IEP Stakeholders

and their Roles

Michelle Lau
What and Who are Stakeholders?
 Stakeholders are any individuals involved during the special education process
 Simply put, stakeholders refers to anyone who is invested in the welfare of a
child and their educational success
 There are 4 main stakeholders involved in the IEP process
 Teachers (Classroom Teachers, Resource Teachers)
 EA (Education Assistants)
 Parents
 Student
Teachers’ Roles
Before, During, and After the IEP
Teacher – Before IEP
 Develop IEPs with Resource Teacher
 Identify students with learning or behavioural difficulties
 Design specialized, differentiated learning activities
 Develop school-based learning goals for individuals and groups
 Design learning and skill development goals for worksites and community-based
settings
 Provide TA with requisite info about classroom management, structure, discipline
plan, and student expectations.
 Defines the use of specific techniques, strategies, and appropriate language to be
used in various situations
 Ensures assessments and learner profiles are current and examines students’
background
Teacher – During IEP
 Provides information regarding the child’s present levels of academic
performance, behaviour, emotional and physical health
 Outlines the educational goals that need to be met during the school year
 Describes the child’s individual strengths and weaknesses as a whole, as well
as per subject
 Discusses what learning strategies are helpful and which methods are not
effective
 Mentions accommodations that can be done to assist the child's learning and
success
 Evaluates and reports on the progress of IEPS
Teacher – After IEP
 Determines appropriate modifications and adaptations in line with IEP goals
 Develops specialized learning activities and materials
 Maintains accurate reports and records at the school and provincial level
 Requests for appropriate, trained support staff
 Documents and shares workplace concerns
 Establishes work plan priorities
 Develops an individualized behavioural program for the child
 Identifies appropriate instructional learning resources
 Identifies the responsibilities of support team as described in the IEP
 Monitors the progress of the student and his/her IEP goals
EA’s Roles
Before, During, and After the IEP
EA – Before IEP
 If you are part of the school-based personnel, you may be asked to perform
additional observations, assessment, and provide useful strategies for the
classroom teacher to try prior to designation and IEP writing
 Recognize you work under the direction of the classroom teacher and principal
 Engage in collaborative dialogue about students strengths and stretches with
classroom teacher
 Attend any meetings where you can provide your observations about the student to
help plan for IEP meeting and/or goal writing
 Record observations of the students behaviour/performance
 Build a relationship with the student
 Understand their strengths and stretches
EA – During IEP
 Bring any documentation of observations and informal assessments of
students progress
 Bring notes of behaviours noticed that may help with any conversations
 Bring ideas of goals you find might be helpful for the student
 Participate in listening and contributing your ideas
EA – After IEP
 Help produce resources for students to use
 Help facilitate the learning of activities planned by teacher and/or team
 Observes, informally assesses, and documents learning of student for any
concept desired to be learned
 Continue to build on the students strengths and stretches
 Frequently meet with classroom teacher to update them on anything you have
noticed or to see if there is anything they would like prepared for student
Parents’ Roles
Before, During, and After the IEP
Parent – Before IEP
 Acknowledge that you are the expert on your child.
 All participants are meeting as equal partners. It is completely okay to disagree with suggestions
put forth by other team members.
 Remember to listen and allow the opportunity to express. Participants in the meeting share one
common goal – to achieve decisions for the best outcome for your child.
 Write notes and questions about what your concerns are as well as how you envision support to
look like for your child.
 Reach out to other specialists (speech language pathologist, physiotherapist, counsellor, behaviour
interventionist) whom you want to participate in the meeting.
 Find out who will be attending the meeting and what each of their roles are.
 Request for reports to be shared a few days prior to the meeting.
 Request a translator if there are language issues.
 Bring a support member to the meeting with you to ease anxiety.
Parent – During IEP
 Participate in the meeting as equal partners. Make sure you express your points of
views and opinions.
 Be willing to openly communicate with the other parts of the team regarding
decisions and options available
 Acknowledge your child’s strengths and positive qualities. Use those strengths to
help focus on how you can use those strengths to address areas where they still
require additional support
 Write down goals and strategies clearly to avoid misunderstanding
 Ask questions to clarify anything confusing, including the decision reached as well
as the rationale for the decision
 Actively engage in dialogue with the IEP team AND actively share the strengths of
their child
Parent – After IEP
 Recognize that the meeting is not a one-time process and that the IEP is a
living document. Actions/plans/supports can be adjusted at any time.
 Understanding your involvement and support made a HUGE difference in your
child’s academic and social-emotional well-being.
 Provide feedback at the end of the meeting and request feedback from others.
It allows better understanding of each other’s perspectives
Student’s Roles
Before, During, and After the IEP
Student – Before IEP
 Complete student interest / information sheet to share your interests, strengths,
and areas of needed support with the team.
 Express to teachers and parents what motivates and interests you.
 Identify your hopes and possible goals for the IEP.
 Consider your strengths and interests, as well as areas of support.
Student – During IEP
 Complete student interest / information sheet to share your interests, strengths,
and areas of needed support with the team.
 Express to teachers and parents what motivates and interests you.
 Identify your hopes and possible goals for the IEP.
 Consider your strengths and interests, as well as areas of support.
Student – Before IEP
 Actively participate in discussions in the meeting and advocate for your needs.
 Help identify strategies to support goals.
 Discuss strategies that have been beneficial / not beneficial in the past, you
know how you learn best.
 Share your perspective on goals and progress.
 Talk about your needs, goals and interests and what you want your to achieve.
Student – After IEP
 Keep a copy of your IEP for your reference.
 Know you can request another IEP meeting at any time if you feel it is not
meeting your needs.
 Think about areas of possible improvement that can be possible goals for next
year.
 Share your input on how you are progressing toward your goals.