Julie Quackenbush

EDUC 614
IEP Cheat Sheet
(Understanding of Annual IEP writing)

The name and number of each required page (ex, I-1 Invitation, I-4 Present Levels
of Academic and Functional Performance) - 5 pts

The name, number and reason you would use each optional page. (ex I-7 ACCESS
Assessment for ELLs- only used for students classified as ELL, DLM, Alternate
ACCESS for ELLs, etc.) - 5 pts

Exactly what type of information should be included in each box on each page - 5
pts. (I-4 Strengths, Parent Concerns, Present Level of Academic and Functional
Performance, Impact Statement, etc.) and then elaborate-5 pts. What should a
good (insert page here) include, what consistent advice can you give about writing
goals, what must be included on the I.9s....

Do not just list what goes in each box- explain each required component well, in
such a way that anyone who picks up this tool would be able to write a compliant
and legit Annual IEP.

You are welcome to use any of the IEPs I upload to the Google Drive as examples,
use the tools and checklists and descriptions on the blank pages as well as DPI
guidelines, think about IEPs you have written and IEPs you have read. Ensure that if
you had been given this guideline/cheat sheet as a new educator you would have
loved it and referred to it often. (you may pass it on to someone some day, share it
with colleagues or just be pleased that it will provide evidence that you *really*
understand the purpose of each box on the IEP. This is a place where good and
comprehensive descriptions is valued. (*hint* check out the Evaluation Report Guide
for an idea of a possible way to start this task, not that you need to do fancy PDF
editing, but .... the information in each box is a good guide for you to start with)

Second hint- the An Annual IEP Guide pdf that I posted would be a full credit
assignment for an elementary teacher within MPS last year (before the extra reading
requirements).

This task is worth 20 points and must be uploaded by Sunday in word or PDF
format

PLEASE ask if you need guidance or the task is not clear to you in any way

Present Levels of Performance

Evaluation Results:

Results of most recent individual evaluation of student

State ELA and Math scores
Regents exams scores
Credit accumulation
Vocational Assessment (for students age 12 and over)
NYSESLAT & LAB-R Scores (for ELL students)

Activities of Daily Living:

1. How independent is this student (when applicable)?
2. Does the student travel independently (when applicable)?
3. Is the student able to handle responsibility?
4. Is the student able to stay organized & manage time
efficiently?
Levels of Intellectual Functioning:
1. How is the student performing in class?
2. Is the student able to follow instructions independently?
3. Is the student able to comprehend concepts that are taught?
4. How are the students ideas expressed?
5. What is the students problem solving ability like?
Adaptive Behavior:
1. How does this student adapt to his/her surroundings?
2. How does the student handle transitions & change?
3. To what extent does the student maintain focus in the
classroom?
4. Is the student able to follow classroom rules & procedures?
Expected Rate of Progress in Acquiring Skills & Information:
1. How quickly does this student make progress? (Use data to
show how the student scores from year to year.)
2. Does the student make a years worth of progress during a
school year? More? Less?
3. Is the student making progress throughout this school year?
Learning Style:
1. Is the student a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? (Give
the student a learning style assessment in September.
Available on our website, www.cfn107.org.)
2. What kind of activities & interventions help this student learn?
(Give helpful suggestions so that a teacher who never met
this student has a clear picture of what works & what doesnt
work.)
Student Strengths (Try to focus on skills):
1. Where does the student excel in the classroom?
2. What are the students areas of strength?
3. What does the student feel confident doing?

Academic Achievement (Be sure to state where information is coming

from):

4. How does this connect to transition goals? Career path?

Preferences:
1. How does the student prefer to learn?
2. What subjects does the student enjoy?
3. What class activities does the student enjoy?
Interests:
1. What does the student enjoy (academic/social interests,
hobbies, etc.) Give the student an interest inventory to get
more information in this area. Interest inventories can be found
on the Internet.
2. How does this connect to transitional/career goals (Be sure to
include the results of the Level I Vocational Assessment
again)?
Academic, Developmental, & Functional Needs Including Concerns
of the Parent:
1. What does the student need in order to be successful?
2. What interventions have worked with this student?
3. What accommodations & modifications have worked for this
student?
4. What supports or services have been effective?
5. Be sure to include input from the student & the parent
in every section of Academic Achievement, but
especially in this one.

