If your child receives speech or language support at school, that support is written into a document called an Individualized Education Program, or IEP. For many parents, the first IEP meeting feels like a lot: a long form, unfamiliar terms, and a room full of school staff. This guide explains, in plain language, where speech and language show up in an IEP, what a well-written goal looks like, and what you can ask along the way.
This article summarizes the federal special education regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and parent guidance from the federally funded Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR). It's general information, not legal advice. Arizona schools also follow state and district policies, which CPIR notes "must be based on, and consistent with, IDEA's minimum requirements" but often add details, so it's worth asking your district for its parent guide.[6]
Where does speech therapy fit in an IEP?
Under IDEA, an IEP is "a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting."[1] Speech and language support can appear in it in more than one way. IDEA's list of "related services," the supportive services a child may need "to benefit from special education," includes "speech-language pathology and audiology services."[5] The regulations describe speech-language pathology services as including identification and diagnosis of speech or language impairments, "provision of speech and language services for the habilitation or prevention of communicative impairments," and "counseling and guidance of parents, children, and teachers regarding speech and language impairments."[5]
CPIR adds that "goals can be written for a related service just as they are for other special education services," and that parents don't pay for related services written into the IEP: "School districts may not charge parents of eligible students with disabilities for the costs of related services that have been included on the child's IEP."[7]
Before an IEP is written, a child first has to be found eligible for special education. If your child was evaluated and didn't qualify, our post on why some kids don't qualify for school speech services explains how that decision works.
What is the "present levels" section, and why does it matter?
Every IEP must start with "a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance," including how the disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (or, for preschoolers, in appropriate activities).[1] CPIR lists "communication skills" among the areas present levels can cover, and calls this section "the foundation for all of the IEP," because "goals are written based upon your child's present levels."[6]
According to CPIR, a well-written present levels statement describes your child's strengths and weaknesses, what helps and what interferes with learning, "objective data from current evaluations," and how the disability affects participation in the general curriculum. Information you share as a parent can be included too.[6] For speech and language, that might mean describing which sounds or language skills are hard, how well your child is understood, and how communication affects classwork or friendships.
What does a good speech or language goal look like?
IDEA requires "a statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals."[1] CPIR explains that an annual goal "describes what your child can be expected to do or learn within a 12-month period," and that a well-written goal should "be positive" and "describe a skill that can be seen and measured."[6] CPIR suggests a goal should answer five questions:[6]
- Who will achieve?
- What skill or behavior?
- How, in what manner or at what level?
- Where, in what setting or under what conditions?
- When, by what time or ending date?
As a made-up illustration only (every child's goals depend on their own evaluation), compare a vague goal like "will improve her speech" with something closer to that format: "By the annual review, when retelling a short classroom story, the student will include the main characters, the problem, and the ending, as measured by the SLP's data on retells." The second version names a skill you can see, a setting, a criterion, and a timeframe.
CPIR also notes that short-term objectives or benchmarks are no longer required in most IEPs, "except for children who will be taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards."[6]
A question to bring to the meeting: For each speech or language goal, ask "How will we know if this goal is met?" IDEA requires the IEP to describe "how the child's progress toward meeting the annual goals ... will be measured."[1]
How much speech therapy will my child get, and where?
The IEP must list the special education and related services the child will receive and include "the projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications ... and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications."[1] CPIR puts this simply: the IEP must specify for each service "when the service will begin," "how often it will be provided and for what amount of time," and "where it will be provided."[7]
CPIR describes the IEP as "a written commitment for the delivery of services" and states that "a school district must ensure that all of the related services specified in the IEP, including the amount, are provided."[7] It adds that "changes in the amount of services listed in the IEP cannot be made without holding another IEP meeting," although some scheduling adjustments may be possible without one if the overall amount doesn't change.[7] (The regulations also allow parents and the school to agree to amend an IEP in writing without a full meeting after the annual meeting.[4]) The amount and setting are team decisions based on the individual child, so there isn't a standard number of minutes.
Who is on the IEP team, and what's my role?
IDEA lists the required members of the IEP team, starting with "the parents of the child." The team also includes at least one regular education teacher (if the child is or may be in the regular classroom), at least one special education teacher or provider, a school district representative, and someone who can interpret evaluation results. At the parent's or school's discretion, it can include "other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate."[2] CPIR notes that IDEA doesn't expressly require related services staff on the team, but that if a related service will be discussed, "it would be appropriate for such personnel to be included or otherwise involved."[7]
When developing the IEP, the team must consider "the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child," along with the child's strengths, evaluation results, and needs. The team must also "consider the communication needs of the child."[4] CPIR encourages parents to "tell the team what goals are most important to you and to your child" and reminds them, "As a parent, you are an equal member of the IEP team and an expert on your child."[6]
The school must notify you of the meeting early enough for you to attend, schedule it "at a mutually agreed on time and place," arrange an interpreter when needed, and give you a copy of the IEP "at no cost to the parent."[3] If your child has also had a private evaluation, you can share it; our post on private vs. school speech evaluations covers how the two differ.
How will I know if my child is making progress?
The IEP must say when you'll get periodic progress reports, "such as through the use of quarterly or other periodic reports, concurrent with the issuance of report cards."[1] The team must review the IEP "periodically, but not less than annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved," and revise it as appropriate to address "any lack of expected progress."[4] CPIR adds that the IEP "must be reviewed at least once every 12 months," and that "you may ask for an IEP meeting at any time, if you feel that changes need to be made to your child's educational program."[6]
A few questions parents often find useful when reading a progress report:
- Is my child on track to meet each speech or language goal by the end of the IEP year?
- What does the data show, and how was it collected?
- Is my child using these skills in the classroom, not just in therapy sessions?
- Is there anything I can practice at home? (Our parent training page describes how coaching parents can fit in.)
The bottom line
An IEP is meant to be a plan built around your child's present levels, with measurable goals, a clear statement of how much speech-language service your child will get and where, and regular reports on progress. You're a required member of the team, and you can ask questions, share what you see at home, and request a meeting if something isn't working. If you have concerns about your child's speech or language, a speech-language pathologist can talk through your child's individual needs with you.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education (n.d.). 34 CFR 300.320 Definition of individualized education program. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
- U.S. Department of Education (n.d.). 34 CFR 300.321 IEP Team. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
- U.S. Department of Education (n.d.). 34 CFR 300.322 Parent participation. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
- U.S. Department of Education (n.d.). 34 CFR 300.324 Development, review, and revision of IEP. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
- U.S. Department of Education (n.d.). 34 CFR 300.34 Related services. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
- Rebhorn, T. (2023). Developing Your Child's IEP. Center for Parent Information and Resources.
- Center for Parent Information and Resources (2017). Specifying Related Services in the IEP.
Articles from Speech Me Therapy, a pediatric speech-language therapy practice in North Phoenix serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and families across Arizona by telehealth. Our posts summarize published guidance from professional and public health organizations; sources are listed at the end of every article.