IEP CASE STUDY

IEP Case Study

Blake Garcia
04/12/2016
Internship Seminar
Towson University

IEP CASE STUDY

Background Information
Luke is a 16-year-old sophomore receiving special education services
at Sparrows Point High School. Luke was diagnosed with ADHD and referred
for an IEP when he was 12 years old and in sixth grade. Being diagnosed with
ADHD, Luke is covered under the category of Other Health Impairment by
IDEA. Luke is taught in all inclusion classrooms with the assistance of a
special educator or instructional assistant in each of his core classes. He
receives special education services and has IEP goals in the areas of
behavior (staying on task), behavior (organization), and writing.
Luke has been referred for this IEP meeting taking place on 03/09/2016
for his annual IEP review. Before Luke was diagnosed with ADHD, several prereferral strategies were used to help improve Lukes performance. Before
being referred for an IEP, Luke took part in a reading intervention program in
kindergarten and was monitored thoroughly until completion. Once Luke
completed this program, he was not monitored until his 4th grade year where
he was reportedly struggling in transferring his knowledge into written form.
His 4th grade teacher reported that Luke exhibits a large amount of
knowledge but is off task or distracted the majority of the class. This lead to
the referral for a Student Support Team or SST. Lukes first SST meeting took
place on 02/04/2010. In this support team, teachers implemented strategies
targeting Lukes writing difficulties as well as his behavioral difficulties of not
staying on task. The SST continued its meetings through the 2010-2011 and
2

IEP CASE STUDY

had its last meeting on 02/04/2011, Lukes 5th grade year. Once Luke began
middle school, he was referred for an IEP based off of his difficulties in his
core academic classes. Lukes first evaluation of the WJ-III took place on
02/15/2012 and showed that he is eligible for an IEP and to receive goals in
the areas of behavior and writing. Luke has had an IEP targeting both
behavior and writing mastery from 2012-2016.
I have conducted informal observations of Lukes learning and
behavioral capabilities in his inclusion world history class on two separate
occasions. Based on what I was able to see in this setting, Luke is a smart
and outgoing student who often participates in classroom discussion. At
times, it is evident that Luke is often distracted, tired, or unmotivated to
complete his assignments. Luke interacts with his peers well and participates
in classroom discussion on a wide scale. When asked to do any writing
assignments, Luke often loses focus or puts his head down instead of
completing the assignment. Luke has also repeatedly turned in incomplete
assignments and has several missing homework assignments in several of
his classes. In the setting I observed Luke in, he has a B in the class, but
often fails to complete classwork on time. Luke is fluid in English and
communicates well with his classmates and teachers.
Luke has no record of severe illness or disease. There is also no record
of severe illness in his family. Based on the interview with his case manager
and supported by a review of records, Luke stated his continued interest in
becoming an architectural engineer. He plans to attend college after
3

IEP CASE STUDY

graduating from high school. Luke enjoys computers, building things with
Legos and drawing. His favorite class is World History. Strengths he sees in
himself include: good artist, hardworking, creative, motivated, and strong in
academics. Luke receives services in the areas of classroom instruction,
specifically being a classroom with a special education teacher and
instructional assistant present.
IEP Process
The process of creating the IEP and notifying the appropriate parties is
a team effort. At Sparrows Point High School, the creation of the IEP follows
the IDEA guidelines. To start, the IEP chair, Mrs. Shlapack, is responsible for
setting the team date and making sure it works for all parties involved. She
is also in charge of notifying the parents. Mrs. Gallagher is in charge of
sending the finished IEP and other documents home to the family 10 days
before the team date. Written notice of the IEP team meeting is sent to the
parents of the student as well as a phone call to the family reminding them
that the team meeting is occurring on a particular date. The special educator
or case manager, in this case my mentor and myself, are in charge of
completing the IEP. The IEP is completed online using Tienet. To begin the IEP
process, I tested the student using the Brigance test of achievement to test
the students ability and their progress with their current IEP. The results for
this test are put onto the IEP in the PLAFF 1 page of the IEP. The scores and
interpretation of the scores are also sent to all members of the team. Once
the IEP is completed, the document is sent to the IEP chair for approval and
4

IEP CASE STUDY

sent to all members of the IEP meeting for their review. The guidance
counselor is responsible for providing the current grades for his courses as
well as any documents that are vital for the IEP multidisciplinary team
discussion. One general education teacher, in this case the Lukes English
teacher, is present at the meeting and responsible for bringing the current
grades for Luke for his class as well as providing insight to the students work
ethic in the classroom.
To meet the requirements of IDEA 2004, all members of the team
identify themselves as well as their role at the beginning of the IEP meeting.
To meet the other regulations, written notice and the sign in sheet are sent
to all members of the team to sign. Any absent members of the team will be
given notes taken during the meeting by the IEP chair.

