Student Led Success!

In the Fall of 2015 I attended a workshop at the Illinois Transition Conference in Chicago. I attended a session led by Michele and her daughter Aubrie. As a Special Education Administrator I was looking for ways in which students could be more involved in the process of developing their IEPs. Michele and Aubrie brought out some very thought provoking points. I decided to take their suggestions and materials back to the school districts that I work with. In January of 2016, I trained one school district on how to implement student-led IEPs. I challenged my teachers to do at least one student-led IEP by the end of the year. In the Fall I trained the other two school districts on how to implement student-led IEPs. Now all three of my school districts are implementing student-led IEPs with students of various ability levels. The students are involved at the younger levels as well. The student-led IEP meetings have been very successful. The parents love seeing their child in action and doing a presentation. The students are very nervous and excited all at the same time. It is a very neat experience for all involved.

(Renea Smith works for Macon Piatt Special Education District which is a cooperative. She works specifically with Mt. Zion Community School District, Meridian Community School District and Central A& M School District.)