A discussion about IEPs for all students seems to be trending. In an interview with The Nation during the presidential campaign, Jane Sanders talked about IEPs and public schools. It was likely the most we heard about public education at that time.

Here are her words.

It’s interesting, because we’ve made progress with IEPs [Individualized Education Programs] for people with disabilities, or students who need extra help. I think every student should have an individualized educational plan.

As a parent, I had these kids, I didn’t know who they were. I wasn’t molding them to be me or my husband. What we wanted to do was find out: Who are they? What are their abilities? What are their interests? What are their talents? I think we need to do that in our schools.

Special education teachers and parents may have applauded this idea in the past. If every child had an IEP, we reasoned, teachers could look at differences in all children. Maybe we could drop the labels.

But in today’s world, an IEP for every child has taken on new meaning. It isn’t what Jane Sanders said, and it is important to distinguish what could happen by giving everyone an IEP.

Source: IEPs for All Students? Hold On!