IEP Content
Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Performance
The reason for Lukes IEP meeting is his annual review to assess if he is
still eligible for special education service and the effectiveness of his IEP.
Luke was assessed prior to the meeting through observations, conferences,
and given an achievement assessment. Observations were done by Mr.
Hoffmaster (world history co-teacher) and Mr. Reiner (general education
English teacher). The assessment was administered to Luke myself. The
areas included in the PLAFFP 1-page target Lukes behavioral and writing
performance.
5

IEP CASE STUDY

PLAFFP Page 1:
Lukes behavior was assessed through observations and targeted on
task behavior in his classrooms. Based on the observations, Luke has been
reported to be on task during class instruction 70-80% of the time. Lukes
teachers comment that his on-task and attentiveness has improved. He
participates in class discussions and is focused on the task at hand. They
also report that Luke needs minimal reminders to complete assignments but
struggles turning in homework. The observation data also show that Luke is
very polite, articulate, and active during class. Lukes guidance counselor
also assisted with the information provided on this page. Lukes strengths
include compliance with adult directives, desire to do well in class, and is an
active participant. Lukes needs in the area of behavior increase time-on task
and organization of material.
The writing achievement of Luke was tested through the administration
of the Brigance achievement test. Lukes grade equivalent score is at a 7.1
grade level. Due to this score being three years below grade level, it is
appropriate to continue with the writing goals for the new IEP. Lukes
strengths in writing include creative thoughts and appropriately organizes
simple paragraph responses. Lukes weaknesses in writing include
expression and organization. Lukes writing is also assessed by classroom
observation and work samples. Based off of this assessment, Luke performs
at an average of a 7.6 grade level in class. His instructional level ranges from
the 5.6 to 13.0 grade level.
6

IEP CASE STUDY

PLAFFP Page 2:
Parental input: Lukes mother is actively involved in his education. She
wants Luke to be successful and to do well in his classes. She thinks
Sparrows Point High School is a great place for Luke to receive his secondary
education. Lukes parent and teachers have been in contact throughout the
school year through interims, IEP progress reports, report cards, and/or
parent-teacher conferences. Luke 's parent believes the accommodations
and supports are required for Luke to continue to make progress toward his
goals. Lukes mother agrees with all accommodations and support Luke has
been receiving in school.
Lukes strengths and interest areas: Luke is a personable, respectful
young person. He is polite to adults and to his peers. He works well in
partner or group activities. Luke expressed that he is interested in hands-on
activities and maybe would like to pursue a career in engineering or
architecture. He stated that he would like to bring up his grades for the
upcoming semester and stated that he plans on changing some of his study
habits and completing all of his work to the best of his ability.
Effect of disability in General Education: Luke 's disability of ADD/ADHD
affect his involvement and progress in all instructional areas in the following
ways: he has difficulty maintaining attention and focus during instruction and
independent work time; has difficulty with pacing himself to ensure that he

IEP CASE STUDY

completes his work; and he has difficulty maintaining course work and
materials.

Luke 's disability of ADD/ADHD impacts the area of written language.

He has difficulty producing written material that is on grade level. He also
has difficulty organizing his thoughts in order to create a cohesive written
response. This negatively impacts his performance across the curriculum;
particularly in reading, social studies, science, English, mathematics and to a
lesser degree special area subjects.
Instructional and Testing Accommodations
Luke receives special instructional and test accommodations to assist
him in his educational areas. To assist him in the area of test taking,
Extended Time or Time and a Half has been given to Luke. This
accommodation will ensure that Luke is able to comprehend, process and
complete all aspects of assessments. Luke is also receiving Alternate
Environment. Due to Luke 's disability of ADD/ADHD, he requires a smaller
testing environment with reduced distractions. He requires minimal
distractions in order for him to focus on the task at hand.
IEP Goals and Objectives
The first goal on the IEP is to improve Lukes organizational skills. The
first objective for this goal is Luke will arrive to class with the necessary
supplies and materials with 90% accuracy. This objective will be measured
for completion by informal procedures. The next objective Luke will meet to
8

IEP CASE STUDY

achieve this goal is: when given direct instruction of organizational skills,
Luke will maintain organized supplies, materials, desk, and/or notebooks as
directed with 90% accuracy. This objective will be measured for completion
by informal classroom based observation. The next objective for this goal is:
given direct instruction, Luke will identify and take home materials necessary
to complete short and long term assignments with 90% accuracy. This
objective will be assessed by the grading of homework assignments Luke
turns in. The final objective for this goal is: given direct instruction, Luke will
meet deadlines for short and long term assignments with 90% accuracy. The
parent of Luke will be notified about the progress of this goal and objective
each quarter through progress reports.
The second goal of Lukes IEP targets his difficulty with staying on task
caused by his disability and is meant to help him increase his on-task
behavior. The goal reads: Luke will increase his on task behavior and will be
measured with informal procedures for 90% accuracy. The first objective for
this goal is: given instruction, reminders, and proximity control, Luke will
remain in assigned location (seat or room) and calls for 90% accuracy. The
second objective to achieve this goal is: when given instruction, reminders,
and proximity control, Luke will participate by contributing relevant
comments or questions on the current topic 3-4 times during class
discussions/activities. The third objective for this goal is: when given
instruction, reminders, and proximity control, Luke will initiate tasks within 2
minutes. The final objective is: when the teacher gives instruction,
9

