Who Develops the IEP?

Required members of each IEP team are:

1. The child's parent(s)
2. At least one of the child's general education teachers (if your child is, or might become, part of general education classes)
3. At least one special education teacher
4. A representative of the school district who:
1. Is qualified to provide or supervise special education programs
2. Knows about the general education curriculum
3. Knows about the resources the local educational agency (LEA) can offer
5. Someone who can interpret the evaluation results, who may already be a member of the team
6. At your request or that of the school district, other people who know your child well or who have worked with your child. You may bring an advocate to advise you or anyone else who will be able to add information about your child's educational experiences
7. Your child at age 14 when planning for life after graduation, or any time before that age when you want your child to be present
8. A representative from a vocational-technical school if a vocational-technical program is being considered for your child

One person may fill more than one of the roles described above. The minimum number of people at the IEP meeting should be four in most circumstances:

• Parent
• The local education agency (LEA) representative
• A special education teacher
• A general education teacher (if your child will participate at all in general education)

Regulations stipulate that if you choose not to attend the IEP meeting, it may be held without you.