4 Ways to Reframe IEPs

Traditional IEP language often includes statements that are focused on a child’s limitations—for example, “Charlotte has a five-second attention span,” or “Ben has severe autism and frequent tantrums, bites and kicks when frustrated, and does not have a conventional means of communication.” While these statements are reflective of behavioral facts, they do not communicate the whole picture of a child, including the strengths that can help them thrive. Below we share 4 ways to reframe stigmatizing attitudes and language in order to develop an IEP that is strength-based instead of limiting.

Reframe #1. Educate school staff about values instead of deficits

The reality is, you may need to do some work to address traditional deficit-thinking and low expectations from educators and administrators. Talk to school staff about shifting existing limiting mindsets and language to not stigmatize disability or ignore your child’s skills. By focusing on strengths instead of imitations or deficits, strength-based IEPs position students with disabilities as valuable, capable, and contributing members of their classrooms and school communities. Dr. Caitlin Solone, education advocate, teacher-educator, and faculty at UCLA, notes, “Creating strength-based IEPs will help people see your children as individuals who make up an important part of our community and society.”

Note that it does not require a special form or document to request a strength-based approach from the IEP team. If you need help communicating why this matters to your team, check out these 6 reasons why kids need a strength-based IEP.

Reframe #2. Focus on the whole child instead of just disabilities

Traditional IEP language often focuses on the details of a child’s disabilities and the tasks they cannot do. Instead, focus on the whole child—their abilities, interests, and support needs. For example, your child’s strengths and needs will be detailed in the Present Levels of Performance (PLOP) section of the IEP. Make sure the description of your child in the PLOP section begins by listing their strengths (e.g., they are hard-working, they love science, they are always quick to help a friend, etc.) instead of describing their limitations (they struggle with behaviors, reading, etc.). Building the IEP around a student’s strengths changes a team’s approach and expectations for that child for the better.

Reframe #3: Focus on “how” instead of “can’t”

As you work with the IEP team, focus on “how” (“How can we make it possible for my child to complete this task?”) instead of “can’t” (“My child can’t complete this task.”). For example, write goals that include information about what is already working. A goal might begin by listing specific supports, accommodations, and strategies a child uses successfully—such as a graphic organizer or math manipulatives—that may be incrementally removed or adjusted as the child masters the skill.

If the IEP team tells you that your child “can’t” meet a certain goal or execute a certain skill because of their disability, you have the right to advocate for a strength-based curriculum by providing examples of your child’s abilities. For example, if the school argues that your child doesn’t need assistive technology (AT) due to their intellectual disability, you can respond by saying something like, “My child can make choices, so they need an AT program that lets them pick from auditory multiple-choice steps.”

As you think about the “how,” turn your child’s strengths into IEP goals. Here are a few examples shared by parents during our IEP series with Dr. Solone:

• A parent of a child with dysgraphia shared that her son is a great typist. Prior to distance learning the child was forced to write a sentence five times before being allowed to type. The parent noted, “It was like he was being punished instead of encouraged to learn his way.” During distance learning, with typing as the only option, the student thrived being able to type all of their work. Typing is clearly one of this child’s strengths and should be presented to the IEP team as a skill to help him achieve writing goals.
• A parent shared that her child is nonspeaking but can communicate with sign language. The ability to sign is a strength, so the parent can develop a goal for her child to learn more signs.
• A parent shared that a goal for her child is to memorize phone numbers using music because of that strength. If your child responds to music or is skilled at singing or playing an instrument, you can incorporate music into their goals.

Reframe #4: Identify barriers to learning instead of blaming the disability

There is a tendency to blame a student’s lack of progress on their disability. Instead, work with the IEP team to identify which barriers to learning may prevent your child from making progress. You can provide strength-based information about your child’s progress by tracking new skills they’ve acquired year by year and keeping a list of your child’s strengths, accomplishments, and interests.

Remember that it is the school’s obligation to use your child’s strengths to make the curriculum accessible and their goals appropriately challenging. The IEP team will need to prioritize strength-based assessment measures and consider input from every person on the team, and they must especially prioritize input from those who know your child best: you and your child.

For more on IEPs, see some of our popular resources below and download our free IEP prep packet. And if you need further support from Undivided—for example, help applying for public benefits or preparing for an IEP meeting and access to members-only office hours with specialists in insurance, public benefits, and special education—sign up for a free Undivided trial membership.