IEP CASE STUDY

reminders, and proximity control, Luke will transition between activities
and/or locations as directed. All of these objectives call for 90% accuracy and
will be measured in informal procedures. Lukes parent will be notified of the
progress in this goal by progress reports sent out quarterly. If an issue with
the goal is to come up, the parent will be notified immediately through email
or phone call.
The third goal of Lukes IEP targets his difficulty in writing caused by
his disability. The goal is: Luke will compose in a variety of modes by
developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language
appropriate for a particular audience and purpose as measured by an
increase from 70% accuracy to 80% accuracy on pre/post assessments at
grade level. The first objective of this goal is: when he is given a visual,
verbal, and/or written prompt, Luke will utilize the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing) to develop a written composition at grade
level. The second objective of this goal is: when Luke is given a written
prompt, he will identify the form, audience, topic, and purpose in order to
respond in appropriate written format at grade level. The third objective of
this goal calls for Luke to organize information using a variety of paragraph
patterns (sequence, main idea, descriptive, cause and effect, compare and
contrast, problem and solution) in written responses at grade level. The
fourth objective of this goal is: when given a visual, verbal, and/or written
prompt, Luke will organize ideas and/or information into paragraph form that
includes a topic sentence, 4 supporting details, and a closing sentence at
10

IEP CASE STUDY

grade level. All of these objectives call for 80% accuracy and will be
measured for completion through classroom-based assessment.
Supplementary Aids & Services
The first supplementary aid and service provided for Luke in this IEP is
an instructional support that allows for the use of organizational aids. This
support will be provided to Luke periodically throughout the school year to
assist him with organization. Organizational aids will be provided to Luke for
lengthy written assignments. Graphic organizers, webs, or charts will be
provided to assist with his organization of thoughts and information. These
aids will help Luke to ensure that he has all the necessary components for his
written response as well as all of the necessary information required to fully
answer the question or writing prompt. Another organizational aid that Luke
will use is an agenda book and will be taught how to use it effectively. Luke
will utilize an agenda book in order for him to keep track of short-term and
long-term assignments. These supports will assist Luke with organizing his
assignments as well as time management when completing his work.
The next supports in Lukes IEP are social/behavioral supports. The
supports are frequent eye contact and proximity control, monitoring the use
of his agenda book, and providing structural time for Luke to organize his
materials. These supports will be used in every one of Lukes classes and
used daily. These supports will help teachers and other adults keep track of
Lukes on task behavior and assist Luke with staying on task.

11

IEP CASE STUDY

The decision to use these supports is supported by Luke 's disability of
ADD/ADHD and its effect on his involvement and progress in all instructional
areas. He has difficulty maintaining attention and focus during instruction
and independent work time, has difficulty with pacing himself to ensure that
he completes his work, and he has difficulty maintaining course work and
materials. Luke 's disability of ADD/ADHD impacts the area of written
language. He has difficulty producing written material that is on grade level.
He also has difficulty organizing his thoughts in order to create a cohesive
written response. This negatively impacts his performance across the
curriculum; particularly in reading, social studies, science, language arts,
mathematics and to a lesser degree special area subjects.
Reflection
The IEP meeting took place on 03/09/2016 in the special education
office. The office is set up with an oval table with seats for all members. The
meeting took place at 8:45 and started on time. Lukes mother was not able
to attend due to her work schedule but agreed to take part of the meeting
through a telephone conference. All timelines required by IDEA 2004 were
met for this meeting. To begin the meeting, all members of the team
introduce themselves by name and title. Due to the fact Lukes mother was
unable to attend the meeting, a copy of parental rights and safeguards was
sent to her prior to the meeting. The people who attended the meeting were
Mr. Reiner (general education English teacher), Mr. Hoffmaster (case
manager/special educator), Mrs. Shlapack (Special Education Department
12

