By Jared Silber, CFCC Student Fellow (2019-2020)<\/p>\n\n
We often think of teachers as the smartest, most valuable employees in our society. Teachers teach our children basic math, grammar, and valuable lessons that often follow the student for their entire lives. Teachers are often responsible for disciplining children who act out in class. However, when it comes to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), teachers often have a hard time implementing them correctly.<\/p>\n\n
There are many reasons why a teacher may have difficulty implementing an IEP. Teachers already have a heavy workload and IEPs can be very long and technical. As a result, a teacher may not have enough time to read the entire document and may only read the accommodations section[1]<\/a>. IEPs are sometimes not removed from the filing cabinet and reviewed because of their complexity[2]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Another reason why some teachers may have difficulty implementing IEPs is the fact that, in many schools, special education teachers carry most of the burden in the IEP process[3]<\/a>. This stems from the fact that teachers may not be afforded the opportunity to provide their insight on what accommodations will help the students within specific classrooms. As a result, there may be gaps in knowledge between IEP team members and the student\u2019s teachers[4]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n When I was in high school, I had an IEP. I noticed the gaps in knowledge between my special education teachers and my regular education teachers. For example, I had a teacher who forgot I had an IEP and would often get frustrated with me when I had difficulty completing assignments. When I was given a 0, I had to speak with my special education teacher to clarify to the regular education teacher the accommodations I needed and to which I was entitled. The problem was eventually corrected, but it required me to go through many steps.<\/p>\n\n As a CFCC Student Fellow, I want to encourage better communications between the IEP team and regular education teachers. I hope to develop a power point presentation to share with the schools that informs about the IEP process and how to ensure that the student\u2019s needs are met.<\/p>\n\n [1]<\/a> Melissa Corto, \u201cBeyond Compliance: What if the IEP Is Not Enough?\u201d, March 2, 2018.<\/p>\n\n [2]<\/a> Melissa Corto, \u201cBeyond Compliance: What if the IEP Is Not Enough?\u201d, March 2, 2018.<\/p>\n\n
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