The Federal law, called Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines the “IEP team” as a group of people who are responsible for developing, reviewing, and revising the IEP (Individualized Education Program) for a student with a disability. By law, these people include:
- The parents of the student
- The student, as appropriate (In Mass. student is invited to attend at age 14.)
- At least one regular education teacher of the child, if the student is (or might be) participating in the general education environment.
- At least one special education teacher or provider.
- A representative of the local public agency (i.e. School Principal, School Administrator) who:
- knowledgeable about specially designed instruction for students with disabilities,
- the general curriculum,
- the availability of local public agency resources.
- Someone who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results (i.e. School Psychologist, Special Educator Teacher, Speech and Language Pathologist, etc.) who may be another team member.
- Other people whom the parents or the school have chosen to invite, who have the knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related service.
Collectively, the IEP team members should be knowledgeable about:
- The student, available services
- External and internal sources of assistance
- The IEP process
US Department of Education: A Guide to the Individualized Education Program