IEP CASE STUDY

Chair), Luke (student), Ms. Warm (counselor), Ms. Brady (Transition
Facilitator), myself, and Lukes mother who participated by conference call.
Luke sat next to Mr. Hoffmaster and actively participated in the meeting.
After introductions, Mr. Hoffmaster explained the reason for this
meeting which is the annual review of Lukes IEP and to review Lukes IEP
goals and progress over the last year. After the purpose of the meeting was
explained, Mr. Reiner was asked to share Lukes progress and what Luke is
like in class. Mr. Reiner shared that Luke is a friendly, polite and intelligent
student who participates in class. Mr. Reiner shared that Lukes work is on
grade level when it is completed. Mr. Reiner also shared that Luke is often
disorganized with handing in and completing assignments. This concern was
brought to the attention of Lukes mother to which she shared that she has
had several talks with Luke and they have an understanding on how this
issue will be resolved. Mr. Reiner also shared that Luke is currently passing
his class with a C but believes that he is capable of achieving an A and
believes that Luke will be able to achieve an A by the end of the quarter. Mr.
Reiner then had to leave to attend to his current class.
Next to share was Ms. Warm, Lukes guidance counselor. Ms. Warm
shared that Luke is a very nice and polite student who has always been a
pleasure to interact with. Ms. Warm shared information on Lukes current
grades and standing for the rest of his classes. This information was brought
to the attention of the team to assess ways to better assist Luke in his
classes. At this time Luke was currently failing two classes due to missing or
13

IEP CASE STUDY

incomplete work. This issue is caused by Lukes organizational problems
caused by his disability. Luke shared that he is in the process of improving his
organizational skills and that any assistance he can receive would be
appreciated. To assist Luke with this, we have decided that Mr. Hoffmaster
and I will meet with him during his lunch period on Wednesday to check in on
how he is doing in his classes. A new agenda book and folder were provided
to Luke to assist him with his organization.
Next to share was Mr. Hoffmaster and I. We shared that Luke is a bright
student who participates on a large scale in our World History class. Mr.
Hoffmaster shared that Luke seems tired and distracted at times during
class. Lukes mother commented that Luke has been having difficulty
sleeping at night due to his stresses of school. To accommodate for Lukes
stress, Ms. Warm shared that Luke has been visiting her on a weekly basis
and are working on relieving some of the stress that is distracting him.
Luke was asked if he wanted to share anything to the team and chose
not to add anything as everything was already covered. Luke was receptive
and active in the team meeting; Luke did not seem to mind discussion his
progress and disability as he understands that the meeting is to help him
succeed.
The conversation between the members, parent, and student were
very student centered and positive at all times. Each member respected the
wishes of both the student and parent and provided appropriate information
to help with the success of Luke. The IEP was approved by Lukes mother as
14

IEP CASE STUDY

well as Luke himself. Luke shared that he wants to improve in school and will
give a great effort towards reaching the goals of the IEP. The interactions
between the parent via phone call and all members were very significant.
Since the parent could not be physically present, it was very important to
allow time in between discussions so the parent could process and contribute
to each discussion. The parent was very polite and understanding of all
information being shared with her. She shared that she is aware of Lukes
progress and sees more room for improvement. The team ended at 9:30 am
and Luke was sent back to class.

My Role in the IEP Meeting

My role in the IEP meeting was to share my experiences and notes on
Lukes academic achievement as well as discuss my observations of Luke in
class. I shared my notes on how well Luke does in my mentors World History
class. I also shared notes on his behaviors that I have observed throughout
my time working with him. I shared my notes which I took in my plan book on
Lukes on and off task behaviors as well as his organizational struggles. I
added that Luke is often off-task in class and unfocused when asked to
complete a writing assignment but when given verbal prompt to continue
with the writing assignment, he is very compliant and continues working.
One of my notes that I shared in the meeting is that Luke is often unprepared
for class by coming without a writing utensil. I quickly added that this is not a
major issue and I am happy to supply him with a pencil for class. I also
15

IEP CASE STUDY

shared my concern for Lukes off task behavior and explained that I am more
than happy to work with Luke to improve his organizational skills. My input
during the meeting took part towards the end.
My preparation for the IEP meeting included reviewing all aspects of
the IEP, taking observational notes on Lukes performance and interviewing
my mentor for information about the student. I would critique my role in the
meeting by saying that I was very confident in my role and contribution to
the discussions. I was very clear on my point about Lukes performance and
how he can improve. I would also say I could have prepared more for the
meeting by having a conversation with Luke about how he feels his
performance in school has been for the last year. This would have prepared
myself and Luke for the discussion of his grades and observations teachers
have made of Luke in class. I also could have prepared more for the meeting
by having more conversations with my mentor about the student and how I
should communicate in the meeting. At one point I did feel as if Luke felt we
were attacking him rather than telling him how to improve; where as I could
have eliminated this feeling by having a conversation with my mentor about
my notes. Overall, I believe my notes and knowledge of Lukes performance
prepared me for the meeting and let the meeting go very smoothly for all
members.

16