Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meetings

IEPs are developed by the Committee on Special Education (CSE), which is a multi-disciplinary team responsible for making sure that all steps of the special education process are carried out. The terms “Committee on Special Education” and “IEP” Team are interchangeable.

The Committee on Special Education (IEP team) can be:

Full Committee on Special Education

Has the authority to consider any and all types of special education service or support and requires a new psycho-educational evaluation. Full committees are used for Initial and Mandated 3-year Reevaluation IEP Meetings, and Requests to Reopen and Reevaluate because more intensive special education services are being considered.

Subcommittee on Special Education

Each year after the Initial IEP Meeting, a smaller IEP Meeting is held called an “annual” or a “review.” Since these meetings do not include new evaluations, they have subcommittees and have fewer participants. A subcommittee lacks the authority to make major changes to an IEP. If major changes are desired, a parent may request that the IEP Team reopen their child’s case and conduct a reevaluation, which will lead to a full committee meeting.

Types of IEP Meetings

Initial IEP Meeting: The IEP process starts the first time a written request is made to the CSE (IEP Team) for evaluation.

Meeting Goal: Establish eligibility, develop the IEP, and make special education service and program recommendations.

Annual (Review) IEP Meeting: A yearly review that doesn’t involve evaluation and cannot be used for making major changes.

Meeting Goal: Review the student’s progress and make minor changes as necessary.

Mandated 3-year Reevaluation IEP Meeting: Every three years students with disabilities are re-evaluated unless the parent and school agree it is unnecessary.

Meeting Goal: Assess the student’s progress, determine continued eligibility, and develop a new IEP with appropriate recommendations.

Request to Reopen: This does not occur automatically. The IEP may be reopened by parent or school through a written request for reevaluation. An independent evaluation or any other diagnostic information can also be submitted. 

Meeting Goal: Gather new and/or additional information to clarify the student’s need and create a new IEP that recommends additional or more intensive services and/or a program with a smaller student to teacher ratio.