Rethinking Individual Education Plans: Searching for a Better Way

I need to start by saying that I have been a fan and promoter of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for 40 years. The first time that I can recall hearing about Individual Education Plans (IEPs) was in 1976. I was back in school working on a master’s degree in special education and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 was almost brand new. The idea and structure of the plan, however, were not new to me. We had been using what we called Individual Program Plans (IPPs) for several years before that in the large developmental disabilities institution where I worked, and these IPPs were very similar to IEPs.