Individualized Education Plans (IEP) - Texas Foster Youth Justice Project

If you are NOT in special education, then this section does not apply to you. If you are in special education, then you should have an IEP, or an individualized education plan. If you are a student with learning differences or disabilities and you do not have an IEP, please tell your caseworker, foster parent, CASA, attorney, and school supervisors and request an evaluation to see if you qualify for special education. An IEP has many benefits that you should not miss.

An IEP is an individualized education plan for youth in special education. This plan should be specific to each student. Every student who receives special education services must have an IEP to help the student meet his or her educational and social goals. If you are in special education, then your school system should schedule Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee meetings to review and revise your IEP.

The ARD committee generally should include:

You;
Someone from the school system;
Your foster parent;
The person the court has appointed to be your surrogate parent for educational purposes;
A special education teacher;
A regular education teacher;
A person to help explain your evaluation results;
A person to discuss services that will help you when you leave school; and
Anyone else with knowledge about you.

You can invite anyone to come to your ARD committee meeting. A surrogate parent could be your foster parent, CASA, guardian ad litem, or other qualified person. Your caseworker, teacher, or residential facility staff cannot be your surrogate parent.

The ARD committee must review your IEP at least once a year. You and your foster parents or surrogate parent should also talk about your IEP throughout the school year. You and your foster parents or surrogate parent can request changes to your IEP at any time.

If you have a severe impairment that limits your ability to work and you want to apply for SSI (Supplemental Security Income), your school records related to special education, including any evaluation results, can be very important to helping to establish your disability and you should request them within four years of leaving school or the school may not have them anymore. See more information about RSDI and SSI here.

Beginning at age 14, your IEP must list the services that you will need to help you get ready to leave school. These services should focus on your specific needs and interests and can include plans for more education or training, social skills development, and help finding and keeping a job. If you do not feel that your IEP is meeting your goals, you should talk to your caseworker, foster parent, CASA, attorney, and the judge who oversees your CPS case.