Individualized Education Program (IEP)
A written statement of, and plan for, the special
education and related services to be provided
to students who have a disability identified
under IDEA. Developed by the IEP team, the
IEP describes the student’s present levels of
performance, annual goals with benchmarks or
short-term objectives, and describes specific
special education and related services and
supplementary aids that will be provided.

The plan must specifically address the
frequency, duration and location of services,
and the methods that will be used to measure
student progress.

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
A written plan for providing early intervention and
other services to an eligible infant or toddler and
to the child’s family.

Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)
A written plan outlining the rehabilitation,
vocational and employment services needed
by a person with a disability or serious health
condition to reach an employment goal. This plan
is developed by the Department of Rehabilitative
Services (DORS) for post-secondary use.

Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)
The federal law requiring states to provide a FAPE
to identified students with disabilities in the least
restrictive environment. The IDEA also requires
states to provide early intervention services to
infants and toddlers with disabilities, birth to
age 3, and their families.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
The IDEA requirement to educate students with
disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate
with peers who do not have disabilities.

Local Care Team (LCT)
LCTs are intended to support families in
accessing services and supports. Local Care
Teams include representatives of the local and
regional child- and family-serving agencies,
and serve as a place where families can get
information from government agencies to help
identify community resources, services or
supports for their child.

Local Lead Agency
The local agency in each county and Baltimore
City responsible for the planning, supervision,
monitoring and technical assistance for
implementing early intervention services for
infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Local Management Board (LMB)
Board in each county and Baltimore City
responsible for making decisions about local
family and child service needs and implementing
an interagency service delivery system to meet
those needs.

Local School System (LSS)
The local public school system responsible for
educating a child.

Manifestation Determination
The IEP or 504 team’s decision as to whether
there is a connection between a student’s
disability and any behavior that led to
disciplinary action.

Mediation The process of having a trained professional help
families and representatives from a local school
system or local lead agency reach an agreement
about a child’s special education or early
intervention services.

Mediator A qualified individual selected by the Office of
Administrative Hearings (OAH) to mediate a
disagreement under the IDEA.

Medical Assistance
Department of Health programs that provide
access to health care services for low-income
residents, including the Maryland Medicaid
Program. Natural Environment
The home or community settings that are natural
or typical for a child’s peers who have
no disability.

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)
The school services determined appropriate by
the IEP team to meet the needs of a student with
a disability in the least restrictive environment.

Preschool Partners
Preschool Partners support families when
children transition from the Infants and Toddlers
Program (ITP) to the local school system (LSS)
preschool special education program or other
community-based early childhood setting.

Procedural Safeguards
Standards and procedures to protect the rights
of children, their parents and surrogate parents
under the IDEA.

Protection and Advocacy Agency (P&A)
A nationwide system to protect and advocate
for the rights of people with developmental
disabilities. Reevaluation
An evaluation conducted after an initial
evaluation occurs.

Referral The written request asking an IEP team to
evaluate a child to determine if the child has
a disability and is in need of receiving special
education services.

Related Services
Developmental, corrective or supportive services
needed by a student with a disability to benefit
from special education.

Residential Placement
Placement of a child with a disability in an
approved, specialized educational program
provided in a facility that the child attends
24 hours a day.

Respite Temporary child care provided to give a parent or
caregiver time away from caregiving.

Response to Intervention (RTI)
A federal educational reform law designed to
improve student achievement by establishing
curriculum content and school performance
standards for public school systems.

A set of teaching procedures, or processes, used
by educators to help students learn a skill or
a lesson.

Nonpublic Placement
Review of existing information about a child to
determine if the child has a disability and needs
special education services.

Placement of a student with a disability in an
accredited, private, special education school at
public expense.

Nonpublic School
An accredited, private, special education school.

Periodic Review
A review of the IFSP conducted every six months, or
at another specified interval, or at a family’s request.

30 Washington FAMILY OCTOBER 2022
Placement Screening
Section 504
Refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, a federal law prohibiting discrimination on
the basis of disability in programs and activities,
public and private, that receive federal financial
assistance. The 504 Plan is a written plan in
compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation