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We had our annual IEP (Individualized Education Plan) review for Sammy a few weeks ago. It was a good meeting with everyone working toward the same goals.
Sammy’s full written IEP arrived in the mail over the weekend. After an IEP meeting, the team is required to send out a copy of the plan to all interested parties.
Since this is his first year in high school, his goals are significantly different than they have been in the past. His goals are now geared toward his life after high school. Yes, that is four years away, if he actually graduates, but with kids like ours, he will need all four years to accomplish the goals.
So, what is contained in the plan?
As far as after high school, the three goals listed are:
• Sammy will enroll in a two-year technical school after high school to pursue a career in computer programming. (This is what Sammy has said he wants to do.)
• Sammy will be employed in a part-time capacity while attending college.
• Sammy will live in an apartment while attending college.
These three goals are then broken down into small steps that he will need to accomplish in order to make the three big things happen. A few of the things will happen outside the school setting with the services we have in place or can put in place, but the school is taking on a large part of the responsibility for these issues.
Here is what is written into his plan:
• Sammy will enroll in anger management and social skills training.
• Sammy will participate in two community service projects.
• Sammy will job shadow two community members in the computer field.
• Sammy will participate in two volunteer opportunities through the Salvation Army or Good Will Industries.
• Sammy will complete three sample job applications for various types of employment.
• Sammy will complete a resume.
• Sammy will meet with the job coach.
• Sammy will participate in anger management class.
• Sammy will apply to DVR.
• Sammy will participate in social skills training.
• Sammy will enroll in Independent Living courses offered through the school.
• Sammy will enroll in Chef Foods.
• Sammy will obtain a work permit.
• Sammy will research community resources: banking, library, transportation and job agencies.
• Sammy will obtain a work permit.
• Sammy will participate in the Game of Life workshop.
• Sammy will complete a job interest and job skills inventory.
These are all incredibly reasonable goals and are appropriate for a child in his situation. They are certainly more reasonable and will serve him better in his life than goals of “being respectful to the teacher 85% of the time.”
I’m not saying that he shouldn’t be respectful of his teachers, I most certainly think he should, but with older kids we need to think much more long term.
In younger kids, IEPs are usually geared toward behaviors and learning. Sammy still has a Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP), but recognizing that he does not want to change his behaviors we need to focus on making him a productive member of society in the near future. These are goals that virtually any older child could have in their IEP.
As your child ages, think of what you can do to help prepare for the future.
