An individualized education program (IEP) can help to make public school more accessible for children with disabling medical conditions. Parents worried about their children’s ability to thrive in a traditional public school may need to ask for certain accommodations.
An IEP helps ensure that a child with special needs has access to the support services that make public school possible for them. The various accommodations provided by an IEP can range from additional time to complete tests to one-on-one support from a paraprofessional in the classroom.
IEPs are available to children with a variety of different disabling medical conditions that may affect their academic performance. The services and accommodations provided and the duration of the IEP depend on professionals agreeing on the continued necessity of those supports.
Who evaluates students to determine if they have medical conditions that necessitate an IEP?
School professionals perform evaluations
As parents have already taken their children to healthcare professionals and counselors, they may have extensive records about their children’s symptoms and conditions. Some parents mistakenly think that simply submitting medical documentation to school districts can help them secure an IEP. After all, it takes months of testing to diagnose certain conditions, like autism.
While outside medical documentation can affirm that an assessment is necessary, it does not automatically lead to an IEP or determine the accommodations provided within the IEP. According to state law, the school must partner with appropriately-credentialed professionals to evaluate the needs of students for the purposes of developing an IEP.
Frequently, that process requires an evaluation by a psychologist employed by the schools, as well as a review conducted by a medical professional, such as a nurse. Social workers, speech therapists and other support professionals may also play a role in the creation, modification and renewal of an IEP. Outside medical records can assist or support those internal assessments, but they typically cannot replace the need for school employees to evaluate the student’s condition and support needs.
Parents who understand the process involved in securing an IEP can more effectively advocate for their children with special needs. Requesting an assessment from school professionals could help a child with special needs secure the support that they need to thrive in public schools.