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CE Press  /  Special Education

The IEP Handbook

Finally understand the IEP process and show up to every meeting knowing what to ask, what to expect, and what your student is entitled to.

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17 chapterscovering the full IEP process from referral and eligibility through goals, placement, behavior, dispute resolution, and transition.
The problem

The IEP process is one of the most consequential and least understood systems in public education. Parents sit in meetings not knowing what questions to ask. Teachers write goals without a clear framework. Paraprofessionals implement plans they have never been walked through. Everyone is doing their best with an incomplete picture.

The solution

The IEP Handbook breaks down every section of the IEP in plain language, from evaluations and eligibility through goal-writing, placement, behavior, transition, and dispute resolution. Clear enough for families. Comprehensive enough for the professionals who use it every day.

What's inside
17 chapters. The full IEP process, from referral to transition.
The most comprehensive plain-language IEP guide available for families and educators.
01
The Purpose of Special Education and the Role of the IEP
Why IEPs exist and what they are legally required to do
02
Referral, Child Find, and Evaluation: How the Process Begins
Who can refer, what triggers evaluation, and what happens next
03
Child Find, Referral Obligations, and Timelines
Legal obligations and timelines schools must follow
04
Evaluations: Scope, Standards, and Data Integrity
What a legally compliant evaluation must include
05
Eligibility Determinations: Legal Criteria and Common Misapplications
How eligibility is decided and where errors commonly occur
06
Speech or Language Impairment: Assessment, Eligibility, and Educational Impact
Specific guidance for one of the most common eligibility categories
07
Autism: Educational Eligibility, Assessment, and Program Implications
What the eligibility process looks like and what it means for programming
08
From Eligibility to Program Design: Translating Data into Services
How assessment data drives service decisions
09
Present Levels: The Legal and Instructional Anchor of the IEP
Why present levels matter more than any other section
10
Developing Legally Sufficient, Instructionally Meaningful IEP Goals
What separates a strong goal from a compliant but useless one
11
Accommodations, Modifications, and Specialized Instruction
The difference between each and how to document them correctly
12
Behavior, Discipline, FBAs, BIPs, and Manifestation Determinations
The full behavioral framework schools are required to follow
13
Placement and Least Restrictive Environment
How LRE decisions are made and how to evaluate them
14
One-to-One Aides, Paraprofessionals, and the Risk of Adult Dependence
When aide support is appropriate and when it undermines progress
15
Dispute Resolution, State Complaints, Mediation, and Due Process
What families and schools can do when they cannot agree
16
Independent Educational Evaluations and Prior Written Notice
Parent rights to independent evaluation and school notice requirements
17
Transition Planning, Long-Term Outcomes, and Preparing for Life Beyond the IEP
How the IEP prepares students for post-secondary life
Who it's for
Everyone at the IEP table.
Parents and Caregivers
Understand every section of your child's IEP. Know your rights, ask the right questions, and advocate with confidence at every meeting.
Special Education Teachers
Write stronger goals in less time. Select and document accommodations that hold up. Build plans that actually serve students.
General Education Teachers
Understand what the IEP requires of you and how to implement it without overhauling your entire classroom.
Paraprofessionals
Know what the plan says, what your role is in implementing it, and how to ask the right questions without overstepping.
Educational Advocates
A comprehensive reference for navigating complex IEP matters and guiding families through every stage of the process.
Inside the handbook
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About the authors
Written by practitioners with decades of real-world experience.
Jeanine Leech
M.A., M.S.  /  Special Education and Educational Leadership
Jeanine Leech
Former Director of Special Education  /  Educational Advocate  /  Expert Witness

Jeanine Leech has written IEPs, facilitated IEP meetings, managed due process cases, and directed special education programs across California public schools for 25 years. She wrote this handbook for every parent who felt lost at the table and every educator who needed a clearer framework.

Meg Dennison
PsyD, ABSNP  /  Licensed Educational Psychologist
Meg Dennison
Licensed Educational Psychologist  /  Credentialed School Psychologist  /  Diplomate in School Neuropsychology

With over a decade in special education, Meg brings deep expertise in psychoeducational evaluations, FBAs, and school-based mental health. She began her career as a special education instructional assistant and now provides therapy and Independent Educational Evaluations in private practice.

Leann Schouten
ClinScD, CCC-SLP, HLAC, ATACP  /  Speech-Language Pathology
Leann Schouten
Co-owner, Jump and Schout Therapy  /  Adjunct Faculty, Chapman University and CSUF

With 25+ years specializing in motor and communication disorders, Dr. Schouten is co-owner of Jump and Schout Therapy, founder of the Jump and Schout Foundation, and an internationally recognized lecturer. She is adjunct faculty at Chapman University and California State University, Fullerton.

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Finally understand the IEP process.
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Also available from CE Press
The IEP Handbook Companion
Companion Resource
The IEP Handbook Companion
A Fillable Planning and Review Framework for IEP Teams, Families, and Advocates

Fillable worksheets, planning tools, and structured review guides that help you prepare for and navigate the IEP process. Designed to work alongside this handbook. Digital download. $19.97.

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