Required IEP Sections in Tennessee
What sections are required in an IEP in Tennessee?
Tennessee IEPs must include all components required by federal law (34 CFR 300.320) as implemented through Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12 and Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-10-103 (entitlement to FAPE and LEA responsibilities). Every IEP must contain: present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP); measurable annual goals (with benchmarks or short-term objectives for students taking the Tennessee Alternate Assessment aligned to alternate achievement standards); a description of how progress toward goals will be measured and reported; a statement of special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, and program modifications; an explanation of the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled peers; individual accommodations for TCAP and EOC assessments (or a statement that the child will take the TAA and why); projected start dates and frequency, location, and duration of services; and transition services beginning at age 14. Tennessee's transition planning age of 14 is lower than the federal baseline of 16 — rule 0520-01-09-.12(2)(b)-(c) requires postsecondary goals and transition services in the first IEP in effect when the student turns fourteen. Tennessee defines FAPE and special education in Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-10-102(6) and (13), requiring specially designed instruction at no cost to the parents. The IEP must be implemented as soon as possible after development; if no agreement is reached, no change in the IEP or eligibility shall be made for 14 days to afford the parent time to request a due process hearing (0520-01-09-.12(3)). Upon written request of any IEP team member, the team shall be convened within 10 school days (0520-01-09-.12(4)).
What Tennessee Requires
The IEP must include a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including how the disability affects involvement in the general education curriculum (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(1)(a); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(1)).
The IEP must include measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals, designed to meet the child's needs from the disability and enable progress in the general education curriculum (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(1)(b); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)).
For children taking the Tennessee Alternate Assessment (TAA) aligned to alternate achievement standards, the IEP must include benchmarks or short-term objectives (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(1)(b); 0520-01-09-.09(1)(c); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
The IEP must include a description of how and when progress toward annual goals will be measured and reported to parents (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(1)(c); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3)).
The IEP must specify all special education, related services (as defined in Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-10-102 and 0520-01-09-.02(12)), supplementary aids and services, and program modifications, including projected start date and anticipated frequency, location, and duration (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(1)(d)-(g); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)-(7)).
The IEP must explain the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular educational environment (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(5); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(5)).
For students aged 14 and older (Tennessee-specific, lower than federal age-16 threshold), the IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based on age-appropriate transition assessments, transition services, and courses of study (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(2)(b)-(c)).
Beginning at least one year before the student reaches the age of majority (18), the IEP must include a statement that the student has been informed of rights that will transfer at age 18 (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.21; 34 CFR 300.320(c)).
Upon written request of any IEP team member, the IEP team shall be convened within ten (10) school days or on a mutually agreed upon date and time (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(4)).
Key Timelines
The IEP must be implemented as soon as possible after development; if no agreement was reached, no change in IEP or eligibility shall be made for 14 days to afford the parent time to request a due process hearing (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(3)).
The IEP must be in effect at the beginning of each school year (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
The IEP must be reviewed and revised at least annually (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12; 34 CFR 300.324(b)).
IEP team meeting upon written request of any member: within 10 school days (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-09-.12(4)).
For a student who transfers from another Tennessee LEA, the receiving district must provide comparable services and adopt the previous IEP or develop a new one (34 CFR 300.323(e)).
For a student who transfers from out of state, the receiving Tennessee district must provide comparable services and develop a new IEP if appropriate (34 CFR 300.323(f)).
Sources
Related IEP Guides
How to Read Your Child's IEP: A Parent's Guide
A plain-language guide to every section of your child's IEP. Learn what each part means, what to look for, and what questions to ask the school team.
Your IEP Rights: What Schools Must Do
Know your rights in the IEP process. Learn about Prior Written Notice, independent evaluations, stay-put, due process, and 10 rights every parent should know.