IEP at a glance: one-page summary template for teachers
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
An IEP at a glance is a one-page summary of a student's IEP for the teachers who carry it out. It lists strengths, goals in plain words, accommodations with when and how much, services, behavior notes and the contact person. Use the fill-in template below, then compare it with the completed example before you share it.
A full IEP can run 20 to 40 pages. A general education teacher with 150 students will not read every page in the first week. A one-page summary gives each teacher what they need to act on the first day: what the student is working on, which supports to give, and who to ask.
The regulations require the district to make the IEP accessible to each teacher and provider responsible for it, and to tell each one about their specific duties, including accommodations, modifications and supports.[1] An IEP at a glance is a common way to do the second part. It does not replace the IEP, and teachers should still have access to the full document.
What goes on an IEP at a glance
Keep it to one page. If it spills onto a second page, cut words, not sections.
- Student, grade, case manager and contact details
- IEP dates: meeting date, annual review due date, next reevaluation
- Strengths and interests
- Goals in plain words, with the area and the target
- Accommodations, each with when and how much
- Modifications, if any, with the grading rule
- Services: who, how often, where
- Behavior or health notes
- Testing accommodations
- Communication plan with the family
Fill-in IEP at a glance template
Copy this table into your document or district form. Replace each blank.
| Section | What to write | Your entry |
|---|---|---|
| Student and grade | First name, grade, homeroom | ______ |
| Case manager | Name, room, email, best time to reach | ______ |
| IEP dates | Meeting date, annual review due, reevaluation due | ______ |
| Strengths and interests | 2 or 3 things the student does well or cares about | ______ |
| Goal 1 | Area, plain-words target, how it is measured | ______ |
| Goal 2 | Area, plain-words target, how it is measured | ______ |
| Goal 3 | Area, plain-words target, how it is measured | ______ |
| Accommodations | Each one with when, how much, who | ______ |
| Modifications | Class, change, grading rule; or "None" | ______ |
| Services | Service, minutes per week, setting, provider | ______ |
| Behavior and health | Triggers, what helps, any plan to follow | ______ |
| Testing | Accommodations for classroom and state tests | ______ |
| Family contact | Preferred contact, language, how often | ______ |
Completed example
Ava is a fictional 6th grader. Her IEP is for a specific learning disability in reading comprehension. The details are made up to show the format.
| Section | Entry |
|---|---|
| Student and grade | Ava, grade 6, homeroom 114 |
| Case manager | Resource teacher, room 210, school email, free 3rd period |
| IEP dates | Meeting Oct 8, 2026; annual review due Oct 7, 2027; reevaluation due Sept 2028 |
| Strengths and interests | Strong listening comprehension. Draws detailed diagrams. Loves animals and wants to be a vet. |
| Goal 1: reading comprehension | Find the main idea and 2 supporting details in a grade 6 informational passage. Now 1 of 5 passages; target 4 of 5. Probed every 2 weeks by the resource teacher. |
| Goal 2: reading comprehension | Answer inference questions with a quote from the text. Now 30% of questions; target 75%. Probed every 2 weeks. |
| Goal 3: written expression | Write a paragraph with a topic sentence, 3 details and a closing. Now 4 of 12 rubric points; target 10 of 12. Monthly writing sample. |
| Accommodations | Text-to-speech for science and social studies readings (all units, student's laptop). Guided notes for lectures over 15 minutes (classroom teacher). Time and a half on tests over 10 items (classroom teacher). |
| Modifications | None. Graded on grade-level standards. |
| Services | Specialized reading instruction, 200 minutes per week in the resource room. Consult with English teacher, 30 minutes per month. |
| Behavior and health | Shuts down when asked to read aloud in front of peers. Do not call on her to read aloud without warning; offer a passage the day before. |
| Testing | Questions read aloud on math, science and social studies tests. Small group. Same on state tests where allowed. |
| Family contact | Mother prefers email, English. Weekly note on Friday from the resource teacher. |
Notice the goal rows. Each says the area, what Ava does now, the target, and how it is measured, in about 30 words. The full wording stays in the IEP. For the complete goal language, see the reading comprehension goal templates and the main idea goals.
Notes on each section
Strengths come first
Teachers form a picture of a student in the first week. Leading with strengths sets that picture well. "Strong listening comprehension" also tells the science teacher that audio access will work for Ava. Parents notice when strengths are missing, and they notice when strengths are generic. "Kind and hard-working" says little; "draws detailed diagrams" gives a teacher something to use.
Goals in plain words
Teachers need to know what to watch for, not the full condition and criterion. Name the skill and the target in one line. Reviewers and parents look for the numbers: a goal summary with no baseline or target cannot be checked. The IEP itself must state how progress on each goal will be measured.[2] If your full goals lack numbers, fix the goals before the summary. The goal checker flags vague parts.
Accommodations with when and how much
This is the section teachers use most. Each accommodation needs when it applies, how much, and who provides it. "Extended time" is not enough; "time and a half on tests over 10 items" is. The IEP accommodations guide explains the rule, and the accommodations list by need area gives 20 written examples.
Modifications and grading
Write "None" when there are none. Teachers otherwise assume the student's work can be reduced. If there are modifications, state the grading rule in one sentence. The accommodations vs modifications page has the deciding test if you are unsure.
Services
List minutes per week and the setting. A teacher who knows Ava leaves for resource reading during 2nd period will not schedule quizzes then.
Behavior and health
Write what to do, not only what to avoid. "Offer a passage the day before" is more useful than "anxious about reading." If there is a behavior plan or health plan, name it and say where to find it.
Testing
Copy the testing accommodations exactly as the IEP states them, including which subjects. State test rules differ, so note "where allowed" when the state manual has limits. The page on testing accommodations covers the rules.
How to share it
- Send the summary to every teacher and provider in the first week of the year, and again after any amendment.
- Meet briefly with each general education teacher, even 10 minutes, to walk through the accommodations.
- Ask teachers to confirm they received it. Keep the confirmation with your case notes.
- Mark the summary confidential. It holds private student information, so store and share it under district privacy rules.
- Update it when the IEP changes. An old summary is worse than none, because teachers follow it.
Common mistakes
- A summary longer than one page. Teachers skim. Cut repeated words and long goal language.
- Accommodations without limits. "Breaks as needed" invites guesswork. Write the number and length.
- No contact person. A teacher with a question needs a name and a time.
- Copied from last year. Check the dates. If the review date has passed, the summary is out of date.
The glossary terms on accommodation and modification are short enough to link in the email you send with the summary.
Frequently asked questions
Is an IEP at a glance a legal document?
No. The IEP is the legal document. The summary is a working tool that helps teachers carry out the IEP. If the two ever disagree, the IEP wins, so update the summary whenever the IEP changes.
Who writes the IEP at a glance?
Usually the case manager or the special education teacher who wrote the IEP. Some districts generate one from the IEP software. Either way, read it before you send it, because generated versions often cut the limits from accommodations.
Should parents get a copy of the IEP at a glance?
Many case managers share it with families. It shows parents exactly what teachers were told, and parents often catch an error or a missing support. Families already receive a copy of the full IEP.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Comprehension goals (reading)
- Reading comprehension strategies goal hub
- Reading comprehension in the IEP glossary
- Accommodation in the IEP glossary
- Modification in the IEP glossary
Related guides
- IEP accommodations: how to choose, write and track them
- IEP accommodations list by need area
- Accommodations vs modifications: 30 side-by-side examples
- Testing accommodations for students with IEPs
- How general education teachers implement IEP accommodations
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.323: When IEPs must be in effect, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.