PERSONALIZED EDUCATION PLANS

SECTION III: ACTIVITY I

PEP Requirements

Introduction Transparency 26: Exceptional Children and the PEP

Explain that this segment of the training will address issues related to exceptional children and attempt to provide guidance and direction in how the IEP and the PEP are related as well as to answer questions about how each document should be handled.

Activate Prior Knowledge Transparency 27: Venn Diagram IEP vs. PEP

Distribute Venn Diagram handout to all participants (or call their attention to the sheet in the packet). Working at their table group, ask participants to discuss what is unique to PEPs, what is unique to IEPs, and what is common to both. They should record answers on the form.

Once table groups have completed the Diagram, have representatives share their responses in each category, and record these on the transparency. Comment as appropriate.

Transparency 28: Venn Diagram (completed) IEP vs. PEP

Handout

Distribute completed handout of Venn Diagram so that participants can compare and contrast their answers with those on the completed Diagram.

• It is important to remember that the IEP and PEP are two totally different documents that serve totally different purposes, and the IEP may not be used as a substitute for the PEP.
• IEP is an abbreviation for Individualized Education Program and is, therefore, much broader than the PEP. An IEP may well include related services for exceptional children such as speech therapy, occupational or physical therapy, and other forms of services available to exceptional children. The PEP will generally focus on just the academic needs of students, but may also address behavioral problems if they are the cause of a student's lack of proficiency.
• The IEP must also be developed and approved prior to any services being delivered to the exceptional child. The PEP will be developed after the student has scored below the proficiency level.

Local Decision

• The LEA, not the Department of Public Instruction, decides if the IEP and PEP are to be combined. If the PEP becomes an attachment to the PEP, then all parties involved, including parents, must have a clear understanding that the
  1. PEP and IEP have been combined, and
  2. PEP will include the required components (diagnosis, intervention, and monitoring) and is an official addendum to the IEP.
• A word of caution is offered. If the PEP becomes a part of the IEP, then the PEP becomes subject to all federal laws and regulations regulating IEPs, including due process rights.

Deliver Lecturette on Collaboration in Developing PEPs

Transparency 32: Assistance from Exceptional Children's Staff

Collaboration with and Assistance from Exceptional Children's Staff

• Even though IEPs and PEPs will probably remain separate documents, it is important to realize that there are a number of occasions where collaboration between the exceptional children's teacher and the regular classroom teacher will be of great benefit to the student. The exceptional children's staff can provide
  1. longitudinal achievement information to the PEP team;
  2. an interpretation of psychological information to the regular teacher, as needed;
  3. diagnostic information, classroom assessments, preferred learning styles of the child and other data which will allow the PEP team to address the needs of the "whole child;" and
  4. a copy and explanation of the IEP with all of its component parts, including accommodations that the student may need. Keep in mind that accommodations can only be provided on tests if they are used in the classroom. There are a number of accommodations available for students, but the IEP team must decide which are appropriate for an individual student. Not all accommodations are appropriate for all students. Another key point to remember is that the PEP must provide additional assistance to the student beyond what is offered in his/her classroom. Therefore, additional exceptional children's services are not appropriate interventions for an exceptional child.

Transparency 33: Responsibilities of Regular Education Staff

• When writing PEPs, it is important that the regular education teacher make contact and discuss students' needs with the exceptional children's teacher. They can provide information that should be considered when writing the PEP, especially in the areas of diagnosis and interventions already in place to help the student.
• As mentioned earlier, it is important that the PEP be monitored on a regular basis to determine if the student is making progress. In the case of an exceptional child, it's also appropriate to monitor the PEP to ensure that appropriate accommodations and modifications are being provided.
• Information on the results of monitoring PEPs should also be shared with exceptional children's teachers so they can stay abreast of the student's progress and, in turn, share the information and insights they have about the student's progress. By doing this, parents can receive a coordinated and simultaneous report.

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