Teachers & School Staff

Helping Your Student Become a Self-Advocate

With help from you and the family, the student can learn how to become part of their IEP process.

Learning how to be part of, and eventually lead, their own IEP process is one of the best ways to help the student learn to self-advocate. “Self- advocate” means the student is able to share about their life, what they need, what they like or don’t like, and is able to work with others to get the supports they need to succeed.

The student can practice using their advocacy skills in a safe and friendly environment. The student will join you, and the other members of their team, to plan special education services to help them learn and grow

On Your Own

Looking For Ways to Get Started On your Own?

Below you will find ideas on how to start the Student-led IEP process. Choose which one works for you, now. You can pick a different one at another time! It's up to you!

Explore the options of the SLIEP process

Research the student-led IEP process and data that is available with online sources.
Practice explaining the steps and benefits of the student-let IEP process.
Be aware that it may seem new or ‘scary’ to have the student involved in the IEP process.(It is fine to feel this way!)
Embrace the opportunity for them to learn to self-advocate and speak up for themself.
Realize that any child of any age can do something in the IEP process. Their practice using advocacy skills in school will help them succeed in the future.

With the Family

Want to Know How to Continue Leading the IEP Process?

Remember, a student-led IEP is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey. Below you will find ideas on how to start the student-led IEP process. Choose which one works for you, and them, now. You can pick a different one at another time! It's up to you!

Talk about the benefits, data, and possibilities of the Student-led IEP process

Use a variety of means and methods to contact the family.
Incorporate a way to receive feedback and establish two way communication with them.
Reassure them about the opportunities for their child to develop and succeed by being part of the student-led IEP process.
Outline how the school is supporting their child and helping them complete a project and participate in the IEP process.
Establish ‘buy-in’ to implement the student-led IEP process with the family of the student.
Enable a method of feedback to gather successes and challenges from the family.
Highlight the work and efforts of the student throughout the IEP process, not just the student’s participation on the IEP meeting day.
Share progress toward the IEP goals in a family friendly and clear manner.
Discuss what the family and student wants to do for next year’s IEP process and meeting.

With the Student

Need some ideas on how to work with a student on their student-led IEP?

Below you will find ideas on how to start the student-led IEP process. Choose which one works for you, and them, now. You can pick a different one at another time! It's up to you!

Talk about the IEP process

Talk about the benefits, data, and possibilities of the student-led IEP process.
Establish ‘buy-in’ to implement the student-led IEP process with the student.
Provide examples and ways for the student to be involved : interview, poster, collage, video, slides, essay and how can this fit in the IEP process about them.
Why do they have an IEP?
What is the purpose of an IEP?
What are the timelines/due dates of an IEP?
What should an IEP do for them?
What do people talk about in the IEP?

Look at the IEP paperwork and explain what is in each section.

Introduce the IEP Team.
Go over the names and faces of everyone on the IEP team.

Come up with ideas of how to become involved in the IEP process.

What parts of the IEP process do they want to learn more about?
Is there something they would like to try to do in your IEP process?
What can they do, show, say, or create to express your thoughts?
Ask for help to practice the best way to share these thoughts with the IEP team.

Create a plan to get it done

Schedule time with a teacher to get started and practice.
Schedule your own time to work on it and gather information.
Talk about how the student can show they need a break in the IEP meeting and how long they want to stay in the meeting.
Review the supports that are listed in the IEP so the student knows what they are and how to use them when they need them.

Make a plan to help the student keep track of their IEP goals.

How are they getting and understanding the information about your goals?
What are the steps to reach the goals?
Where is the student now and where do they want to be?
When will the student look at this information and talk about the plan to reach their goals?
What do they need to do next to get closer to their goal?
Discuss what the student wants to do for next year’s IEP process and meeting.

With the School

Want to take this school wide?

Look at some ideas about working with your school administration. Use the data on SLIEPs to guide you in your conversations. Below you will find ideas on how to start the student-led IEP process. Choose which one works for you, and them, now. You can pick a different one at another time! It's up to you!

Talk with administrators about the benefits, data, and possibilities of the SLIEP process for all students

Establish ‘buy-in’ to implement the student-led IEP process with a student, grade level, case load or special education department.
Explain the steps and benefits of the student-led IEP process.
Introduce the concept to all involved staff.
Gather materials.
Plan professional development to introduce, promote, explain the timeline, outline the structure, and answer questions.

Build a Team

Contact the members of the IEP school team.
Schedule time for the staff to work with students as they prepare and practice.

Complete the 'Today, Tomorrow, & Beyond: SLIEP Assessment of Practices' tool. Download PDF

Focus on a component and element for improvement.
Build your action plan.
Implement the action plan.
Enable a method of feedback to gather successes and challenges from participating staff.
Update the administration to celebrate the successes of the students and the growing partnerships with families.
Plan for next year’s growth and continuation of the implementation of the SLIEP process.

Here is a quick introduction to the Student-Led IEP process

Listen to a student talk about his experience with his Student-Led IEP

You are an important member on the IEP team

Your student, the student's family, school staff, and others may be on the team.

Click below to see a playlist of the many people who could be on a student's IEP team.

IEP Team Member Videos

Use the rubric below to decide where the student is with their involvement in the IEP meeting.

How would you describe their awareness of the IEP process?
How are they participating in the IEP? What are they doing to participate?
What do they know about the IEP? How can they show what you know?

I’m Determined Tools

Participation in the IEP Meeting Rubric*

Guide for using the rubric

The first step is to know what the student is doing at this time.
hen, look at the next level up to see where they should be going for a future goal.
Work with the IEP team to plan what steps and supports need to be put in place so that next year, the student has moved up a level in one or all of the IEP areas.

Area	Level I	Level II	Level III	Level IV
IEP Awareness	I don’t know what IEP stands for.	I know what IEP stands for.	I know what IEP stands for and the purpose of the IEP meeting.	I know what IEP stands for, the purpose of an IEP meeting and I can tell others about these meetings.
IEP Participation	I don't participate or attend my IEP meeting.	I attend a pre-conference IEP meeting and/or my IEP meeting, but I don't participate in the meeting.I know what IEP stands for.	I attend and contribute information about myself for my IEP in a pre- conference or at the actual meeting.	I lead parts or my entire IEP meeting.
Knowledge of IEP Content	I don't know what is in my IEP.	I know that I have accommodations and goals but I don’t know what they are	I can name the accommodations and goals in my IEP, But I have a voice in developing them.	I can name the accommodations and goals in my IEP, and I have a voice in developing them.