Special Education Basics · IEP Glossary

Special Education Glossary: 30+ Terms Every IEP Parent Should Know

Special education meetings move fast, and they move in acronyms. FAPE, LRE, PWN, BIP, FBA, ESY, SLD, OHI, ED. If you don’t know what these mean, you can’t effectively participate in decisions about your child. This glossary defines the terms that matter most.

The Core Laws

IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

The federal law that governs special education for students ages 3-21. IDEA guarantees eligible students a free appropriate public education through an Individualized Education Program. It sets the rules for evaluation, eligibility, IEP development, placement, and dispute resolution.

Section 504

A federal civil rights law (part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. In schools, it governs 504 plans, which provide accommodations for students whose disabilities substantially limit a major life activity, even if the student does not qualify for an IEP.

FAPE: Free Appropriate Public Education

The foundational guarantee of IDEA. Every eligible student is entitled to special education and related services at no cost to the family, designed to meet the student’s unique needs. "Appropriate" means more than minimal: since Endrew F. (2017), schools must provide a program reasonably calculated to enable meaningful progress.

LRE: Least Restrictive Environment

The IDEA requirement that students with disabilities be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. Schools must consider general education placement before more restrictive options and document why more restrictive placements are necessary.

The IEP Document

IEP: Individualized Education Program

A legally binding written document created for every student receiving special education. It includes present levels of performance, annual goals, services and supports, accommodations and modifications, placement, and transition planning (for students 16 and older).

Present Levels (PLAAFP)

The section of the IEP that describes where the student is performing right now, across all areas of identified need. All goals should connect back to the present levels. Vague or outdated present levels are a red flag that the IEP was not written with the individual student in mind.

Annual Goals

Measurable targets written into the IEP that the student should achieve within a year. Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Vague goals (“will improve reading skills”) are not legally sufficient and cannot be used to evaluate whether the school is providing FAPE.

Accommodations

Changes to how a student accesses instruction or demonstrates knowledge. Extended time, preferential seating, and text-to-speech are accommodations. They do not change the content being taught or what the student is expected to learn.

Modifications

Changes to what a student is expected to learn or produce. Reduced grade-level content, fewer problems, or alternate assessments are modifications. Modifications may affect diploma eligibility and should be used intentionally, not as a shortcut.

SDI: Specially Designed Instruction

Instruction adapted in content, methodology, or delivery to meet a student’s unique needs. SDI is the defining feature of special education: it goes beyond accommodation to change how the child is taught. A student receiving SDI is receiving a qualitatively different instructional experience, not just accommodated access to general instruction.

Related Services and Supports

Related Services

Services that support a student’s ability to benefit from special education. Includes speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, school counseling, transportation, and interpretation services. Related services must be written into the IEP with frequency and duration specified.

SLP: Speech-Language Pathologist

A credentialed specialist who evaluates and treats speech and language disorders. In schools, SLPs provide IEP-related services for communication, language processing, articulation, and social communication. School-based SLP services are governed by the IEP.

OT: Occupational Therapy

A related service focused on a student’s ability to access the school environment. School-based OT addresses fine motor skills, sensory processing, handwriting, and self-care tasks that affect educational participation.

PT: Physical Therapy

A related service addressing gross motor skills, mobility, and physical access to the school environment. PT is less common than OT in IEPs and is typically provided when a student has a physical disability that affects their ability to move through and access the school building or participate in physical education.

Para / Paraprofessional

A trained support staff member who works with students under the supervision of a credentialed teacher. Paras may provide 1:1 support, behavioral prompting, or small-group assistance as specified in the IEP. The IEP should specify whether para support is warranted and in what contexts.

BIP: Behavior Intervention Plan

A written plan that describes how staff should respond to and prevent specific problem behaviors. A BIP is based on a functional behavior assessment and specifies replacement behaviors, reinforcement strategies, and crisis procedures. A BIP is only as strong as the FBA that informs it.

FBA: Functional Behavior Assessment

An assessment that identifies the function (purpose) of a student’s challenging behavior. FBAs examine antecedents and consequences to determine why the behavior is occurring, which informs the BIP. Without an FBA, a BIP is guesswork.

Evaluation and Eligibility

Initial Evaluation

The first comprehensive assessment a district conducts to determine whether a student is eligible for special education. Must be completed within 60 days of parental consent under IDEA (states may set shorter timelines; NC uses 90 calendar days). The evaluation must assess all areas of suspected disability.

