If I agree to my child being put on an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) at school will this go against him?

Question

He is 15 and has ADHD and A/S which in mannaged but the new head teacher is reccomending an IEP. If this helps then fine but will future employers for instance be able to access that information?

Answer 1

There is a process to getting your child into special education. They can't just decide to have an IEP. They need to test your son to see if there are any impediments to learning in the psychological processes. Insist on this. It will give you valuable information on how he learns and his intelligence quotient, providing you want to know it. There may be something other than ADHD that is causing him to have learning problems and this testing will reveal that as well.

Kids sometimes feel stigmatized by being in special education so you will have to discuss it with him and make sure HE is OK with it.

Other than that, being in special education will allow him to receive special accommodations on standardized tests and in allowing him legitimate movement.

I am surprised the school has not offered a 504 plan, which allows for the same kind of accommodations, but does not place your child in ESE. Ask the counselor about a 504 plan, but read up on it on the Internet before doing anything else.

Answer 2

An IEP will only help your child. Once high school ends its gone.

Answer 3

No it will not go against him.  My son is on one and it has greatly improved his performance is school.  Each child learns differently sometimes the information needs to be taught in a different way and then they can remember it and get something from it.  Your child's records are not something that an employer can access unless you or your child once reaching age of majority can grant access to.  My opinion is that you will be best served by using the IEP.  The grades will improve and you child will get a better education.

Answer 4

NO

No employer can obtain health information. This is covered in HIPAA privacy laws.

There is no longer any stigma for anyone needing special education services as a child or even an adult. 20 years ago or before things were different but the entire educational system was different too.

It is better that your son get the services than not. My ex-husband had parents who felt the way you did and refused to get him help when he was younger. He is mid-30's and still doesn't have the life skills for success.

I consider it neglectful to NOT get any child help in any area. If your son develops harmful emotional behaviors and patterns that continue through adulthood, it would be because of your insecurity or misinformation about the current system. This is what being a parent is about. Please get your son help whether through the school system or outside of it...

Answer 5

IEP can help but once they are legal adults that information becomes public and employers can find it out and reject them. Happened to me many times. I regret having IEP (teachers never even helped out)

Answer 6

Actually it might help in the long run.  I am a teacher of students with Emotional Disabilities so I write IEPs and make teachers follow IEPs.  An IEP is the law.  Whatever it says in the IEP the teachers must follow.  A conference is held where a general education teacher, special education teacher, usually someone high in the special education administration, and the parent decide what is best for the student.  (Being he is 15, they might include him in part of the meeting)  Then, when he gets to a certain age they will start working on what he wants to do with his life and actually start his planning for him.  The IEP is highly confidential and only the teacher, teacher's aide, school officials, student, and parent should see it.  An IEP will help your son get through school on a more even playing field.  I hope that you are in a school district where this is very important.  Make sure that if you have a question during the meeting, ask it!!  I would rather someone ask me about the IEP then to walk away confused!  Good luck to you and your son!!

Answer 7

No. IEP's are wonderful things. You will outline his goals, the schools goals etc. It will hold them responsible that they follow the IEP etc.

People want IEP's and no future employers will not have that information unless he wants them to have it.

An IEP gives you more rights under the ADA..

Answer 8

Actually no and IEP is strictly between you, the teacher, and the student (if he/she chooses to come). I never came to them. but no, no one will be able to access that info except the teachers and you.

Answer 9

i heard (may not be true) but someone told me that special ed kids do not receive a diploma they get a certificate of completion.  which some colleges and business don't accept.

somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Answer 10

no the IEP is between you the school and your kid - THING is will they actually work the IEP - check it for measures and ask to see it at least fornightly for progress.

Answer 11

My daughter has had an IEP since she was 9 years old and I don't regret it at all. When you're son has an IEP you can put on it what you think that you son speficily needs to do well in school. My daughter's IEP states that she gets extra time on all of the test, that she's able to use technology to help her so she uses a computer in school and a calculator for math. When she's in college it will help her because it will be proof that she has  learning disability so that they will have to met the accommodations that she needs.  If you son graduates college and does well that will be what matters to his job not that he had an IEP in high school.  It won't matter if he doesn't graduate high school because his needs aren't being met.  Also an IEP is a legal document so that if it's not followed it gives you options that you don't' have it you don't have one.

Answer 12

An IEP will help him with any accomodations that can help him, like untimed testing on SAT's.  

Future employers will not have access to that info, and (at least in the state of NJ), no school can release that information unless you specifically sign to have it released.  There are strict confidentiality laws regarding this information.  

Why would you even want him to be employed by a place that would look down at his disability enough to not hire him in the first place?