IEPs: Creating/Updating, Being Proactive, and Preparing for Adulthood

It’s important for each and every student to take advantage of their Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is the roadmap to help students with disabilities succeed in school by giving them the proper guidance and resources necessary to succeed. There are many important elements for creating or updating an IEP, including self advocacy, behavior, being proactive, assistive technology, and collaboration. 

Self Advocacy

What are the outcomes that you want your student or child to achieve? It’s important for the students to advocate for themselves for what they need to succeed in the classroom and what desires they have in their time at school, such as extracurricular activities. Give the student the spotlight, because the IEP and education is about them! They may not have every answer for themself, but the IEP needs to center around what they need and desire and to support and find support where necessary. Students should be included in their IEP meetings to develop and utilize their self advocacy skills. 

Being Proactive

There are many things to consider when making or updating a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), including being proactive. It’s important to be proactive in learning from experience and patterns for each student, whether that is academically, behaviorally, socially, etc. Schools are required under case law to be proactive and do appropriate evaluations, ensuring correct goals and services are being provided, etc.

Behavior

If there are any signs of potential negative behavior (academic, social, or emotional) from the student, it should be addressed in their next IEP meeting to find ways to best positively support the student, as addressing behavior positively will improve student outcomes [1]. More on behavioral supports can be found here.  

Collaboration 

Last, collaboration within your IEP team is crucial to the student’s success as well as the team’s success. Understanding each IEP team member’s expertise and networks as early as possible is important to ensuring the team is knowledgeable of all of the potential resources and skills within their team and potential people the team may need to reach out to for additional expertise. 

Assistive Technology 

Under the IDEA reauthorization of 2004, every student with an IEP must be considered for Assistive Technology (AT); and if the student needs AT, they must be granted services related to AT, including the evaluation and training of AT [2]. Addressing AT needs as early and as frequently as possible is vital for student success. Especially with how low and hi tech solutions are continually advancing, there’s always new forms of AT that can support students. You can learn more about finding AT needs by going here.

Transitioning into Adulthood

Preparing to transition out of special education and into adulthood needs to be introduced in the student’s IEP no later than when the student turns 16, which includes education, employment, and independent living [3]. In reality, there is a tremendous gap that exists for students within special education as they transition into adulthood. Some examples of gaps include parents’ readiness for their disabled child to attend college or live independently, being able to get a job, and graduating high school within four years [4]. 

Some students with disabilities may be ready for college, but need accommodations on campus, while other students may need to go into a transition program that helps develop job and independent living skills; It’s all going to vary. For one, your IEP team must be discussing transition no later than age 16. However, the topic of transition should begin much sooner. With that being said, it’s ESSENTIAL to ask your child what their desired outcomes are after high school and from there, help build the necessary steps for their future. 

Conclusion

In all, there are many things that you should be doing within an IEP. It’s best to address the various topics from this article as early on as possible, but remember that it’s never too late to update an IEP! Students evolve in their own unique ways and will need adaptive solutions for things that may arise over time. 

Sources 

[1] “Proactive and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Why They Work.” Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 25 Oct. 2023, dpi.wi.gov/sped/educators/behavior-supports/proactive-pbis#:~:text=Use%20of%20such%20strategies%20to,the%20studies%20(Cohn%202000). 

[2] “Section 1401.” Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 7 Nov. 2019, sites.ed.gov/idea/statute-chapter-33/subchapter-i/1401. 

[3] “Postsecondary Transition Planning.” ASHA, www.asha.org/practice-portal/resources/transitioning-youth/. Accessed 30 May 2025. 

[4] Lipscomb, Stephen. “Closing the Gap: Improving Outcomes for Students with Disabilities.” Mathematica, 1 May 2017, www.mathematica.org/blogs/closing-the-gap-improving-outcomes-for-students-with-disabilities.