Navigating the world of special education can feel overwhelming, especially when schools and professionals use so many acronyms. Understanding these terms can help you feel more confident and involved in your child’s education. In this guide, we’ll break down common special education acronyms in simple, everyday language.
- IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA is a federal law that ensures all children with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate education. This law guarantees that your child can access special education services and protections to support their learning and development.
- IEP – Individualized Education Program
An IEP is a customized plan created to meet the specific needs of your child. It outline needs, learning goals, and the specialized services and accommodations a student will receive, such as reading intervention, speech therapy, or extra time on tests. You, along with teachers and other professionals, will develop and review this plan each year to ensure it fits your child’s needs.
- FAPE – Free Appropriate Public Education
FAPE guarantees that your child will receive the education and services they need at no cost to you. This means your child has the right to an education that meets their unique needs, whether through special education programs, services inside general education, or classroom support.
- LRE – Least Restrictive Environment
LRE means your child should be in a general education classroom with their non-disabled peers as much as possible and appropriate. It is not appropriate for all students to be in general education. The goal is for children with disabilities to learn alongside non-disabled peers unless a different placement is necessary for their learning. This is a legal goal to protect children from discrimination but does not dictate what is appropriate for an individual child.
- BIP – Behavior Intervention Plan
A BIP is developed for students who struggle with behavior issues that interfere with their learning. It includes specific strategies to help adults manage behaviors and provide positive reinforcement. A BIP is a part of an IEP and helps teachers support your child’s behavior in school. A “Functional Behavior Assessment” should be completed before a BIP to determine what behaviors need to be addressed.
- FBA – Functional Behavior Assessment
An FBA is an evaluation process that looks at your child’s behavior to figure out when, where, and why they are acting a certain way. It helps the school create strategies and interventions (often part of the BIP) to support positive behavior in the classroom.
- 504 Plan
A 504 Plan provides accommodations for students who need support at school. This might include extra time for tests, seating arrangements, or other adjustments to help your child succeed. Services can be included on a 504 plan too, although many may not know this.
- ESY – Extended School Year
ESY services are extra educational support offered outside the regular school year, such as during summer break. Children may receive ESY if the IEP team determines that a long break from school would cause learning loss, and for certain other reasons. See your state’s regulations.
- PWN – Prior Written Notice
PWN is a document that schools must provide before they make any major changes to your child’s special education services. This notice explains what the school plans to do, why they are doing it, and what information they used to make their decision. It gives you a chance to understand and respond before any changes are made. These are provided after every IEP meeting to describe what was decided, accepted and refused during the meeting, and often function as “meeting notes.”
- OT – Occupational Therapy
OT helps students who have difficulties with fine motor skills, such as writing, using scissors, or getting dressed. It is a common service provided as part of an IEP or 504 Plan.
- PT – Physical Therapy
PT focuses on helping students improve their physical abilities, like walking, balance, or coordination. It is also included in IEPs for students who need help with movement or physical tasks during the school day.
- SLP – Speech-Language Pathologist
An SLP works with students who have difficulty with speech or communication skills. They might help with articulation (how words are pronounced), language comprehension, or social communication.
- AT – Assistive Technology
AT refers to any tools or devices that help your child learn and communicate. This can include anything from specialized computer software to simple devices like a slant board for writing. AT is often part of an IEP or 504 Plan to support learning.
- LEA – Local Education Agency
LEA is simply another term for the school district (in Maryland, the County). Your school district is responsible for providing the necessary services, programs, and support your child needs under IDEA and Maryland law.
- PBIS – Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
PBIS is a system that schools use to promote good behavior through positive reinforcement. Instead of focusing on punishing bad behavior, PBIS encourages students to make good choices and rewards them for doing so.
- ABA – Applied Behavior Analysis
ABA is a type of therapy often used with children who have autism. It focuses on teaching skills and improving behaviors through reinforcement. Some children may receive ABA therapy as part of their educational support services, but it is more common outside of school.
- DD – Developmental Delay
DD is a term used when children experience delays in areas like speech, motor skills, or cognitive development. Young children with DD may qualify for early intervention services or special education programs under IDEA. Many children are “coded” as having DD on their first IEPs but this may be changed later to be more specific.
- IEE – Independent Educational Evaluation
If you disagree with the results of the school’s evaluation of your child, you have the right to request an IEE, which is an evaluation done by an outside professional you choose, paid for by the school district. The results of the IEE can be used to develop or update your child’s IEP. If you tell the school district that you disagree with their evaluation, and they refuse an IEE, they are required to file for a hearing where they must prove why the IEE wasn’t necessary.
- SST – Student Support Team
An SST is a group of educators and specialists who meet to discuss strategies to help a student who is struggling, whether academically or behaviorally. This team may meet before referring the student for special education services or some schools may use this name to describe the team that meets to discuss 504 plans.
- SLD – Specific Learning Disability
SLD refers to a group of disorders that affect a child’s ability to read, write, spell, or do math. Dyslexia is a common example of SLD. If your child is diagnosed with an SLD, they may qualify for special education services under an IEP if the disability impacts their ability to access their education.
Understanding these special education acronyms can help you feel more confident in advocating for your child’s needs.
This blog post is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.