The 5 Year Vision

Why Include your Vision in the Parent Concerns 

When I was working through the process of becoming a Master IEP Coach®, we discussed the five-year VISION. Where do you want your child in 5 years? Do the goals in the IEP reflect that vision? 

The idea of looking into the future when considering goals, accommodations, and life skills has stuck with me.  So much so that I included it as one of the steps in my Parent Handbook, the IEP Compass. 

Sometimes as parents, we get caught up in the right now. But I have really stepped back to take a look at what I hope my child will be doing in 5 years.

5 YEAR VISION

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My son is 12 and has a myriad of disabilities. But as I sit back and think of where I want him five years from now, this is the list I come up with:

  • On track to graduate with a FULL diploma
  • The ability to pursue additional education
  • Self-confidence
  • Impulse control
  • Socially aware
  • Able to articulate ideas in words and writing
  • Ability to write short notes by hand
  • Be able to compose a well-thought-out email using accommodations

As I read through his IEP, each goal should support one of these vision points. And if one of the bullet points is not addressed in the IEP, that might be a talking point with the team. How can this bullet point be addressed?

I would encourage you, the parent, to include your vision in the "Parent Concerns" or Parental Input portion of the IEP. It is helpful for the team to see the vision of where you are heading before getting into the nitty-gritty of the IEP.

If you are struggling to see how the IEP can be tailored to fit the vision you have for your child, check out the IEP Compass, a parent handbook that meticulously walks you through the IEP step by step. 

Learn More about the Parent Compass

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