Social Development (Be sure to state where information is coming from)

For students receiving counseling, this section should be completed
thoroughly by the counselor:

The Degree & Quality of Students Relationship with Peers & Adults,
Feelings About Self, & Social Adjustment to School & Community
Environments:
1. How does this student behave in the classroom?
2. How does the student relate to adults? To peers?
3. How does this student handle stress?
4. How is this students etiquette?
5. How does this student present him/herself?
Student Strengths:
1. In what ways does this student excel socially?
2. In what ways does this student show confidence in social
situations?
3. How does this connect to transitional/career goals?
Social Developmental Needs of the Student Including Concerns of
the Parent:
1. What are some needs of the student socially?
2. What interventions have worked with this student?
3. What supports or services have been effective?

4. Be sure to include input from the student & the parent

in every section of Social Development, but especially
in this one.

Physical Development (Be sure to state where information is coming from)

For students receiving OT, PT, and/or Hearing Services, this section should
be completed thoroughly by the provider:

The Degree & Quality of the Students Motor & Sensory

Development, Health, Vitality, & Physical Skills or Limitations Which
Pertain to the Learning Process:
1. How are this students motor skills?
2. What is the quality of this students handwriting (if
appropriate)?
3. Are there any physical limitations?
4. Does the student have mobility problems?
Student Strengths:
1. In what ways does this student excel physically?
2. Is the student athletic?
3. Does the student participate on any school or community
athletic teams?
4. How does this connect to transitional/career goals?
*Note: If having trouble filling out this section, speak to the
students Phys. Ed teacher.
Physical Development Needs of the Student:
1. What are some needs of the student physically?
2. What interventions have worked with this student?
3. What supports have been effective?
4. Be sure to include input from the student & the parent
in every section of Physical Development, but
especially in this one.

Management Needs:

Material Resources: (e.g. instructional material such as graphic

organizers, checklists, vocabulary cues, translation, images, books
on tape, etc.)
Environmental Resources: (e.g. consistency in routine, limited
auditory & visual distractions, adaptive furniture, etc.)
Human Resources: (e.g. organizational systems, note-taking
assistance, help getting to classes, positive behavior reminders,
etc.) Note: Paras are not indicated in this section.
Note: It is helpful to put common strategies that are useful based
on the students learning style.

Effects of Student Needs on Involvement in General Education Curriculum:

How does the students disability affect his or her involvement or

success in general educations?
Write:

The student can participate in the general education curriculum with special
education support services. (This statement should not be used for students
who are designated as NYSAA).
*NOTE: All sections and subsections of PLOP must be completed. An
N/A or Not Applicable is not acceptable in any of the above sections.

Student Needs Relating to Special Factors:

Be sure that all questions and sub-questions are answered. If a

question does not apply to a student, do not leave it blank, check
Not Applicable.

Measurable Post-Secondary Goals

*This section MUST be completed for any student age 15 or older. If a
student will be turning 15 during the period of the IEP, this must be
completed. This is based on the Vocational Assessments.

Education/Training: What type of institution will the student attend

after high school & what will he or she study? Fill in the sentence:
_________ will attend a _________ and study _____.
Employment: What will the student do for a living? Fill in the
sentence: ________ will be employed in the field of ___________.
Independent Living Skills: What will the student need to be able to
do that he or she cannot do now in order to live independently after
leaving high school?
Transition Needs: What courses will the student need to take in
order to prepare to meet these goals? So, for example, if the
student will be attending college, write the courses and exams that
the student will need to take in high school to graduate. Also, any
college prep courses that the student will take should be listed.
Then, list what courses the student will be taking to prepare for the
field of study that he/she plans to follow. Note: This section does not
need to be written as a narrative and can be bulleted.

Measurable Annual Goals

Annual Goals: Goals should be appropriate for the students abilities

and should address the needs identified in the PLOP. The goals should
be SMART. Be sure that each goal is realistic for the student to
complete within the year that this IEP will be in effect.

Criteria: The criteria for each goal must include a percentage of

accuracy as well as the number of trials. (i.e., 80% accuracy in 4 out of
6 trials)
Method: In this column you should list all of the possible methods of
assessing the progress towards the goal. (i.e., checklists, classroom
observations, exams, homework, etc.)
Schedule: How often will you be measuring progress on this specific
goal. (i.e., once a semester, twice a month, weekly, etc.)

