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Special Education in Public Schools: What Parents Need to Know About IEPs and Services

When a child has learning differences or disabilities, navigating the public school special education system can feel overwhelming. One of the core tools in this system is the Individualized Education Program (IEP). This article guides parents through what an IEP is, how services work, what to expect in 2025, and how families can play an active role.

What Is an IEP?

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legally binding plan that public schools must develop for eligible children with disabilities under federal law. It outlines the special instruction, accommodations, modifications, and related services that the student needs to make meaningful progress ().

Some key features:

• It is developed by a team that includes parents, teachers, and specialists.

• It is individualized — no two IEPs are the same.

• It must be reviewed at least once per year, though it can be revised more often if needed.

The IEP is intended to ensure a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). That means the child gets education and services at no cost to the family, and in a setting that allows as much interaction as possible with non-disabled peers ().

Who Qualifies for an IEP

Personalized Learning: Revolutionizing Education for the 21st Century

As a teacher, classical musician, and writer, I've always been fascinated by the art of teaching. How we educate our young people shapes not just their futures but also the very fabric of our society. That's why I'm excited to write about Personalized Learning (PL) - an approach causing quite a stir in educational circles.

Now, before you roll your eyes thinking this is just another educational fad, hear me out. Personalized Learning isn't entirely new. In fact, I think it shares a lot of DNA with Maria Montessori's "follow the child" philosophy. But what's different now is how we can implement it, thanks to the tech revolution you and I are living in.

What is Personalized Learning?

So, what exactly is Personalized Learning? In a nutshell, it's about tailoring education to each student's unique needs, skills, and interests. It's moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach that's been the norm for far too long. And let's face it, we need this change. Our current system, constricted by its rigid pacing and mandated standardized testing, is leaving too many kids behind or bored out of their minds.

The key components of Personalized Learning are pretty straightforward:

• Individualized learning plans
• Flexible pacing
• Student choice
• Data-driven instruction
• Technology integration

It's about letting kids learn at their own pace, in ways that engage them, while using data to guide instruction. Sounds great, right?And the benefits? They're substantial. We're talking about improved student engagement (no more

Understanding Rubrics

I am writing this article about rubrics for parents.

• Your child's first couple of years in school will probably be an exciting time of exploration and discovery.
• Then, along come the middle and high school years when serious academic assessment begins to rear its ugly head.
• Finally, that day comes when your child comes home all upset because she got a C on a paragraph her class had to write on the prompt "Stuff that makes me laugh."
• Suddenly, academic assessment is staring you and your child in the face. Both of you wonder why her teacher gave her a C.

Now, let's understand something fundamental to assessment.

• Your teachers are not trying to humiliate or demean you. They are merely trying to determine your child's skill sets.
• We adults have endured performance reviews during the course of our careers. Those are other forms of assessment.
• Teachers, by and large, don't grade subjectively. They look at a set of criteria that they apply uniformly to every student's work.
• Those criteria are called rubrics.

So, let's dig in and find out how they work. As we look at the various components that can make up rubrics, I have included an authoritative source from one of the many education schools in the nation. Use these sources to learn more about a specific rubric component that interests you.

Fundamental Principles

What is AP?

AP or Advanced Placement Program is a three-year sequence of high school coursework offered by the in over 34 subject areas. The idea behind offering AP courses is to provide college-bound high school seniors with a level of academic playing field. It doesn't matter whether you are a high school student in Dubuque, Iowa, or Darien, Connecticut; AP courses and the end-of-course examinations are the same wherever they are offered. The course content is the same. The teaching objectives are the same. The preparation for the final examinations is the same. Because the standard is the same everywhere and the College Board proctored and graded final examinations, college admissions professionals can compare student academic achievements with confidence. They know precisely what AP means when they see it on your transcript. They know exactly what your AP scores represent.

This brief video explains the impact of AP credit and placement.

That is the intrinsic value of AP Courses and their examinations from a college admissions point of view. Admissions professionals want to know that the math courses an applicant took at a public high school in Kansas are the same as those an applicant from a private school in Tennessee took. In other words, they want to compare apples to apples. When one applicant is offered a high school math course that is not an AP math course, the

Standardized tests are a common way to assess student performance and academic achievement in K-12 schools. Schools use several types of standardized tests to evaluate different aspects of student learning.

Here are some key aspects that standardized tests evaluate:

Content Knowledge

Standardized tests assess students' , including key concepts, facts, and vocabulary. They aim to measure how well students have grasped the content taught at their grade level or across multiple years.

Application of Skills

These tests evaluate students' ability to apply their knowledge to solve problems and analyze information. They assess critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills essential for academic success.

Reading Comprehension

Standardized tests often include passages or questions about reading comprehension. They measure students' ability to understand and interpret written texts, including identifying main ideas, making inferences, and evaluating arguments.

Writing Skills

Some standardized tests include writing components, where students must express their ideas coherently, use appropriate grammar and vocabulary, and organize their thoughts effectively. These sections evaluate students' written communication skills.

Quantitative Reasoning

Mathematics is a fundamental subject assessed in standardized tests. They gauge students' understanding of mathematical concepts, procedures, and problem-solving abilities. The , such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics, and data analysis.

Scientific Inquiry

Tests in science subjects assess students' understanding of scientific concepts and ability to apply scientific inquiry methods. They evaluate skills like observation, experimentation, data analysis, and drawing conclusions based on evidence.

Test-Taking Skills

Standardized tests also