To write an effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a child with a disability, parents, teachers, other school staff—and often the child —come together at a meeting to look closely at the child’s unique needs. This team of individuals combine their knowledge, experience, and commitment to design an educational program that must help the child to be involved in, and progress in, the general education curriculum—that is, the same curriculum as for children without disabilities. The IEP guides the delivery of special education and related services and supplementary aids and supports for the child with a disability. Without a doubt, writing—and implementing—an effective IEP requires teamwork.
In Texas, the IEP Team is called the ARD committee and an IEP meeting is referred to as an ARD meeting (ARD stands for Admission, Review and Dismissal).
So–who’s on the ARD committee?
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Texas rules, certain people must be part of your child’s ARD committee. It is important to note that there doesn’t have to be a different person for every role. Often, one person carries more than one responsibility on the committee.
You, as Parent or Guardian
Federal rules recognize the importance of input from the parents of a child with a disability. In developing the IEP, “the IEP Team [ARD committee] must consider- (i) The strengths of the child; (ii) The concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child” Sec. 300.324 (a)
- You know your child very well—not just this or her strengths and weaknesses, but all the little qualities that make your child unique.
- Your knowledge can keep the other members of the ARD committee focused on the “big picture” of your child; you can help the committee members create an IEP that will work appropriately for your child.
- You can describe what goals are most important to you and your child, share your concerns and suggestions for enhancing your child’s education, and give insights into his or her interests, likes and dislikes, and learning styles.
- By being an active ARD committee member, you can also infuse the IEP development process with thought about long-term needs for your child’s successful adult life.
Being actively involved in developing your child’s IEP is a parent’s right and a parent’s choice. This means that the school must:
- Notify you of the meeting early enough to ensure that you (one or both of the parents) have an opportunity to attend [§300.322(a)(1)];
- Schedule the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place [§300.322(a)(2)]; and
- Take whatever action is necessary to ensure that you understand the proceedings of the meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents with deafness or whose native language is other than English [§300.322(e)].
Representative of the School District
The representative of the school district should be knowledgeable about the general education curriculum and about the availability of resources of the school district. They must also be qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities.
General Education Teacher
At least one general education teacher, if your child is (or may be) participating in the general education class.
To the extent practicable, this ARD committee member should be a teacher who is responsible for implementing a portion of your child’s IEP. They should be able to share insights when the ARD committee is considering, if appropriate positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies are needed, and determining which supplementary aids and services, accommodations, program modifications, and support for school personnel are needed to help your child:
- Make progress toward attaining the annual goals;
- Be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum;
- Participate in extracurricular activities and other nonacademic activities; and
- Be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and those who are not disabled [§300.324(a)(3)(ii) and §300.320(a)(4)].
This ARD committee member can also provide insights on whether the curriculum needs to be adapted, reading materials written at a lower reading level, assistive technology provided, or an aide, or student buddy for your child.
You and the school district can invite additional teachers or have them provide written reports for the ARD committee to consider. This input is important in developing the required statement of your child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). It is very important that all of your child’s teachers be well-informed about his or her IEP—what his or her goals are, what classroom or testing accommodations are to be provided, and what supplementary aids and services are necessary so your child can access and progress in the general education curriculum.
Special Education Teacher
At least one of your child’s special education teachers or, if appropriate, at least one special education provider who works with your child.
The education teacher can contribute information and experience about how to educate children with disabilities. Because of his or her training in special education, this teacher can talk about such issues as:
- How to modify the general education curriculum to help your child learn;
- The supplementary aids and services that the child may need to be successful in the regular classroom and elsewhere; and
- Other aspects of individualizing instruction, including accommodations to meet the child’s unique needs
If your child is already served by special education, this person will have experience, and data regarding their needs, what works and does not work, behavior, and, social skills.
If your child will moving to another school campus in the next school year, you can request that school staff from the new campus attend the current year’s annual ARD meeting.
Evaluation Personnel
The ARD committee must include an individual who can interpret what your child’s evaluation results mean in terms of designing appropriate instruction. As stated in IDEA, this is “an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results.”
