Copies of IEPs

Providing copies of IEPs to teachers and related service providers

The IEP describes the school’s obligation to provide specially designed instruction as well as related and other support services to students with disabilities. In order for students to achieve the full benefit of the IEP planning process, school personnel with responsibility for implementing the IEPs of students with disabilities must understand their responsibilities and have students’ IEPs readily available to them. Chapter 408 of the Laws of 2002 as amended by Chapter 279 of the Laws of 2012 and state regulations prescribe the process for ensuring that this occurs.

Paper or electronic copies of a student's IEP must be distributed to a student's

general education teachers
special education teachers
related service providers
and every teacher responsible for implementing a service, accommodation and/or program modification.

Schools that use SESIS to provide electronic copies of the IEP

must ensure that individuals responsible for implementing students’ IEPs are notified and trained on how to access such IEPs electronically.
must provide paper copies of a student's IEP to teachers and related service providers who do not have access to a computer during the school day.

Additionally, a process must be in place to ensure that students' IEPs are immediately disseminated or electronically available to all appropriate staff when the IEP has been revised during the school year. A school does not meet the requirements of the law by disseminating lists of students requiring test accommodations or summaries of IEPs such as “IEP at a Glance.”

Teachers of students who have been declassified and who continue to receive accommodations, modifications and/or other support services must receive a copy of the student’s last IEP.

Providing paraprofessionals opportunity to review and ongoing access to IEPs

Paraprofessionals responsible for assisting the implementation of a student's IEP must be provided the opportunity to review a copy of the IEP prior to implementation of the IEP.
Paraprofessionals must have ongoing access to the IEP.
It may be the same copy of the IEP provided to the student's special education teacher or another teacher or related service provider under whose direction the paraprofessional works.
It may be a copy maintained in another location in the school building as long as that location is readily accessible to the paraprofessional.
Schools that use SESIS to provide electronic access to paraprofessionals must ensure that they receive training on how to use SESIS and that computers are available in the school building during the school day.
Schools are not required to provide a copy of the IEP to the paraprofessional, but they may legally do so if they choose.

Informing school personnel of IEP implementation responsibilities

Principals must have a process for ensuring that, prior to implementation of a student's IEP, each general education teacher, special education teacher, related service provider and other support staff has been informed of his or her responsibility to implement the recommendations on the IEP, including the responsibility to provide specific IEP-mandated accommodations, program modifications, supports and/or services.
Principals must designate at least one professional staff member who is familiar with the contents of the student's IEP (such as an administrator, school psychologist and/or teacher) to directly inform appropriate staff of their specific responsibilities. (Teachers and related service providers who were present at the student's IEP meeting are assumed to be familiar with the IEP.)

Confidentiality

The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows schools to disclose personally identifiable information in a student’s education records, including the student’s IEP, to school personnel with “legitimate educational interests.” While an IEP contains important instructional information that teachers, related service providers, paraprofessionals and others need to know to implement the IEP, it may also contain sensitive personal information about the student. Teachers and related service providers who receive a copy of a student’s IEP and paraprofessionals who have access to IEPs must ensure that student IEPs remain confidential and are not disclosed to any other people.

Schools districts that provide electronic copies of the IEP, such as through SESIS, are required to implement security systems to prevent unauthorized internal and external access to students’ IEPs. SESIS maintains a record of every time the IEP is accessed. School staff who are not connected with a student should never use SESIS to access the student’s IEP.

The school is responsible for instructing all people who receive copies of IEPs or have access to IEPs regarding their legal obligation to maintain the confidentiality of student records. Personally identifiable student information from the IEP may not be disclosed to others without parent consent.

State Guidance on Providing Copies of IEPs for Students with Disabilities
This guidance remains valid to the extent it is not inconsistent with the amendments to the law discussed in the January 2013 Special Education Field Advisory.

Special Education Standard Operating Procedures Manual, Topic: General Information and Terms, Chapter 408 Requirements

Providing a copy of the IEP to parents

At the conclusion of the IEP team meeting, the case manager is responsible for finalizing the IEP and handing a copy to the parent. If that is not possible, the case manager must complete, print and hand the Recommended Special Education Programs and Services page of the draft IEP to the parent AND finalize and send the IEP to the parent within 10 business days. The case manager is typically the school psychologist, if s/he is a required member of the IEP team, or the special education teacher, if the school psychologist is not a required member.

Special Education Procedures Manual, Topic: The IEP Team, Case Manager/District Representative Responsibilities at IEP Meeting

Storage of IEPs

IEPs are confidential documents and printed copies must be kept in locations not accessible by students or staff members who are not responsible for implementing the IEP. While the storage location must not be accessible, this does not necessarily mean that it must be in a locked location.