So you want to be more involved in your IEP process but don’t know where to start. Maybe you were asked by your case manager to attend the meeting, or maybe you are interested in creating educational goals for yourself, or you may just be curious about how the IEP process works, what the meeting is like, and what kinds of decisions are made.

However much involvement you currently have, your IEP meeting is one of best opportunities you have at school to practice self-determination skills. The Student Rubric for IEP Participation can help you identify where to start, as well as some steps you can take to increase your participation and understanding of the IEP process.

This rubric is simply a tool that can help you figure out what you already know and don’t know about the IEP process. The IEP process can get complicated, so this tool helps you know where you can focus your efforts so that you can be more involved in your education. It’s broken into 6 areas:

If this is your first time using it, we recommend that you go through it with a teacher or your case manager who may be able to help you figure out where to place yourself on the rubric. Every school will have different ways of supporting students in understanding the IEP process, and these individuals can likely provide you with the information you need to increase your awareness.

Step 1: Choose one area on the left of the page in the teal column. Read the phrases in each level for that area and select the level that best represents you at this moment. There’s no right or wrong answer, we all start at different levels, so be honest with yourself here! You may be low in one area and high in another. It all just depends on your situation.

Step 2: Repeat Step 1 until you have selected a level for each area.

Step 3: Write or type your scores on the 3rd page and add them up to get your total.

Step 4: On the right-hand side of page 3, see where your score falls on in the different ranges. You might fall in the 6-11 point range, the 12-18 point range, or the 19-24 point range. Read the guiding questions and prompts that go with the range that you are in.

Step 5: Take action! On the last page, use the space provided to answer the questions and reflect on what steps you might take next. Maybe you realize that your Knowledge of IEP Content score is lower than you want and you really want to understand the IEP more. You might set up a time to go through this with a teacher or case manager who can explain the IEP document in more detail.

Step 6: Share your completed Student Rubric for IEP Participation with your family and case manager. Let them know what areas you would like to improve, and how they might be able to help. Ask lots of questions!

Step 7: In a year or so, fill the Student Rubric out again and compare it to where you were the year before. How much have you grown? Are there still areas that you’d like to be more knowledgeable about? What new goals do you have for yourself?