Evaluation results are very useful in determining how your child is currently doing in school and his or her areas of need and strength. This person can discuss information on your child’s functional, developmental, academic performance, identified needs, and interpret the instructional implications of the evaluation results. Recommendations to address your child’s needs can be very helpful as services and supports are discussed during the ARD meeting.
This individual could be a school psychologist, an educational diagnostician, an administrator, or one of your child’s teachers.
Your Child (Student)
Operating on the premise that the student with a disability—who is the focus of all this discussion and planning— may have something vital to contribute to planning his or her educational program and future, IDEA clearly provides for the child’s inclusion in, and participation on, the ARD committee whenever appropriate.
If the ARD committee will be talking about how to prepare your child for life after high school (called transition planning), your child must be invited to the meeting. In Texas, transition planning must begin for your child no later than the age of 14.
Outside of the required involvement of your child in transitioning planning, deciding when and how your child will participate in the ARD meeting is a decision you and your child can make. Some children in elementary school come to the meeting just to learn a little about the process or to share information about themselves. As children get older, it may be a good idea to encourage them to take a more active role. This allows them to have a strong voice in their own education and can teach them a great deal about self-advocacy and self-determination.
A child does not have to stay for all of the meeting and they can provide written or video input. Older children may even lead the ARD meeting and specific materials exist to help them get ready for such a role. A variety of resources are available to assist in helping a student learn self-advocacy skills.
Others with Knowledge or Special Expertise About Your Child
IDEA rules allow the parent or the school district to invite others to join the ARD committee, if they have knowledge or special expertise about the child. IDEA specifically mentions that such individuals may include related services personnel, as appropriate.
Many parents find it helpful to have a support person at the ARD meeting. This may be another parent, a friend, an advocate, or a consultant. Others could include student friends, specialists, tutors, educational consultants, or school staff. It can also include therapists or other related services personnel who work with your child.
If your child is:
- A student with a suspected or documented visual impairment, the ARD committee shall include a teacher who is certified in the education of students with visual impairments.
- A student with a suspected or documented auditory impairment, the ARD committee must include a teacher who is certified in the education of students with auditory impairments.
- A student with suspected or documented deaf‐blindness, the ARD committee must include a teacher who is certified in the education of students with visual impairments and a teacher who is certified in the education of students with auditory impairments.
- A student who is being considered for initial or continued placement in career and technical education (CTE), the ARD committee must include a representative from CTE, preferably the teacher.
- A student with a disability that has been identified or is in the process of being identified as an emergent bilingual (EB)/English learner (EL), the ARD committee must work with the language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC) to ensure appropriate identification and reclassification of the student and recommended placement in bilingual education or English as a second language (ESL) program [19 TAC §89.1226 (h), (l), and (m)]
Other individuals who may be at an ARD committee meeting. In addition to the people listed above, you and the school can invite other people to the ARD meeting. This can include:
- Translators or interpreters. If English is not your first language, or if you communicate by using sign language or in another mode, the law says the school must provide an interpreter, if you ask for one.
- Transition personnel. If the ARD meeting will include planning for your child’s life after high school, staff from outside agencies may be invited to attend with your consent. This is especially important, if an outside agency may be responsible for providing or paying for transition services. In Texas, this could be Texas Workforce Solutions’ Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Vocational Rehabilitation Services supports youth and students with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, maintain and advance in meaningful employment by providing a range of services based on an individual’s employment goals. For more information, go to Vocational Rehabilitation – Youth & Students | Texas Workforce Commission
- Related Service Providers, and Evaluators, not employed by the school. See Others with Knowledge or Special Expertise.
Who decides if the individual has the necessary knowledge or expertise?
These individuals participate as ARD committee members at the discretion of the parents or the school system. IDEA does not answer these questions. IDEA says that it is “the party (parents or public agency) who invited the individual to be a member of the IEP Team [ARD Committee]” who makes the determination of whether or not the person invited has the knowledge or special expertise about the child [§300.321(d)].