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Acronyms and terms you will see on IEPs, in meetings, and in emails from the school—explained below in plain language. Once you are in your account, you can also ask the chat what a term means; it answers using your uploaded documents.

504 plan

A written plan under Section 504 listing accommodations and supports for a student with a disability who may not need special education instruction.

AAC

Augmentative and alternative communication—tools and strategies (devices, apps, picture systems) used when speech alone is not enough.

ABA

Applied behavior analysis—a structured approach to teaching skills and reducing problem behavior, sometimes listed as a related service or support in the IEP.

Accommodation

A change to how or where a student learns or is tested—extra time, breaks, preferential seating—without changing grade-level expectations.

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act—federal civil-rights law prohibiting disability discrimination in public life, including schools.

Admission, Review & Dismissal (ARD)

Texas name for the IEP team meeting where eligibility, the plan, and placement are decided.

Annual goals

IEP targets for what the student should achieve in a year, written to be measurable so progress can be tracked and reported.

Annual review

The required yearly IEP meeting to review present levels, goals, services, and placement—and update the plan.

ARD

See Admission, Review & Dismissal—the IEP team process in Texas.

Assistive technology (AT)

Tools—from low-tech organizers to communication devices—that help a student access learning. Teams must consider whether AT is needed.

ASD

Autism spectrum disorder—one IDEA disability category. Eligibility depends on evaluation data and how autism affects educational performance.

BCBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst—a credentialed professional who designs and oversees behavior intervention programs, often in coordination with FBAs and BIPs.

Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

A written plan describing how staff will prevent problem behavior, teach replacement skills, and respond consistently—usually based on an FBA.

BIS

Often Behavior Intervention Specialist (staff who supports behavior plans) or Behavior Intervention Services. Some districts also use BIS as a program or school label—read the sentence around it.

BIP

See Behavior Intervention Plan.

Case manager

The school staff member responsible for coordinating the IEP, scheduling meetings, and making sure services happen as written.

Child Find

The district's legal duty to find, identify, and evaluate children who may need special education—including kids in private school or early childhood.

Committee on Special Education (CSE)

New York name for the IEP team that develops and reviews the plan.

Compensatory education

Make-up services ordered when a student did not receive IEP services they were entitled to—often measured in hours or sessions.

Consent

Written permission parents give for evaluation, initial services, or certain changes. You can revoke consent in writing, which may affect services.

Consult services

Therapist or specialist time spent advising teachers rather than working directly with the student—should be documented clearly in the IEP.

Counseling services

Related service addressing social-emotional needs, coping skills, or school adjustment—may be individual or group, with frequency in the IEP.

CSE

See Committee on Special Education—the IEP team in New York.

CST

Child Study Team—New Jersey term for the multidisciplinary team (psychologist, social worker, learning specialist) that evaluates and plans for students.

Direct services

Therapy or instruction delivered directly to the student, as opposed to consult-only support for staff.

Disability category

The IDEA label under which a student is found eligible—such as SLD, OHI, ASD, or SLI. It does not dictate placement or specific goals.

Dispute resolution

Formal and informal options when you disagree with the school—mediation, due process, state complaints, and sometimes facilitated IEP meetings.

Due process

A formal IDEA hearing before an impartial officer when parents and the district cannot resolve a dispute about evaluation, services, or placement.

ED

Emotional disturbance—an IDEA eligibility category for students whose emotional difficulties affect learning, relationships, or school behavior.

Eligibility

The determination, based on evaluation, that a child qualifies for special education under IDEA and needs an IEP.

ESY

Extended School Year—special education services beyond the normal school calendar when a long break would cause serious skill regression.

Evaluation

Assessments and observations used to decide whether a child qualifies for special education and what supports they need.

FAPE

Free Appropriate Public Education—the entitlement under IDEA to special education and related services at public expense through an IEP.

FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act—federal law giving parents rights to access and control disclosure of school records.

FBA

Functional Behavioral Assessment—a structured process to understand when, where, and why behavior happens so the team can design supports.

