TEA’s simplified model IEP form now available

In an effort to reduce the amount of special education paperwork, legislators passed SB 1788 last session requiring the Texas Education Agency to develop a simplified model IEP form that school districts can choose to use. The legislation provides that the form must contain only the information required in the federal model form and under state laws and rules above and beyond what’s required by  the federal law.

TEA solicited public comment on the draft model form from interested stakeholders across the state through Nov. 7, 2011. TCTA submitted comments and encouraged our members to do so as well.

Specifically, TCTA commented that it was our understanding that the form was to be tailored according to each content area (as well as skill/service area) in which the student is identified as needing special education services; for example, the information on the form provided to a student’s math teacher would be relevant only to that particular content area. TCTA stated that although we generally favor that concept, so that a particular teacher doesn’t have to wade through volumes of information in order to get to the specific parts that are relevant to him/her, we also think it’s important for each affected teacher to be aware of the overall instructional plan for a given student.  Accordingly, we suggested that the form include a summary page noting the student’s other identified areas of need and how they will be addressed.

We also pointed out that some important items were missing from the model IEP form.  Although we understand that the controlling statute requires the form to only include certain information, we believe that several important items missing from the form could be legally included, including a section on behavior considerations. Unfortunately, TEA did not make the changes TCTA requested.  The IEP model form is posted on the TEA website.