Triennial Reevaluation

Required at least every 3 years to determine whether the student continues to qualify for special education. Can include new testing or a review of existing data, depending on what the team determines is needed. Parents can request a reevaluation before the 3-year mark if needed.

IEE: Independent Educational Evaluation

An evaluation conducted by a qualified professional not employed by the school district. Parents can request an IEE at district expense when they disagree with the school’s evaluation results. The district must either fund the IEE or initiate a due process hearing to defend its evaluation.

Eligibility Categories

The 13 IDEA disability categories that determine IEP eligibility. A student must meet criteria for at least one category AND the disability must adversely affect educational performance. Categories: Autism, Deaf-Blindness, Deafness, ED, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, OI, OHI, SLD, SLI, TBI, VI.

SLD: Specific Learning Disability

Includes dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and other processing disorders. Requires documentation of a processing deficit and its impact on academic achievement. SLD is the most common IDEA eligibility category.

OHI: Other Health Impairment

Covers conditions that limit strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic or acute health problems, including ADHD, epilepsy, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions that adversely affect educational performance. ADHD is most commonly served under OHI.

ED: Emotional Disturbance

Covers conditions characterized by persistent inappropriate behaviors, inability to maintain relationships, or pervasive unhappiness that adversely affect educational performance. Includes anxiety disorders, depression, and some conduct disorders (social maladjustment alone does not qualify). The eligibility standard for ED requires the condition to be present over a long period of time and to a marked degree.

Rights and Process

PWN: Prior Written Notice

A written notice the school must provide whenever it proposes or refuses to take action regarding your child’s evaluation, eligibility, IEP, or placement. PWN must explain the action, the reason, the data considered, other options reviewed, and your procedural rights. PWN is one of the most important documents in the special education process.

Consent

Parental agreement required before the district can evaluate a child for special education or implement an initial IEP. Consent for evaluation and consent for services are separate decisions. Consent is voluntary and can be revoked, though revocation has specific procedural implications.

IEP Meeting

A required meeting of the IEP team to review and update the IEP. Must occur at least annually. Parents are required members of the IEP team and must be given adequate notice and opportunity to participate. Schools cannot hold an IEP meeting and make placement decisions without the parent present (or with documented evidence the parent chose not to attend).

Annual Review

The yearly IEP meeting where the team reviews progress on goals, updates present levels, revises goals, and adjusts services for the coming year. It is not a rubber stamp of the existing IEP. Parents can request changes at any annual review.

Due Process

A formal dispute resolution process under IDEA where an impartial hearing officer resolves disagreements between parents and the school. More intensive than a state complaint and involves hearings, evidence, and written decisions. Due process requires legal or advocate support to navigate effectively.

State Complaint

A written complaint filed with the state education agency alleging a district violated IDEA. Less formal than due process. The state investigates and issues a written decision, which can require the district to correct violations and provide compensatory services.

Mediation

A voluntary process where a neutral third party helps parents and the school reach agreement on a dispute. Free under IDEA. Less adversarial than due process and often faster. Either party can request mediation, but both must agree to participate.

ESY: Extended School Year

Special education services provided beyond the regular school year, typically during summer, for students who would significantly regress without them. Not the same as summer school. Eligibility is based on whether the student’s skills would regress significantly during the break and whether recoupment would take too long upon return. ESY eligibility must be discussed at the IEP meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does IEP stand for and what is it?

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. It is a legally binding written document created for every student who qualifies for special education services under IDEA. The IEP describes the student’s current performance, annual goals, services and supports the school will provide, accommodations, and placement. Schools must implement the IEP as written.

What is the difference between IDEA and Section 504?

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) governs special education and IEPs. It requires schools to provide eligible students with specially designed instruction and related services. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a civil rights law that prohibits disability discrimination. In schools, it governs 504 plans, which provide accommodations but not specialized instruction. IDEA has a higher eligibility threshold than Section 504 but also provides more comprehensive services.

What does PWN mean in special education?

PWN stands for Prior Written Notice. It is a written notice the school must provide whenever it proposes or refuses to change your child’s evaluation, eligibility, IEP, or placement. PWN must explain what the school is doing or refusing to do, the data and reasoning behind the decision, other options that were considered, and your procedural rights. PWN is one of the most important documents in the special education process.