I was reading a few blogs about Individualized Education
Programs (IEP) over the last month and a few of them have me
concerned that as hard as we try to educate parents about IEP’s
many still don’t understand their purpose. Some of the
misconceptions I have heard or read about lately include: -
Children with IEP’s won’t get suspended for fighting when other
children would; - Children with IEP’s get special provisions
made for them that they will come to expect even after their
school days are over; and - Children who grow up with IEP’s
never learn responsibility because they are used to getting
their way. If an IEP is being used correctly then none of the
above statements are true. The Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) says the purpose of an IEP is “to ensure
that all children with disabilities have available to them a
free appropriate public education that emphasizes special
education and related services designed to meet their unique
needs and prepare them for further education, employment