Environment): A concept in special education emphasizing that students with disabilities should be educated in settings that provide the most typical and least restrictive learning environment.

14. Artificial Intelligence (AI): The simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.

15. Free Course: Educational program offered without charge, often accessible online or through a specific platform.

16. Best Practices: Established methods or techniques that are widely recognized as effective and successful in a particular field, here referring to the best practices for using AI in schools.

17. Legal Document: A document that is recognized or enforceable by law, in this case, the IEP is a legal document outlining the educational plan for a student with a disability.

18. Misconception: A mistaken belief or idea, often resulting from a misunderstanding.

19. General Education Teacher: A teacher who instructs students without disabilities in a regular classroom setting.

20. Special Education Teacher: A teacher trained to work with students with disabilities and provide them with the necessary support and accommodations

This is the Ten Minute TeacherPodcast with your host, Vicky Davis.The IEP Journey the Heart of Special EducationPlanning episode 818 in today’s episode, we sitdown with Stephanie delusi, a dual certified veteranspecial education teacher, IEP coach, and author ofthe upcoming book The Intentional IEP.Stephanie shares her unique insightsinto the often daunting processof writing individualized education plans.She emphasizes the importance of collaboration betweenparents and teachers and offers some practicaltips to make the IEP process moreeffective and less stressful for everyone involved.Let’s get started.Today’s sponsor is Microsoft Education.Stay tuned at the show’s end to learnmore about their artificial intelligence course for educators.Today we’re talking with Stephanie Delussi,dual certified veteran special education teacher,IEP coach, author, and teacher mentor.And she has a book that will bereleased in January 2024 called The Intentional IEPthat is available for preorder right now.Stephanie, IEPs are not something a lotof people look forward to writing.What’s the philosophy behind howwe should be writing IEPs?These are kids, right?So it is important.I’m one of those weirdos that loves writing IEPsand loves the data collection, all the paperwork thatcomes with being a special ed teacher, that weneed to be working together to write IEPs.And when I mean, we need to be workingtogether, I mean the parents and the teachers.So the school and the parents need tobe working together to write those IEPs, becausewhen that happens, that’s when the magic happens.And really good things come from that.I can speak from personal experience.Out of our three children, we havetwo children who have learning differences.And once we got the results from the testing center,we did sit down with teachers and talk through andsay, okay, this is what I’m doing as the parent.This is what you’re doing as the teacher.This is what administrative.And we each had our roles, and then we metevery so often to kind of go over that.Is that revolutionary?Is that something that a lot of people don’t do?I mean, what are people doing nowinstead of involving parents and teachers?I don’t know that it’s revolutionary.I feel like it should beacross the board that it happens.I don’t know that it ishappening everywhere in every single school.I don’t think that’s the fault ofthe teacher or of the parent.Honestly, as special education teachers, we’re not really taughthow to write IEPs or what elaborative IEP writinglooks like, but it definitely should be happening.And it doesn’t have to be anything laborious or likeextra added onto the teacher’s plate or the parent’s platebecause we’re both so stinking busy all the time.But it can definitely happen in littlemoments that really make a big impact.Okay, so let’s talk through those little moments.You have a student.Obviously, they have some testing going on and thenwhere do you go from there to do this?Simply the biggest thing, and one of my favoriteways to begin including the parent in the wholeprocess is when you begin writing that IEP.So this begins way back.So if you’re evaluating a student, you’re going todo this at the beginning of the evaluation process.You’re going to send home whatI call a parent input form.It’s also called like a parent questionnaire,and essentially it just asks the parentfor their input on their child.You can also give one to the student.And even if you have kids in pre K, youcan still get a student’s input for an IEP.It just might look different than a third graderor a 7th grader or a twelveTH grader.Those input forms bridge that gap and open upthat communication between the teacher and the family andsharing what works well at home, what the parentshopes and dreams are, what they want to workon this year, what skills maybe they have prioritiesfor this year, for IEP goals.It just really starts that conversationand really opens the doors.And you never know this informationas a teacher unless you ask.So every year you think you should ask? Absolutely.Every time you’re rewriting a child’s IEP.So every annual IEP, every reevaluation, every threeyears, you should be asking for this information.I even send home a back to school parent input form.It’s not as in depth as the IEPinput form, but it just lets me know.How was your child summer?Did they go to any camp?It gives me talking points for the kids, too, like,oh, I heard you went to horseback riding camp.Can you tell me about that?So those input forms really are just that gateopener for so many conversations between the teacher andthe student and building those relationships and just buildingrelationships with the family as well.This is just great teaching.A lot of teachers get sort of input forms for everysingle student, and this is just a great thing to do.So you get those input forms, and then whatdo you do once you have those input forms,especially if it comes to writing the IEP?So let’s say you have Stephanie’s annual IEPmeeting coming up, and you’re 30 to 45days out from that IEP meeting. You know when it’s due.You’re going to send home that input form.Give them about a week or two.You can touch base, say, hey,don’t forget to send it back.And then once you get that back,that’s when you’re going to start writingthe present level section of the IEP.So the Plop, the PLAF, the Plep, it has somany acronyms, but you’re going to start writing that presentlevel and putting that data into the present level sectionof the IEP, because that’s the meat and potatoes, andthat’s where you should start when writing IEPs. Okay?So you take that information, you plug it in.I guess you have a first draft.So what do you do once youkind of have it all together?Do you just check it off yourlist or what do you do next? Yeah.So once you have your parent input form, not onlyare you going to send it out to parents, you’regoing to send out a teacher input form to theother teachers on the team as