-
Find Child
This is the beginning of the process, where the school system, parents, teachers, or someone else refers the child to the IEP team in order to begin further evaluations as to whether or not the child needs special education services. This is the case for all students, not just ones that the school is already providing special education services to. link text -
Period: to
Referral
The next step is for the referral to be sent to the LEA (Local Education Agency) for review. This referral should always be done in writing, and the person making the referral should keep a copy of all letters for future reference. The LEA has 15 days to schedule an IEP team meetings, including the parent(s) of the student in question (Steps in the NH Special Education Process).
- pamphlet created by Parent Information Center on Special Education, out of Concord NH. http://www.nhspecialed.org/ -
Referral Process
When the IEP team meets with the parent(s) to discuss the process, they will decide whether to begin providing special education services right away or if further testing is needed to figure out what kind of service is best for the student. No testing can be done without parent consent (written), and all decisions/recommendations by the IEP must be made in writing and given to the parents.
https://nhspecialed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/9.17-Steps-in-NH-Special-Education-1.pdf -
IEP Meetings
Parents must be given a 10 day notice before any IEP meeting. This can be done through e-mail with the parents consent, or via mail as long as the letter is sent 12 days prior to the IEP meeting. The IEP team must meet at least once a year, or more frequently if any member has concerns about the child's progress. If a parent makes a request of the IEP team, they have 21 days to respond either letting the parent know when they will meet, or why they will not hold a meeting. -
Evaluation
If the IEP team decides that the student needs to be evaluated for what special education services will best suit the student. The IEP team must create an IEP within 30 days of the decision (based on evaluation) that the student needs or would benefit from special education services.
It is important to note that the evaluation will take longer than one day, this would be an undetermined length of time depending on the evaluations that the IEP decided were needed to assess the student. -
RTI - Part 1
Sometimes the IEP team will not immediately refer a student for formal special education evaluation. Sometimes the IEP team will decide that they need more information on the child's Response to Intervention (RTI), before they can accurately assess the student for Special Ed services. http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti -
RTI - Part 2
The RTI process could be months long, as the IEP team authorizes informal assessments and monitors the child's progress, to gain a better idea of what kind of intervention would be best suited to the student. Any assessments done in this period need to be approved by the parents. This is all meant to help the IEP team better understand and provide the resources and instruction the student needs to be successful in the classroom. http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti -
Period: to
Creation of the IEP
The IEP must be written within 30 days of the decision being made to provide the student in question with special education services. It must then be signed before it can go into effect. https://nhspecialed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/9.17-Steps-in-NH-Special-Education-1.pdf -
Post Referral Meeting
Once the IEP team has met and it has been decided that the student does need special education services, the IEP team has 30 days to come up with a written plan for the students success. This written plan will be reviewed annually, and does not go into effect until signed by both the parent(s) and the LEA. -
Completion of the IEP
Once the IEP is created, it can be edited at any time. These edits must be proposed in an IEP meeting, or by any party when asking to convene the IEP team. Parent(s) have 14 days to respond to any proposed changes to an IEP plan. If changes are refused, the most recent agreed upon proposal remains in effect unless one party requests a due process hearing on the matter.
https://nhspecialed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/9.17-Steps-in-NH-Special-Education-1.pdf
