Swimming in a Sea of Educational Terms

Are you drowning in a sea of educational terms? When you read your child’s IEP, do you know what promotional mods really mean? Let’s take a look at some familiar educational terms that you may encounter in reviewing your child’s IEP, and keep your head above water!

Annual Review - This is the yearly review of the IEP. Generally, minor changes are made during this review, such as updating goals and adjusting related services, such as speech.

Triennial - Every three years, students with IEP’s are re-evaluated. This means that he or she will have new psychological testing, as well as any testing that related service providers do. This leads me to…

Related Services - These are the service providers who are available to help your child throughout the school day. It can consist of pull-out programs or push-in (where the service provider comes into the classroom for one to one assistance) programs. Related services can include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and/or counseling.

Mandated Services are those that are put officially on the IEP, so that your child must receive those services. At Risk refers to those services not officially on the IEP, but that your child may receive on a temporary basis with a “wait and see” attitude.

Testing Modifications - These are the modifications that your child can receive when taking standardized tests. There are many modifications that can be applied, but some of the more popular ones include having extended time to complete the exam, taking the test in a small group setting, and allowing the student to record his or her answers directly in the test booklet instead of using a bubble sheet. These modifications will not affect the score of the test, but may be important in giving your child the best possible environment for test taking.

Promotional Modifications - These are the modifications made that will allow children with disabilities to be promoted to the next grade even if they do not pass the standardized tests. Usually it is given in the form of a percentage. For example, instead of having to meet 100% of the math standards for a particular grade, your child may only have to meet 80% or 50% of the standards, depending on the type of class your child is in. Promotion also is dependent upon teacher observation, attendance, and successful participation in classroom activities.

I hope this sheds some light on some of these educational terms that can be confusing to someone just entering into special education territory. Remember, too, that your child’s teacher is more than happy to explain or clarify anything to you. He or she can be a great resource in assisting you in staying afloat among the seemingly endless sea of specialized language that appears in the educational realm!