What general education teachers need to know about a student's IEP
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A general education teacher is entitled to see each student's IEP, must be told their specific duties under it, and carry out the accommodations, modifications and supports it lists. At least one general education teacher joins the IEP team and helps decide behavior supports and classroom aids. Teachers also share classroom data for progress reports and keep the IEP confidential.
If a student in your class has an IEP, parts of it are your job, not only the case manager's. The law expects you to know what the IEP says about your class and to follow it. The good news is that the parts that land on you are usually short and specific. This page follows one fictional student through a school year to show what that looks like, then gives a rules table.
For the basics of the document itself, see what an IEP is. If the student has a 504 plan instead, the same habits apply; see what a 504 plan is.
What the law asks of general education teachers
Four rules cover most of it:
- Access and notice. Each regular education teacher responsible for carrying out the IEP is entitled to see it and must be told their specific responsibilities, including the accommodations, modifications and supports to provide.[3]
- A seat on the team. The IEP team includes at least one regular education teacher of the student if the student is, or may be, in regular education.[2]
- A voice in decisions. That teacher helps decide positive behavioral interventions, supplementary aids and services, program modifications and supports for school staff, to the extent appropriate.[4]
- Privacy. Student records, including the IEP, are protected education records. Share them only with staff who have a legitimate educational interest.[5]
The IEP itself must list the supplementary aids, services and supports for school staff that let the student take part in the general curriculum.[1] Those lines are the ones you carry out.
One student's year: Ava in 6th grade science
Ava is a fictional 6th grader with an IEP under specific learning disability in reading. You teach her science, 5 periods a week, 50 minutes each.
August 20, before school starts. The case manager emails an IEP at a glance: one page with Ava's 3 goals, 5 accommodations and contact info. You read it and note the two that affect labs: text-to-speech for readings, and directions given in writing as well as aloud. The IEP at a glance template shows what a good one looks like.
September 5. You post the week's readings on the class page by Monday so Ava can use text-to-speech. On the first quiz, you read questions aloud to her table group. You note on the accommodation tracking sheet which supports she used.
October 1. The case manager asks for classroom data on Ava's reading goal: answering questions from a science text. You give a 6-question check on a short article every two weeks. Ava answers 2, 3 and 3 of 6 correctly on the first three checks. You enter those on the shared data sheet. Two minutes of your time each time.
November 12, quarterly progress report. The case manager writes the report using your numbers and the resource room probes. You add one sentence: "Ava explains lab results well aloud but loses details when she reads the procedure."
February 3, annual IEP meeting. You attend for the first 20 minutes. The team asks you three things:
- What works in your class? "Partner reading of procedures, and the written step list."
- What still gets in the way? "Vocabulary. She misses 4 or 5 of the 10 unit words on quizzes."
- What would help you? "A short list of unit vocabulary each month so I can preview words."
The team adds a vocabulary preview accommodation and 15 minutes of consultation every two weeks between you and the case manager. That is a support for school staff, and you helped decide it.[4]
May 20. Ava's reading checks have risen to 5 of 6 correct on the last two probes. Your data helped show the goal was working.
Rules table, and where states differ
| Topic | Federal rule | Where states and districts differ |
|---|---|---|
| Access to the IEP | Every teacher responsible for carrying it out has access and is told their duties | Whether you get the full IEP or a summary; how access works in IEP software |
| IEP meeting attendance | At least one regular education teacher of the student is a team member | Which teacher attends when the student has several; excusal forms |
| Excusal from the meeting | Allowed with written parent agreement; written input may be required if your area is discussed | Local excusal forms and deadlines |
| Accommodations | Must be provided as written | How implementation is checked; logs or none |
| Progress data | The IEP states how progress is measured; anyone may collect data | Who collects data in general education; shared data systems |
| Grading | Report cards may reflect special education; transcripts generally should not reveal disability | District grading policies for modified work |
| Confidentiality | Records protected under FERPA | Local rules on emailing IEP content |
The excusal rule is part of the IEP team regulation.[2] The grading rule comes from federal guidance on report cards and transcripts.[6] The grading students with IEPs guide works through examples.
Accommodations vs modifications in your class
An accommodation changes how the student learns or shows learning: extra time, audio text, a seat near you. A modification changes what the student is expected to learn: fewer standards, an easier text, a different rubric. You provide both if the IEP lists them, but you cannot add a modification on your own and you cannot skip an accommodation because it is inconvenient. The guide on accommodations vs modifications has examples, and how to implement IEP accommodations covers the daily routine.
Goals you might help with
Some IEP goals live in general education settings, such as following multi-step directions, starting work, or using a strategy during class reading. The library collects goals for the general education setting and goals often supported by general education teachers. When a goal is measured in your class, ask the case manager for the exact data sheet and how often to use it.
Common mistakes and better habits
- Weak: reading the IEP once in August. Better: keep the one-page summary in your sub plans and gradebook.
- Weak: "She didn't need extra time today, so I didn't offer it." Better: offer it every time; the student decides whether to use it.
- Weak: sending IEP details by group email. Better: share only with staff who work with the student.
- Weak: skipping the meeting because the case manager "has it covered." Better: bring 3 classroom facts with numbers.
For the case manager's side of this partnership, see case manager responsibilities. The glossary entry on the IEP team lists every required member.
Frequently asked questions
Is a general education teacher required to attend IEP meetings?
At least one regular education teacher of the student is a required IEP team member if the student is or may be in regular education. A member can be excused with the parent's written agreement, sometimes with written input submitted first.
What happens if a teacher does not follow the IEP?
The school is responsible for providing what the IEP says. Parents can raise the issue with the case manager or principal, request a meeting, or use dispute options such as a state complaint. Teachers should talk with the case manager when an item is hard to carry out.
Can a general education teacher change accommodations?
Not alone. Accommodations are decided by the IEP team and changed by the team, either at a meeting or through an agreed amendment. If an accommodation is not working, tell the case manager and bring data.
Do general education teachers write IEP goals?
Usually the special education teacher drafts goals, but the general education teacher shares classroom data and helps the team decide supports. Some districts ask general education teachers to collect data on goals measured in their class.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Goals for the general education setting
- Goals for the General education teacher role
- IEP in the IEP glossary
- IEP team in the IEP glossary
- Accommodation in the IEP glossary
Related guides
- What is an IEP? A plain guide to the plan and what is in it
- IEP vs 504 plan: differences, examples and how to choose
- What is a 504 plan? Eligibility, contents and an example
- IEP template: an annotated sample IEP
- The IEP case manager's handbook: responsibilities, calendar and tools
- The special education process, step by step
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.321: IEP Team, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.323: When IEPs must be in effect, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- FERPA, Protecting Student Privacy, U.S. Department of Education
- Dear Colleague Letter: Report Cards and Transcripts for Students with Disabilities (October 17, 2008), U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
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.