Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Information

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An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legally binding plan under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that outlines the specialized instruction, supports, and services a student with a disability needs in order to access a free appropriate public education (FAPE). For a child who stutters, an IEP ensures that their communication needs are recognized and that they have equal opportunities to participate in the classroom and school environment.

Preschool

Parents or preschool teachers usually refer preschool children for assessment due to concerns about stuttering negatively impacting a child’s day to day life. In general, the parent contacts the services coordinator at the school district to schedule screening. The child is screened by a team that includes preschool teachers and speech-language pathologists or assistants. They conduct screening in all developmental domains (cognitive, motor, social/emotional, self-help/adaptive behavior, and communication). Vision and hearing screening are also conducted. Based on the child’s performance and/or the parents concerns, the child may be referred for further evaluation. Parents are advised of their rights to due process, including the fact that they must give signed consent for the evaluation.

In some districts, individual evaluations for preschool children are scheduled with the parents present. The evaluation team collects a detailed case history and conducts a developmental assessment. If the child’s speech is the only concern, the speech-language pathologist (SLP) conducts a speech and language evaluation that includes an oral mechanism examination, and assessments of voice quality, receptive and expressive language development, social-pragmatics, speech sound production, and fluency. Depending on the needs of the child, standardized tests may or may not be administered.

The SLP analyzes a speech sample obtained during the evaluation.. Ideally, speech is sampled under several contexts, such as conversation, storytelling, “reading,” etc. Sometimes, the parents are asked to submit a recorded sample of the child’s speech if the child will not talk to examiners. The SLP determines what types of dysfluencies the child exhibits and whether they are typical, linguistic nonfluencies typical of young children who are acquiring language, or whether the child presents with stuttering (or sometimes called Childhood Onset Fluency Disorder). 

Based on the results of the speech analysis, the child’s history, and any other relevant factors, the evaluation team determines whether the child meets the district criteria as Speech-Language Impaired. They may also determine eligibility for services at that time. In some situations, the SLP may believe it is better to consult with the parents and allow the child more time before determining the need for services. If intervention is recommended, an SLP and the parents develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that describes the child’s needs and how those needs will be met. This may be done several weeks after the actual evaluation. If the child has been found eligible for services, the district has 60 calendar days from the time parents gave signed consent for the evaluation to conduct the IEP meeting and provide services for the child.

School-Age

The process for school-aged children is similar. The IEP process usually begins when a parent, teacher, or school staff member raises a concern about a student’s communication or academic progress (negatively impacted by communication). A written referral for a special education evaluation is submitted to the school district. For a child who stutters, this may happen if stuttering is impacting classroom participation, oral presentations, social interactions, or testing performance. The school then seeks parental consent to evaluate the student. Parents are advised of their rights to due process, including the fact that they must give signed consent for the evaluation.

A multidisciplinary team, which includes a speech-language pathologist (SLP), conducts a comprehensive evaluation. This may involve observations, interviews, standardized tests, speech samples, and input from teachers and parents. The evaluation looks at whether the student’s stuttering significantly affects their educational performance—not just academics, but also participation, social/emotional well-being, and communication across settings. The evaluation assesses communication in all areas, including the oral mechanism examination, and assessments of voice quality, receptive and expressive language development, social-pragmatics, speech sound production, and fluency. 

Once the evaluation is complete, the IEP team (parents, general education teacher, special education teacher, SLP, administrator, and others as needed) meets to review results. If the student qualifies under the category of "Speech or Language Impairment," they become eligible for an IEP. Importantly, the decision isn’t based on the severity of stuttering alone, but rather on how it impacts the child’s educational access and performance.

If eligible, the team writes the IEP, which includes measurable goals, accommodations, services (such as direct speech therapy), and how progress will be tracked. Parents are equal members of the team and must consent before the plan is put into place. The IEP is then implemented by teachers, SLPs, and other staff, with progress reviewed at least once a year and a reevaluation required every three years.

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a student who stutters should focus on access, participation, and self-advocacy. Support can be both accommodations (how learning is accessed and demonstrated) and goals/services (skills the student works on with the SLP or school counselor).

Here are some examples:

Accommodations & Supports

• Flexible Response Options

  • Extra time for oral presentations, reading aloud, or classroom discussions.

  • Option to respond in writing, video, or small group instead of always in front of the whole class.

• Reduced Communication Pressure

  • Teachers avoid interrupting or finishing sentences.

  • No forced participation in timed/random reading.

  • Option to volunteer instead of being called on unexpectedly.

• Supportive Classroom Environment

  • The teacher provides wait time and models patience for peers.

  • Education for peers about stuttering to reduce teasing and stigma.

  • Preferential seating if helpful (closer to supportive peers/teacher).

• Testing Accommodations

  • Extended time on oral parts of standardized tests.

  • Alternative formats for oral testing when appropriate.