Functional behavior

The purpose a behavior serves for the student—attention, escape, sensory need, etc.—identified through an FBA.

General education

The standard classroom and curriculum for students without disabilities—where IEP teams aim to include students with supports when appropriate.

Goal benchmarks

Short-term steps toward an annual goal—sometimes called objectives—used to track progress throughout the year.

HI

Hearing impairment—IDEA disability category covering hearing loss that affects educational access.

IDEA

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act—the main federal special education law guaranteeing FAPE, parent participation, and procedural safeguards.

IEE

Independent Educational Evaluation—an outside evaluation by someone not employed by the district, which parents may request at public expense in certain cases.

IEP

Individualized Education Program—the binding written plan for a student eligible under IDEA: present levels, goals, services, accommodations, and placement.

IEP amendment

A written change to the IEP without a full meeting when parents and the school agree on the revision.

IEP meeting

The team meeting where the plan is developed, reviewed, or revised. Parents are equal members and must receive notice in advance.

IEP team

Parents, educators, someone who can interpret evaluations, and a district representative—plus the student when appropriate.

IHP

Individual Health Plan—documents how the school manages a medical condition during the day (asthma, diabetes, seizures, etc.).

Inclusion

Educating students with disabilities in general education classes with appropriate supports—the practical application of LRE.

Initial evaluation

The first comprehensive assessment to determine whether a child qualifies for special education.

Informed consent

Permission given after the school fully explains what you are agreeing to—required before initial evaluation and starting services.

ITP

Individual Transition Plan—see transition planning; documents post-high-school goals and services starting by age 16.

LEA

Local Education Agency—usually the school district responsible for providing FAPE and IDEA compliance.

LRE

Least Restrictive Environment—the requirement to educate students with peers without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.

Make-up services

Sessions provided when scheduled therapy or instruction was missed—parents often track these against service logs.

Manifestation determination (MDR)

A team meeting after certain discipline removals asking whether conduct was caused by the disability or a failed IEP.

MDR

See manifestation determination.

Measurable goals

Goals with clear criteria and methods for measuring progress—not vague intentions.

Mediation

A voluntary, confidential meeting with a neutral facilitator to try to resolve a disagreement without a due process hearing.

Modification

A change to what the student is expected to learn or complete—alternate assignments, simplified content, or different grading standards.

MTSS

Multi-Tiered System of Supports—a school-wide framework for academic and behavior support. Not a substitute for IDEA evaluation when disability is suspected.

NOREP

Notice of Recommended Educational Placement—Pennsylvania document describing the school's proposed program; parents respond to accept or decline.

NPS

Non-public school—a private school placement paid by the district when it cannot provide an appropriate program.

OCR

Office for Civil Rights—federal agency that enforces disability discrimination complaints, including Section 504 and ADA in schools.

OHI

Other health impairment—IDEA category often used for ADHD, asthma, epilepsy, and other chronic health conditions affecting learning.

Occupational therapy (OT)

School-based related service for fine motor, sensory, and daily living skills needed to participate in education—not medical rehab.

Offer of FAPE

The district's formal written proposal of special education and related services for the student to accept or dispute.

OOD

Out-of-district placement—when a student's program is provided at a location outside the home district, often a specialized school.

OT

See occupational therapy.

Paraprofessional (para)

School staff who provide in-class support under teacher direction—instruction, behavior help, health routines, or inclusion assistance.

Parent report

Your input about how your child learns at home and in the community—an important part of present levels and IEP meetings.

PBIS

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports—a school-wide framework for teaching expectations and responding to behavior.

Pendency

See stay put—the student's current placement and services during a pending due process dispute.

Physical therapy (PT)

School-based related service for gross motor skills, mobility, and safe access in the building—not outpatient medical PT.

Placement

Where and how much time services are delivered—general education with supports, resource room, self-contained class, or other settings.

PLAAFP

Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance—the IEP section describing current strengths, needs, and how the disability affects learning.

PLOP

Present levels of performance—older term for the same idea as PLAAFP.

Present levels

Where your child is performing now—academically, socially, and functionally—before goals and services are set.

Prior written notice (PWN)

Written notice the school must give before proposing or refusing to change evaluation, identification, placement, or services.

Procedural safeguards

The IDEA rights notice explaining consent, notice, records access, mediation, due process, and other protections.

Progress monitoring

How the school tracks goal progress and reports results to parents—at least as often as report cards.

Progress report

Periodic update on whether IEP goals are being met—distinct from a report card grade.

Psychological evaluation

Assessment of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning—often part of initial or triennial evaluation.

PT

See physical therapy.

Pull-out services

Specialized instruction or therapy delivered outside the general education classroom for part of the day.

Push-in services

Support provided inside the general education classroom—co-teaching, in-class aide, or therapist working in the room.

PWN

See prior written notice.

Reevaluation

Review of whether the student still qualifies and what they need—required at least every three years unless waived by agreement.

Regression

Loss of skills during a break from school—key factor in ESY eligibility decisions.

Related services

Supports such as speech, OT, PT, counseling, and transportation that help the student benefit from special education.

Resolution session

Required meeting within 15 days of a due process filing where the district can try to resolve the complaint.

Resource room

A special education setting for part of the day—often called RSP or learning support—where students receive targeted instruction.

Restraint & seclusion

Physical holds or isolated confinement used in crises—heavily regulated; many states require documentation, parent notice, and IEP consideration.

RSP

Resource specialist program—California and other states' term for pull-out or push-in special education support.

RTI

Response to Intervention—tiered academic support before or alongside evaluation. Cannot be used to delay a parent's request for evaluation.

SAI

Specialized academic instruction—another name for specially designed instruction (SDI) in some states.

SDC

Special Day Class—a self-contained special education classroom for most or all of the school day.

SDI

Specially designed instruction—the individualized teaching that makes special education "special," documented with service minutes.

Section 504

Civil-rights protections against disability discrimination in federally funded programs—basis for 504 plans.

Self-contained class

A classroom primarily for students with disabilities, separate from general education for most of the day.

Service log

Record of therapy or instruction sessions actually delivered—useful when comparing promised minutes to what happened.

Service minutes

The frequency and duration of specialized instruction or therapy the IEP commits to—e.g., 30 minutes of speech, 3 times per week.

SLD

Specific learning disability—IDEA category including dyslexia and other disorders in reading, writing, or math.

SLI

Speech or language impairment—IDEA category when communication needs affect educational performance.

SLP

Speech-language pathologist—provides speech and language therapy as a related service when listed in the IEP.

Social work services

Related service addressing family-school coordination, counseling, or access to community resources.

Special education

Specially designed instruction at no cost to parents, provided through an IEP for eligible students under IDEA.

Special factors

IDEA-required IEP considerations—behavior, limited English proficiency, blindness, communication needs, and assistive technology.

Speech-language services

Therapy for articulation, language, fluency, or social communication—specified in the IEP with frequency and delivery model.

SST

Student study team or school support team—informal school group that reviews concerns before or during the evaluation process.

State complaint

Formal complaint to the state education agency alleging IDEA violations—different timeline and process from due process.

Stay put

During a pending due process hearing, the student generally keeps their current placement and IEP services unless both sides agree otherwise.

Supplementary aids & services

Accommodations, personnel help, or equipment that let a student participate in general education—assistive tech, aide support, behavior plans.

Transition planning

IEP process starting by age 16 (or younger) for post-high-school goals—college, work, independent living, and agency linkages.

Transportation

A related service when required for the student to access school or their IEP placement—including specialized buses or aides.

Triennial evaluation

Full reevaluation required at least every three years unless parents and the district agree it is unnecessary.

TBI

Traumatic brain injury—IDEA disability category when an injury affects educational performance.

Unilateral placement

When parents place a child in a private school without district agreement and then seek tuition reimbursement through dispute resolution.

VI

Visual impairment—including blindness—IDEA category when vision affects educational access even with correction.