We Love Our Acronyms

Families

Jul 2

It’s true.

If you have ever been in a room with several educators, you know that we speak in acronyms. We especially love them if we are in the field of special education. Some districts even have their own acronyms and figuring out what everything means can sometimes make people want to scream. There is no intention to make people confused, it helps educators communicate more to you in the short period of time they have with you. Below are some common acronyms you may hear in an IEP meeting. This is also a helpful link with a more comprehensive list of acronyms, in case you want to explore further.

IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
ISBE - Illinois State Board of Education
LEA - Local Education Agency
IEP - Individual Education Program
FAPE - Free and Appropriate Public Education
LRE - Least Restrictive Environment
FBA - Functional Behavioral Assessment
BIP - Behavior Intervention Plan
ESY - Extended School Year
RS - Related Services
GE - General Education
IA - Instructional Assistant
Voc Ed - Vocational Education
IEE - Independent Educational Evaluation
MTSS - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

With each of these, there is an implication to the development of an IEP. Do not hesitate to conduct your own research, ask your child’s team, or reach out to NSSEC for help. We will definitely be exploring the meaning of these various acronyms in future blogs, so check back with us to find out more. The more you know, the more empowered you will feel at your next IEP.

Warmly,