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Introduction
This document sets out guidelines for the preparation, implementation and review of
the Education Plan as specified in the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs
(EPSEN) Act, 2004. One of the key provisions of this Act is to provide a legislative basis for
the introduction of Individual Education Plans (IEP) for students assessed as having special
educational needs. The legislation is specific about what an IEP must include, who is to
contribute to its formulation, and how it must be communicated to all the stakeholders. It is
hoped that it becomes the centrepiece of excellence in special educational provision. The IEP
is a system of identifying where the student is, where he/she is going, how he/she will get
there, and how to tell if the journey is successful. Thus, these guidelines serve as both a road
map and a practical guidebook for meeting the challenges posed by the development of a
formalised IEP system in Irish schools. It sets out how teachers/educators prepare for,
implement and review the various milestones on the journey and the signposts along the way.
It emphasises that the IEP should be a practical working document, which incorporates the
main areas of student need, as well as the key interventions planned to meet those needs.
These guidelines show how a school might document, in a conscientious and systematic way,
the steps taken in developing, implementing and reviewing an IEP. It is anticipated that the
implementation of these guidelines will contribute to excellence in special educational
provision, particularly in the areas of planning, evaluation and clear communication. The
process of consultation is central to the development of the IEP. While templates,
standardised forms and computer software may support this process, the guidelines caution
against relying solely on them. The guidelines recognise the challenge ahead and
acknowledge that the process is dependent on a whole-school commitment, understanding the
diversity of learning needs and supporting the collaboration of teachers, parents, students,
support staff, professionals and other relevant personnel or agencies in delivering effective
interventions in appropriate settings. The IEP provides teachers and parents with the
opportunity to have a practical and realistic dialogue about the student’s needs and to develop
creative ways of meeting that needs. The IEP directs the student with special educational
needs on his/her school journey.
Individual Education Plan (IEP)
It is a written document prepared for a named student specifies the learning goals that
are to be achieved by the student over a set period of time and the teaching strategies,
resources and supports necessary to achieve those goals. An IEP may usefully be thought of
as a product. However, there is also a process involved in developing the plan and it is the
quality of this process that determines the quality and effectiveness of the Plan. The
Individual Education Plan is developed through a collaborative process involving the school,
parents, the student (where appropriate) and other relevant personnel or agencies. It refers to
the adapted or modified aspects of the educational programme and focuses on priority
learning needs, although the student may also have other learning needs that will not require
the same intensive degree of planning and monitoring. Not every aspect of the curriculum
and school life needs to be modified for every student with special educational needs - only
those areas of identified need arising from assessment should be covered. The amount of