Required IEP Sections in Missouri
What sections are required in an IEP in Missouri?
Missouri IEPs must contain all components required by federal law (34 CFR 300.320) plus requirements established in the Missouri State Plan for Special Education, Regulation IV (FAPE/IEP/LRE). Every IEP must include: (1) present levels of academic achievement and functional performance; (2) measurable annual goals including, for students taking alternate assessments, benchmarks or short-term objectives; (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; (6) projected start dates, frequency, location, and duration of services; and (7) how progress toward annual goals will be measured and reported to parents. Missouri follows the federal standard requiring short-term objectives or benchmarks only for students taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, not for all students. Transition components must be included beginning at age 16 (Missouri follows the federal baseline). A Missouri-specific requirement is that parents must receive a copy of the IEP within a reasonable time following the IEP meeting, generally no more than 20 calendar days. Missouri also requires IEP implementation within 10 calendar days of the Notice of Action being sent, unless parents waive this period.
What Missouri Requires
The IEP must include present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, describing how the disability affects involvement in the general education curriculum (Missouri State Plan, Regulation IV; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
Measurable annual goals must be included; short-term objectives or benchmarks are required only for students taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards (Missouri State Plan, Regulation IV; 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
The IEP must specify all special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and support for school personnel, including projected start date, frequency, location, and duration (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4), (a)(7)).
Parents must receive a copy of the IEP within a reasonable time following the IEP meeting, generally no more than 20 calendar days from the date of the meeting (Missouri DESE compliance guidance).
IEP implementation must begin within 10 calendar days of the Notice of Action being sent, unless parents waive this period for immediate implementation (Missouri DESE compliance guidance).
The IEP must include a statement of how the child's progress toward annual goals will be measured and when periodic reports on progress will be provided, at minimum as often as nondisabled peers receive report cards (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
For students age 16 and older, the IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals and transition services needed to assist the student in reaching those goals (Missouri State Plan, Regulation IV; 34 CFR 300.320(b)).
Key Timelines
An initial IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days after the determination that the child needs special education and related services (34 CFR 300.323(c)(1)).
The IEP must be reviewed and revised at least annually (34 CFR 300.324(b)).
The IEP must be in effect at the beginning of each school year (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
Parents must receive a copy of the IEP within 20 calendar days of the IEP meeting (Missouri DESE compliance guidance).
IEP services must be implemented within 10 calendar days of the Notice of Action (Missouri DESE compliance guidance).