For an IEP to be considered high quality, all members of the IEP team need to be active participants in the writing process. Each member of the team is crucial in ensuring that a student’s needs will be met through the IEP. The members of the IEP Team include a parent/guardian, at least one general education teacher, at least one special education teacher, a school district representative (often an administrator), a school psychologist or other specialist and the student if possible. In order to write a high quality IEP, every team member needs to be aware of their role.

In regards to the IEP itself, there are three components that lead to high quality. First, the present level of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statement needs to provide a significant amount of  information regarding a students performance to allow for well written, measurable goals. This statement should include the students needs and progress in the general education classroom. The PLAAFP needs to be detailed so that goals, services and accommodations needed can be determined. Second, the measurable annual goals need to be written to address all pieces of the PLAAFP. These goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time) goals. The goals are created based on current grade level or essential pieces of the curriculum and are individualized based on the specific student. Establishing goals based on the PLAAFP allows for consistency throughout the IEP.  Third, the supports and services need to be individualized based on the student much like the goals. These supports include accommodations and modifications needed for the student to be successful as well as services such as psychological services, speech therapy, occupational therapy and so on.