Required IEP Sections in Louisiana
What sections are required in an IEP in Louisiana?
Louisiana IEPs must contain all components required by federal IDEA and by Bulletin 1706 (Regulations for Implementation of the Children with Exceptionalities Act) and Bulletin 1530 (Louisiana's IEP Handbook for Students with Exceptionalities). Every IEP must include: (1) present levels of academic achievement and functional performance; (2) measurable annual goals, with benchmarks or short-term objectives required only for students taking alternate assessments; (3) a statement of special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, and program modifications; (4) an explanation of the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled peers; (5) individual appropriate accommodations for state and district-wide assessments (LEAP 2025); (6) projected start dates, frequency, location, and duration of services; and (7) how progress toward annual goals will be measured and reported. Louisiana also distinguishes three IEP types: the Initial IEP (for students who have never received special education services), the Review IEP (updated at least annually), and the Interim IEP (for students with severe or low incidence impairments who transfer into the state). A Louisiana-specific requirement is that an IEP team meeting must result in a completed, signed IEP/placement document within 30 calendar days of the eligibility determination. Services must begin no later than 10 school days after the IEP is developed (Bulletin 1530, §105(A)).
What Louisiana Requires
The IEP must include present levels of academic achievement and functional performance describing how the disability affects involvement in the general education curriculum (Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(1); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(1)
Measurable annual goals are required; benchmarks or short-term objectives are required ONLY for students taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, not for all students (Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(2)).
Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(2)
The IEP must include a statement of special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, and program modifications or support for school personnel (Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(4)).
Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(4)
Individual appropriate accommodations for LEAP 2025 and other state and district-wide assessments must be specified in the IEP (Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(6)).
Bulletin 1706, §320(A)(6)
The IEP/placement document must be completed and signed within 30 calendar days of eligibility determination (Bulletin 1530, §105(A)).
Bulletin 1530, §105(A)
Services must begin as soon as possible but no later than 10 school days after the IEP is developed (Bulletin 1530, §105(A)).
Bulletin 1530, §105(A)
For students transferring between Louisiana LEAs, the receiving LEA must enroll the student and implement the existing IEP within five school days of transfer (Bulletin 1530, §105).
Bulletin 1530, §105
Louisiana requires an evaluation representative — a person knowledgeable about and able to interpret evaluation data — at the initial IEP meeting; the LEA's officially designated representative (ODR) must be qualified to provide or supervise specially designed instruction (Bulletin 1530, §107).
Bulletin 1530, §107
Key Timelines
IEP/placement document must be completed within 30 calendar days of eligibility determination (Bulletin 1530, §105(A)).
Services must begin no later than 10 school days after the IEP is developed (Bulletin 1530, §105(A)).
IEP must be reviewed and revised at least annually (Bulletin 1706, §324; 34 CFR 300.324(b)).
Transfer students from another Louisiana LEA must be enrolled with their current IEP within five school days (Bulletin 1530, §105).
For children transitioning from Part C (Early Steps), the IEP must be developed and implemented by the child's third birthday; if birthday falls in summer, services begin no later than start of the next school year (Bulletin 1530, §105; 34 CFR 300.124).