IEP template: an annotated sample IEP
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
An IEP template follows the contents federal law requires: present levels, measurable annual goals, how progress is measured and reported, services and supports, participation with nondisabled peers, assessment accommodations, and service dates, frequency, location and duration. Transition sections start by age 16. Your state or district form will look different, but it must cover the same parts.
This page gives you a fill-in IEP structure in the order of the federal regulation, then the same structure completed for a fictional student. Each section has a short note on what compliance reviewers and parents look at. It is a drafting aid. Your district's form, usually built into an IEP software system, is the document of record.
If you need the plain-language overview, read what an IEP is. If you want a checklist to review a finished IEP, use what should be included in an IEP. This page is the blank form in between.
Why every template has the same bones
The required contents of an IEP are listed in one federal regulation.[1] States add fields, rename sections and change the order, but they cannot drop the federal parts. Some states add a vision statement, a parent concerns section, or state test eligibility pages. The IEP team must also consider special factors, such as behavior, language needs, Braille, communication and assistive technology.[5]
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The fill-in template
Copy each table into your draft and replace the right column. The middle column says what the field should contain.
Part 1: Student and meeting information
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Student, grade, school | Name, grade, school, date of birth | (fill in) |
| Meeting type and date | Initial, annual, amendment or reevaluation; date held | (fill in) |
| Disability category | Primary, and secondary if any, from the eligibility report | (fill in) |
| Team members present | Names and roles; parent, general and special education teacher, district representative, someone who can interpret evaluations[2] | (fill in) |
| Parent participation | How the parent took part: in person, phone, video | (fill in) |
What reviewers check: that the required members attended or were excused in writing, and that the parent was invited in time.[3]
Part 2: Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | Specific skills, interests and what works | (fill in) |
| Parent concerns | In the parent's words where possible | (fill in) |
| Current performance by area | Recent data with dates, measures and conditions | (fill in) |
| Effect on involvement and progress in the general curriculum | How the disability affects access to grade-level work | (fill in) |
| Special factors considered | Behavior, English learner needs, Braille, communication, deaf or hard of hearing, assistive technology: yes or no, with notes | (fill in) |
What parents look for: their own child, recognizable. What reviewers check: that each goal has a baseline here. The PLAAFP template expands this part.
Part 3: Measurable annual goals
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Area | Reading, math, behavior, communication and so on | (fill in) |
| Baseline | Number, unit and date, copied from present levels | (fill in) |
| Annual goal | Condition, behavior, criterion and timeframe | (fill in) |
| Short-term objectives or benchmarks | Required for students who take alternate assessments; optional or state-required for others | (fill in) |
| How progress is measured | Method and data sheet, such as words correct per minute or percent accuracy | (fill in) |
| When progress is reported | For example, with each report card | (fill in) |
What reviewers check: that every goal is measurable and has a reporting schedule.[1] Paste each goal into the goal checker before the meeting.
Part 4: Special education, related services and supports
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Specially designed instruction | What, by whom, minutes per week, setting | (fill in) |
| Related services | Speech, OT, counseling, transportation and so on, with minutes and setting | (fill in) |
| Supplementary aids and services | Supports in general education classes | (fill in) |
| Accommodations and modifications | Each with when and how much | (fill in) |
| Supports for school personnel | Training or consultation staff need | (fill in) |
| Extended school year | Considered: yes or no, decision and reason | (fill in) |
What reviewers check: that services match the needs in present levels and that minutes are stated as a number, not "as needed." See IEP services and minutes.
Part 5: Participation with nondisabled peers
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Time outside general education | Minutes or percent of the school day | (fill in) |
| Explanation | Why the student will not take part in general education for that time | (fill in) |
What reviewers check: an actual explanation, not a placement name. The least restrictive environment guide covers this decision.
Part 6: State and district assessments
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment participation | General assessment with or without accommodations, or alternate assessment | (fill in) |
| Accommodations | Only those the state manual allows | (fill in) |
| If alternate assessment | Why the student cannot take the regular test and why the alternate is appropriate | (fill in) |
Part 7: Service dates
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Start date | When services begin | (fill in) |
| Frequency, location, duration | For each service | (fill in) |
| Annual review due | No more than one year later | (fill in) |
The IEP must be in effect at the start of each school year, and services must begin as soon as possible after the meeting.[4]
Part 8: Transition (by age 16, or younger in some states)
| Field | What goes here | Your draft |
|---|---|---|
| Transition assessments | Interest inventories, interviews, situational assessments, with dates | (fill in) |
| Postsecondary goals | Education or training, employment, and independent living where appropriate | (fill in) |
| Transition services and course of study | Classes and activities that move toward the goals | (fill in) |
| Transfer of rights | Notice given at least one year before the age of majority | (fill in) |
What reviewers check: that postsecondary goals are measurable and based on assessment. Many states begin transition planning at 14.
