Legally, Dominic qualifies for the Individualized Education Program (IEP) provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) the category of special learning disability. Therefore, the process is within the legal bounds making it a legitimate exercise. Another vital conceptual tenet that should be taken into consideration while conducting an IEP is the time in between the review meetings. According to the relevant education policies, annual is regarded as not more than 365 days (“A Guide to the Individualized Education Program”). As such, meetings held after this number of days are regarded as non-compliant. Therefore, the meeting to evaluate Dominic is complying with proper IEP regulations because the chair of the meeting asserts that it is an annual review meeting. Another area the meeting has done alright is on the attendance and the composition of those in the meeting. Some of the people required in an IEP meeting include a special education teacher, a representative from the district, general education teacher, data interpreter, a psychologist, and the parent.
However, one should note that the students are only required to attend if they are 16 years of age and above. Although there is not a mention of Dominic’s age in the meeting, it is clear that he has not attained the age of 16 and perhaps it was unnecessary to include him in the meeting. Other necessary professions that should have been in the meeting include occupational therapists, language specialists, and an adaptive physical education teacher (“A Guide to the Individualized Education Program”). However, they are not mandatory because the available members can fill in the roles of the professionals not around. The IEP does well by illustrating the present levels of the child which include a snapshot of what the child is doing at the moment. The Coordinator begins by emphasizing that Dominic has shown strengths in math and use of a computer but has weaknesses in reading and writing. However, one mistake that the coordinator does is that she does not provide a summary of the data such as the math test outcomes and grades among other non-specific attributes.
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Giving the student an opportunity to give their views is an essential part of the IEP process as seen in the case of Dominic. An essential part of the discussion that arises in the meeting regards the transitional plan. A transition plan and a goal are vital for any student undergoing the IEP as seen in the case of Dominic where the team discusses with the parents of any possibilities that he would move to the middle school amidst the various weaknesses he has shown in his academics. In an IEP meeting, the goals are provided as a measure of progress (“A Guide to the Individualized Education Program”). Goals can be classified into social, behavioral, academic, or transition-based. Furthermore, it is vital to note that the goals reflect areas of need as far as the learner's education is concerned. Most fundamental is that the goals should be achievable and also measurable. The team successfully goes through the goals set out for Dominic such as his writing expectations and the use of graphic organizers amongst others.
Goals must be realistic, and when the representative of the school district realizes that the coordinator becomes too ambitious with one of the goals, she raises a red flag, and all agree that it should be suspended. After the goals, the team discusses some of the strategies they could use in measuring the progress. Some of the means suggested include asking Dominic to write an essay, computer work, and the results of the writing assessment to name a few. Depending on the learner's abilities, they can be provided with additional services that would help in improving their learning experiences. Such materials must be listed in the IEP. In the case of Dominic, the computer is provided as an additional service that would help him in overcoming his writing challenges. However, one failure displayed in this section regards the team’s reluctance to stipulate the frequency at which Dominic will use the computer in aiding his writing. The use of additional devices cannot be put on a need basis but should rather clearly state the occasions the students will have the opportunity of using it.
The last page is a legally binding exercise that contains the names and signatures of the people who attended the meeting. The parents must commit by appending their signature to show that they have consented to the requirements including the modifications, accommodations, and placement from the school district. It further gives a go-ahead that the IEP has been implemented. However, the meeting ended without discussing the need for a follow-up. The IEP is a working document that is subject to changes at any given time of the year. The line of communication between the members of the team should be a continuous basis to ensure that needs of the students are holistically met.
Lastly, it would also be critical to appreciate the level of organization shown in the meeting. All members arrive on time, there is no language barrier, and the meeting flows smoothly with every member participating by playing their role correctly. The two parents are engaging actively in assessing the viable solutions to their son's progress, and Dominic answers the questions he is asked honestly. Since the team understands that Dominic is still young and some things wouldn't be comfortable for him to hear, he is asked to rejoin his classmates soon after they are done with him. The organization of the process is therefore as good as the meeting itself.
Reference
A Guide to the Individualized Education Program, US Department of Education https://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok0irMNfKmY
