Monitoring and Accountability for Equity

How do we know an IEP is equitable and inclusive? It often helps to have a sort of checklist or reflection during IEP development:

• Did we involve the student and family in a meaningful way?

• Have we considered the student’s culture, language, and preferences?

• Are the goals appropriately challenging, avoiding both low expectations and unrealistic demands?

• Will the student have access to peers without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate (LRE – Least Restrictive Environment)? If the student is pulled out or in a separate setting, is it for the minimum necessary time with supports tried in general ed first?

• Did we address any assistive technology or accessibility needs to allow full participation? (For example, providing materials in braille, or ensuring physical access to all school areas for a student in a wheelchair.)

• Are the services and accommodations clearly geared towards helping the student participate and progress in the general curriculum?

  
  

Many schools now have equity coordinators or inclusion specialists who can review IEPs with these questions in mind. Even if that’s not formalized, each team member can champion these considerations.

Success Story: Inclusion in Action

To illustrate, consider a case:

Maria is a high school student with cerebral palsy who is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair. A traditional IEP might have focused solely on life skills or segregated her for most of the day. However, an equitable and inclusive IEP for Maria included academic goals in literature and math, adapted to her communication method (eye-gaze selection). It also included a goal for using her augmentative communication device to participate in class discussions (e.g., answering at least one question per class via her device). 

The school provided an aide not to do work for her, but to facilitate her physical needs and device use in general ed classes. Initially, some teachers wondered if this was appropriate given her support needs, but over time they saw Maria thriving – she contributed insightful points in English class through her device and was even elected to the student council (with her aide interpreting her device output for audiences). 

Her IEP also had physical therapy and occupational therapy integrated – the therapists would sometimes come into her science class to work on hand stretching while Maria also conducted a lab experiment with her group, for instance.

By thinking outside the box, Maria’s IEP team exemplified equity: they didn’t ask “Can she handle this class?” but rather “What supports will we provide so she can handle this class?” Maria’s academic knowledge blossomed, her peers got to know her as a classmate (not just a student seen with adults in a separate room), and she gained skills that truly prepared her for life beyond school among a diversity of people – which is, after all, the world we live in.

Conclusion

Moving toward more equitable IEPs might mean more training, more resources, or simply more conversations within IEP teams. But each step we take reduces barriers and opens opportunities. The smile of a student who realizes their passion is now a part of their IEP goals, or the relief of a parent who sees the school “gets” their family’s culture, are immeasurable rewards.

Let’s make inclusive IEPs the norm. Whether you’re a teacher drafting goals, a parent reviewing a plan, or an administrator setting policy, push for equity. The next IEP meeting you attend, bring up one element of inclusion – maybe ask, “How can we involve the student more in this decision?” or “Are we sure this goal is challenging enough to keep pushing forward?” Small actions by each person add up to systemic change. Every student deserves an education plan that is fair, personalized, and inclusive.

By committing to this, we ensure no learner is left behind or left out. Embrace the challenge of equity – our students are worth it.