Short-Term Instructional Objectives should only be completed for New York State
Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) students.

Reporting Progress to Parents

Progress reports should be sent to parents at the same time report cards are given.

Recommended Special Education Programs & Services

*NOTE: For any item specified, each field must be completed, otherwise
the IEP will not migrate into CAP and the IEP will be Out of Compliance.

Special Education Program: Specify which Special Education

program(s) (i.e. Special Class, ICT, SETSS) the student will be utilizing.
If the student will be in ICT 4 periods of the day, you must list ICT 4
times and for each one identify the subject. It is assumed that for
any subject not listed in this section, the student is in general
education.
Related Services: Specify which Related Service(s) (i.e. counseling, OT,
PT, speech, vision, etc.) the student needs. For a group of 8, choose
group service. For a group size of 2-7, choose other, then select
the number of students in the group.
Supplementary Aids & Services/Program
Modifications/Accommodations: (i.e. paraprofessional,
orientation/mobility teacher, note-taker, instructional material in
alternate formats [i.e. Braille], extra time to go between classes, etc.)
Assistive Technology Devices &/or Services: Any assistive technology
that the student utilizes during the school day &/or at home. Be sure
to complete all fields including location.
Supports for School Personnel on Behalf of the Student: Anything that
the staff members will need in order to assist the student. This is not a
direct service for the student (i.e. information on a specific disability &
implications for instruction, training on specific positive behavioral

interventions, training on assistive technology devices, assistance with

curriculum modifications, etc.).
12-Month Service and/or Program

Will the student be receiving services during the summer months? If

yes, be sure to complete the rest of the section answering all questions
and completing all fields.

Testing Accommodations
If the student does not have any testing accommodations, be sure to
check the none box.

Testing Accommodations: Select the testing accommodations that this

student needs, based on areas identified as needs in the PLOP.
Conditions: Describe the type, length, purpose of test for which the
student should receive the specified accommodation.
Implementation Recommendations: Make the accommodation more
specific by explaining how this accommodation should be carried out.
(i.e. amount of extended time, type of setting for a special location,
etc.).

Coordinated Set of Transition Activities

This whole section should align with the Measurable Post-Secondary Goals
section including Transition Needs.

Instruction: Identify any instruction the student might need in order to

prepare for post-school living. This could include courses and skill
areas. This should connect to the Transition Needs section of the
Measurable Post-Secondary Goals.
Related Services: If a student receives any related service, the student
needs to receive transition support to attain the projected postsecondary outcomes. The service should not just be listed, for
example, Speech, but instead the speech teacher should explain
what the transition activities are that he or she will be working on with
the student in order to prepare to meet the post-secondary goals.
Community Experiences: Any community based experiences the
student needs to achieve his or her projected post-secondary
outcomes. For example, after school jobs, use of a library, community
recreational activities, volunteering opportunities. Note that any job
the student holds should not be listed unless it relates in some way to
the post-secondary goals.

Development of Employment & Other Post-School Adult Living

Objectives: Any skills the student needs in order to live independently
and be employed. For example, budgeting, opening a bank account,
writing a resume & cover letter, going on a job interview. These should
only be included if a deficit in these areas was identified in the PLOP.
Acquisition of Daily Living Skills (if applicable): If appropriate to the
needs of the student, the IEP must indicate the services or activities
that will assist the student in activities of daily living skills (e.g.,
dressing, hygiene, self-care skills, self-medication).
Functional Vocational Assessment (if applicable): The IEP must indicate
if the student will need a functional vocational assessment as a
transition service or activity. A functional vocational assessment is an
assessment to determine a students strengths, abilities and needs in
an actual or simulated work setting or in real work sample experiences.
Note: This is most often used with NYSAA students.

Participate in State & District-Wide Assessments

The first checkbox should be selected for all students other than
NYSAA students.
For NYSAA students, check the second box and then identify that the
student is a NYSAA student and completes datafolios. Be sure to
explain why the student cannot participate in the general assessment
and why NYSAA is appropriate for this particular student. The
determination that a student will be eligible for NYSAA cannot be
done at an annual review. A psychologist must make this determination
based on evaluations.

Special Transportation

Select None for a student who does not need special transportation.
Select Student Needs Special Transportation Accommodations for
students who need this service. If this is selected, you must specify
what type of transportation or accommodations the student requires.