Helping Students See Their IEPs as Tools
By guiding middle school students to understand the purpose and power of their IEPs, teachers can start an important conversation about self-advocacy.
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Go to My Saved Content.Millions of students across the U.S. have individualized education programs (familiarly known as IEPs) designed to support their learning needs, but few truly understand the details within the legally binding document—or how they can actually benefit from them. Transition coordinator Christen Brabenec is looking to change that. In her position at Olmsted Falls City Schools in Ohio, Brabenec works with middle and high school students to help them understand their IEPs more deeply and begin to use them to advocate for themselves.
At Olmsted Middle School, Brabenec hosts a small group of students monthly for sessions pertaining to special education topics—everything from career exploration and independent living skills to college readiness. On this particular day, she’s using the time to introduce them to an IEP—what’s in it, why they matter, and how they can serve as powerful tools from middle school through graduation.
As Brabenec explains, “A lot of students know they have one, but they don’t understand what the document is.” She leads the small group of students through the document, examining key sections, making sense of resources and accommodations, and discussing how they can take an active role in their IEP meetings.
And, as students get older, she sees a big difference in how they engage in their annual IEP meetings. “We start with basic knowledge, but moving forward, they know about it, they know when their meetings are, and they say, ‘I want to be there,’” she says.
For students, understanding their IEP is like having a road map—a clear guide toward their goals. It also begins the eye-opening process of students having a say in what they want to do with their lives. They begin to see how each step builds toward the future they want to achieve. And by changing their perception of their IEPs from a dull paperwork requirement to a valuable tool for self-advocacy, Brabenec helps students connect what and how they’re learning today to where they want to go tomorrow.
For more resources around helping students understand their IEPs, read Angie Chapple’s article for Edutopia, “How to Foster Student Self-Advocacy in IEP Meetings.”