• Assistive Technology

  • Access to devices/software that support communication if desired (e.g., recording answers).

IEP Goals Examples (Stutter-Affirming, Functional)

• Self-Advocacy

  • The student will identify at least 2 strategies for explaining their stutter to peers/teachers and practice using them in role-play with 80% accuracy.

• Communication Confidence

  • The student will increase participation in classroom discussions by initiating contributions at least 2 times per week, with self-rating of comfort/confidence (not fluency) after each.

• Education & Awareness

  • The student will explain what stuttering is and 2 things that help them communicate best, to a teacher or peer, in structured practice.

• Strategy Use (if part of student’s goals)

  • The student will choose and use preferred speech strategies (e.g., voluntary stuttering, easy onset) during structured activities with 70% independence.

• Emotional Support

  • The student will use self-rating scales (confidence, comfort, tension) to reflect on speaking experiences weekly and share with the SLP.

Related Services

• Speech Therapy focused on:

  • Understanding stuttering (psychoeducation).

  • Building self-acceptance and resilience.

  • Exploring communication strategies (only if the student chooses).Goal co-construction with student input.

• Counseling/Collaboration

  • Coordination between SLP, teachers, and the school counselor to address anxiety, bullying, or self-esteem related to stuttering.

Written by Lynne Remson, CCC-SLP & Edited by Nicole Kulmaczewski, MS CCC-SLP

As kids transition from elementary school to middle school and then to high school, how can parents ensure their child’s speech therapy model transitions with them?

Parents should take time to get to know their school SLP and begin early to advocate for their elementary school child in an effective and supportive manner. I also recommend that parents learn all they can about stuttering. When parents are well-educated consumers, they are better equipped to effectively advocate for their children. Approach the SLP with the information you have and ask what s/he thinks. Explain that you want to know what treatments are available for your child. Offer to help get information if s/he needs it and make it known that you want to work as a team.

Parents also need to learn about their child’s stuttering. Children’s level of awareness and concerns about speaking and stuttering can change over time. This occurs due to maturity, experiences and perceptions. It’s okay to talk about stuttering, fears and concerns. It’s important to know what concerns a child may have about going to middle school, especially in regards to communicating.

Usually, there is an annual IEP review at the end of the school year to review the child’s progress and to make recommendations for the next year. It would be helpful to have the elementary SLP and classroom teacher and the middle school SLP and teachers at the meeting. Sometimes this is a challenge, but it is ideal. Navigating the transition can be tricky since there will be six to eight weeks of break in the summer during which time the motor speech aspects of a child’s stuttering may change along with possible changes in attitudes and emotions. Therefore, a second transition meeting is recommended prior to or just after the start of middle school.

Ideally, the elementary and middle school SLPs should be there along with the parent. Perhaps an informal meeting could be scheduled as a parent-teacher conference, rather than a formal IEP meeting if this is easier. The student might attend, depending on their developmental maturity. A discussion of the child’s summer in regards to stuttering, attitudes about communicating, and significant experiences could be addressed. In addition, goals would be addressed as well as the child’s concerns about communication in the coming year.

The transition from middle school to high school is going to be very different than the previous one. Students are more mature and have a desire for more independence. Some teens continue to receive speech therapy services in school, others opt for private services and still others opt to discontinue therapy. Teens should be actively involved in decisions about therapy and goals. Parents can encourage and advise at this stage but the teen’s choices should be respected.

For the transition to high school, parents can request a meeting with their teen and the SLP to make the initial introduction as the school year begins. This does not have to be a formal IEP meeting but could be more like a student-teacher conference. During this meeting, the previous years’ speech therapy goals will probably be reviewed, but the meeting should also involve discussion about the student’s interests and activities as well as his or her concerns about stuttering and/or communicating in general. The meeting might also include a review of IEP goals and discussion about how well they match the student’s goals.

Submitted by Karen Kumar, CCC-SLP

How often is an IEP reviewed? 

By law (IDEA), every IEP must be reviewed at least once every 12 months (an “annual review”). In addition, every three years, a student must also have a reevaluation to determine continued eligibility and needs (sometimes called a “triennial”).

However, an IEP can be reviewed at any time if the parent/guardian, teacher, or service provider requests a meeting. For example, if a student’s needs change (new communication challenges, bullying incidents, or shifts in academic demands), the team can reconvene to update goals or accommodations.

Progress monitoring is the system schools use to track how well a student is meeting the goals written in their IEP. The IEP serves as documentation for speech-language therapy. It involves collecting ongoing data that is specific, measurable, and aligned with the student’s individualized goals. This data helps the IEP team decide whether:

• The student is making adequate progress.

• The current supports and services are effective.

• The IEP goals need to be adjusted.

By law, parents must receive regular progress reports (often quarterly or at the same frequency as report cards).

When reviewing an IEP for a student who stutters, the team should consider more than just the frequency and severity of stuttering.

Key areas include:

1. Participation & Access

   • Is the student able to participate in classroom discussions, group work, oral presentations, and social interactions without unnecessary barriers?

   • Are accommodations (extra time, alternative response options, reduced pressure) being implemented consistently?

2. Self-Advocacy Skills

   • Can the student explain their needs to teachers or peers?

   • Do they have strategies to handle speaking situations (e.g., asking for wait time, choosing when/how to participate)?

3. Confidence & Well-Being

   • Does the student feel safe, supported, and respected in their communication?Are there signs of increased avoidance, anxiety, or teasing that need to be addressed?

4. Progress Toward Goals

   • Are IEP goals (such as advocating for themselves, increasing participation, or using self-rating scales) being met?

   • Do goals need to be updated to reflect new challenges (e.g., transitioning to middle/high school, larger presentations, standardized testing)?

5. Collaboration & Education

   • Are teachers and peers aware of how to best support the student?

   • Has the SLP provided education to staff or classmates to foster understanding?

Submitted by Lynne Remson, CCC-SLP & Edited by Nicole Kulmaczewski, MS CCC-SLP

How much emphasis should be placed on carry-over of speech strategies and techniques at home?

This depends on a lot of several key factors. Perhaps the two most important are the child’s age and the specific goals the child is working toward in therapy. For example, for a very young child who is not yet working on speech fluency, then it may not be appropriate to place any emphasis on speech at all. For a school-age child who is learning to use speech techniques, then it would generally be appropriate for there to be some type of home practice routine to support generalization and to help the parents understand what is going on in therapy. For an adolescent, it is quite unlikely that there will be benefit to the parent reminding the teen to use speech techniques, so an emphasis on “speech” would not be helpful. Indeed, I’m not sure that any emphasis on “speech” would ever be helpful – if what is meant by that is emphasis on “fluency.” An emphasis on communication is always helpful, and this is what the parent should provide. Indeed, for all ages, it is critically important for the parents to provide a supportive, accepting atmosphere where the child knows that it is okay to stutter even as s/he is working toward enhancing fluency, minimizing the burden of stuttering, or whatever other goals may be selected in therapy.

Submitted by Dr. Scott Yaruss, CCC-SLP

What might a parent look for that would indicate a therapy model is outdated or ineffective?

This is a tough question to answer. In general, treatment that focuses on fluency to the exclusion of more balanced goals for improving communication and reducing the burden of stuttering on the child’s life are, put simply, inappropriate for children who stutter. There are different times in therapy where treatment might address speech production goals to a greater or lesser extent, but any time treatment is out-of-balance, then this can cause problems for the child. Clinicians and parents should be very aware of what the child’s overall goals are for treatment, and if those goals are too narrowly focused in any one area, then it would be sensible to take a step back and ensure that the goals are sufficiently broad-based that they address the child’s entire experience of stuttering, particularly including the adverse impact of the speech disruption on the child’s life.

Submitted by Dr. Scott Yaruss, CCC-SLP

IEP Ideas for Parents Whose Children May Be Resisting Speech Therapy

IEP vs 504 Plans: Differences & What Parents Should Know

As a special education teacher and the mother of a teen who stutters, and as a person who is familiar with the IEP process, a question that is often posed to me is, “My child/teen does not seem to be getting anything out of speech services in school anymore. She hates it and doesn’t want to attend. Should we discontinue the IEP and stop services?”

I realize that there is not one correct answer to a question like this. Knowing that, my response often begins with a question of my own. I ask, “Have you considered changing her IEP by asking the team to add what is called a Monitor and discontinuing only the direct or pull-out speech therapy services?”

When written in an IEP, a “Monitor” generally covers weekly or monthly “check ins” by the speech clinician. This allows your child to continue receiving precious and often “hard-won” special education services like Specially Designed Instruction (the list of helpful supports to help your child who stutters find success in the classroom, which are usually contained at the end of the IEP document) without having to participate in weekly speech therapy that is currently not meeting their needs. When “checking in” the Speech and Language Professional may speak to your child, his teacher and even to you about how your child is doing. Periodic progress monitoring should be included, which may only need to occur one time per marking period.

Using a Monitor model allows you to keep the IEP current. Keeping your child’s IEP current is crucial and often misunderstood by parents. It is important to remember that if you dismiss all IEP services this year and decide at a later date that your child is in need of services again, you must start from the beginning with the entire district evaluation process. The evaluation process by law can and often does take up to a year to complete. In that time, your child will not be receiving any of the supports and services they need.

I understand the need for many children and teens to take a break from active school speech therapy. Keeping the IEP open by changing the level of services to Monitor only allows the IEP to remain active so your child won’t lose those important additional services like Specially Designed Instruction. If, in the future (and this often happens), your child is open to active speech therapy again, it is MUCH easier and quicker to call for a meeting and modify the IEP to reinstate these services.

Written by Joan Duffield allthreeduffs@hotmail.com