A completed example
The student below is fictional. Numbers are illustrations, not targets.
Part 1, completed
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Student, grade, school | Jordan R., grade 4, Lincoln Elementary |
| Meeting type and date | Annual review, October 14 |
| Disability category | Specific learning disability (basic reading skill, reading fluency) |
| Team members present | Parent, special education teacher (case manager), grade 4 teacher, school psychologist, assistant principal |
Part 2, completed
Strengths. Jordan explains science ideas clearly in discussion, builds detailed models, and works well with a partner.
Parent concerns. "He hates reading out loud and says he is dumb. Homework takes over an hour."
Current performance. On three grade 4 oral reading probes (September 22 to October 6), Jordan read a median of 62 words correct per minute with 91% accuracy. On a 40-word multisyllabic word list, he read 18 words correctly. When text is read aloud, he answers 8 of 10 grade-level comprehension questions correctly.
Effect on the general curriculum. Jordan's decoding and fluency limit his access to grade 4 texts in all subjects. He understands grade-level content when he hears it.
Special factors. Assistive technology: yes, text-to-speech for content reading. Others: no.
Part 3, completed
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Baseline | 62 words correct per minute, 91% accuracy, grade 4 passages (October 6) |
| Annual goal | Given an unpracticed grade 4 passage, Jordan will read 95 words correct per minute with at least 96% accuracy, median of 3 probes, by October 13 next year |
| Benchmarks | 72 by January, 84 by April |
| How measured | 1-minute oral reading probes, weekly, on the reading fluency data sheet |
| When reported | With each quarterly report card |
A second goal targets multisyllabic decoding, from 18 of 40 words to 34 of 40, measured every two weeks.
Parts 4 to 7, completed
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Specially designed instruction | Structured literacy in decoding and fluency, special education teacher, 225 minutes per week, resource room |
| Related services | None |
| Accommodations | Text-to-speech for science and social studies readings; tests read aloud except reading tests; time and a half on tests over 15 minutes |
| Supports for personnel | Grade 4 teacher meets with the case manager 15 minutes every two weeks |
| Extended school year | Considered; not needed, no significant regression shown |
| Time outside general education | 225 minutes per week (about 12% of the school week) |
| Explanation | Jordan needs small-group, explicit decoding instruction that is not provided in the grade 4 classroom |
| Assessments | General state test with accommodations allowed by the state manual |
| Start date and review | October 15; annual review by October 13 next year |
Jordan is 9, so Part 8 does not apply yet.
Section notes: what reviewers and parents look for
| Section | Reviewers often flag | Parents often ask |
|---|---|---|
| Present levels | No data, old data, no effect statement | Does this sound like my child? |
| Goals | Not measurable, no baseline, no reporting schedule | How will I know if it is working? |
| Services | "As needed" minutes, unclear provider | Who will teach this, and where? |
| Nondisabled peers | Placement named but not explained | Why is my child pulled out? |
| Assessments | Accommodations not in the state manual | Will this help on the state test? |
| Transition | Goals not measurable, no assessment listed | What happens after high school? |
For the parent side, the page on understanding IEP goals explains goals in plain language. The IEP at a glance template turns a long IEP into a one-page summary for teachers. Glossary entries define the IEP, PLAAFP and measurable annual goal. The Center for Parent Information and Resources also explains each required part in plain language.[6]
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official IEP template?
No single national form is required. The federal regulation lists what an IEP must contain, and each state or district builds its own form, often inside IEP software. A model form may be offered by your state education agency.
Can I use a different IEP template than my district's?
You can draft in any format, but the IEP of record is the one on your district's form. Use a template like this to plan content, then move it into the official system.
What sections are required in every IEP?
Present levels, measurable annual goals, how and when progress is reported, services and supports, an explanation of time away from nondisabled peers, assessment participation and accommodations, and service dates, frequency, location and duration. Transition sections are required by age 16.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- IEP in the IEP glossary
- PLAAFP in the IEP glossary
- Measurable annual goal in the IEP glossary
- Reading fluency data sheet
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- What is an IEP? A plain guide to the plan and what is in it
- What should be included in an IEP: a printable checklist
- IEP vs 504 plan: differences, examples and how to choose
- PLAAFP template with sentence starters
- IEP services and minutes: how to write the services page
- How to read an IEP, section by section
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 §300.322: Parent participation, 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
- Contents of the IEP, CPIR
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.