well.And any adult or professional or specialistthat works with that child, they’re goingto get their own input form.You’re going to get them all back andput them into that present level section.And from there is where you’re going to determine whatskills to write IEP goals for based off of studentneed that you have written into the present levels.So once you have that information in the presentlevels, all the data so that could be evenat evaluation time, present levels comes first.And then you’re going to move into those IEP goals,and you’re going to do proposed IEP goals so nothingis set in stone with an IEP, which is amazing.You can change anything at any time.And so you’ll move from present levels to IEP goals.And then I like to send home aproposed draft IEP to the family, letting themknow, here’s all the data that we have.It levels the playing field.They know exactly where our starting place is.And then here, based off of that information,here’s what our IEP goals we’re proposing are.What do you think?What concerns do you have?Is there anything you want to change?Do you want a different skill?Are our priorities in the same way?It just between the input form and sendinghome that draft IEP, it’s a game changerfor special ed teachers and teams.How do you get the feedback?Is it better to talk about the feedback face to face?Is it better to I am just not crazy aboutemail, particularly with tense or possibly I mean, a childand IEPs are really very important for children.Every time I’ve had to work with teachers,it’s always been face to face on theseissues because it just prevents miscommunication.So did you suggest a meeting?Is email okay or phone calls or what do you do?I think it depends on thedynamic between you and the family.So every family that you work with, thatIEP team is going to have a differentsong and dance that we all sway to. Right.So it really depends on what works best for the family.So if that’s email, then that’s what I’m going to use.But I prefer to make a phone call or I’ll evensay you can mark up this proposed draft IEP with apen and then send it back and I’ll read your notes.I can give you a call when Iget it back if I have any questions.So, again, it just really depends on your dynamicwith the family and what’s going to work bestfor open communication between the both parties.Awesome.Okay, so you kind of get to where it’s written.It’s done. We know. We’re not done there. No. Are we?We are not. No.Okay, so what’s next? So. “ WWW.ARMINIC.COM “ After that point, that’s when you’regoing to have that IEP meeting.Typically, I like to send that proposeddraft IEP anywhere from three to tenschool days before that IEP meeting comes.That gives the family enough time to look over thedraft, ask questions for me to reach back out, touchbase, make any changes that I need to based offof what their concerns and suggestions are, and then thatcomes time to the IEP meeting.And so that’s when you’re goingto have that IEP meeting.That when you’re going to writeall of those support services.So, like, accommodations, modifications, you’re going todo related services, service times, choose theLRE, and do all of those otherlittle checkboxes that IEP formats have.So you’ll finish writing out that IEP withthe IEP team at that IEP meeting.Okay, so now we have our IEP.Obviously, we have to follow that and go with it.Anything else happen during the yearafter you have this already written?Does the teacher need to review it, check over it?I think that touching base, especially with the generaleducation teachers and letting them know, this is Stephanie’sIEP, you have to read over it.It’s a legal document.But oftentimes when you say, like, people don’t respond wellto I don’t want to say open threats, but justsaying it’s a legal document, you need to read it.That’s not going to make me read something.So really sharing with them like, this isStephanie’s IEP, here’s the basis of what itsays, here’s what it means, and this iswhat it may look like in your classroom.But also I like to touch base with thegeneral education teacher before I write IEPs, because Ican say, what supports does Stephanie need in yourclassroom to work on these proposed goals, and whatsupports do you need as that general education teacherto help Stephanie reach those goals?So it’s a lot of communication throughout the yearand having just those relationships with the parents andthe teachers and just the entire team.And you don’t have to be best friendswith anyone on any IEP team, but youdo have to have a good working, professionalrelationship, and with that comes that communication.And I love that you’re consulting with teachers.You’re talking with teachers.And so many teachers do reallyunderstand that kids learn differently.Every so often, though, there are thosethat think, well, this is not okay.I’m going to say a word that I’msure you hate, because I hate it.As a mom with kids who learn differently, doyou know what word I’m going to say?I’m going to say it’s not fair.Yeah, there’s a big differencebetween fair and being equitable.And, oh, yeah, that couldbe a whole other conversation.I always point out to teachers who use that word.If somebody has a broken foot, isit fair that they have crutches?They need crutches.You’re giving them something that they need inorder to move from place to place.I’ve also had teachers say, well, so andso is doing really well now they musthave gotten over their learning disability.Have you ever heard these things before?I’ve heard different versions of them, yes.And I love when people are like, oh, it’s not fair.Well it’s not fair that I have to wear glassesevery day to be able to see, but this ishow I was created and this is how I amand there’s nothing that’s going to change my vision.And so I have to wear glassesand that helps me see everything.It helps so I can drive, it helps so Ican read, it helps so I can watch TV, ithelps so I can be a member of society.And that’s what all of our studentsdeserve as know these are so important.And thank you for demystifying andencouraging us with the IEP process.I really look forward to seeing your book inJanuary for the intentional IEP because I know thatit’s going to help a lot of kids asit helps all of us do our jobs better. So.Thanks, Stephanie.Microsoft has an amazing artificial intelligence course foreducators that will help you and your educationteam have the knowledge you need to understandthe best practices for artificial intelligence in schools.AI is changing rapidly and you’ll want your team totake advantage of this free course from Microsoft today.Go to Aka ms AI for educators.Now that’s aka ms.AI F-O-R educators.Sign up for this free course today so that you’reready to understand and use AI in your school inways that are safe and work for schools.I highly recommend this free AI coursefrom Microsoft so sign up today.You’ve been listening to theTen Minute Teacher podcast.If you want more content from Vicky Davis,you can find her on Facebook, X.com, TikTokThreads, Instagram, Blue Sky and YouTube at Coolcat.Teacher. Thank you for listening.