Paraeducators are generally not members of the IEP team and do not attend IEP meetings unless specifically invited by the special education teacher or administrator. Your role is to implement the IEP, not to design or revise it. If you have concerns about a student's IEP goals, you should share those with the supervising teacher.

IDEA covers students who need specialized instruction due to a qualifying disability and results in an IEP. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act covers students with disabilities who do not need specialized instruction but do need accommodations to access the general curriculum—these students receive a 504 Plan, not an IEP. The KPA focuses primarily on IDEA and IEPs.

No. Accommodations are written into the IEP by the team and cannot be changed by the paraeducator. If you notice that an accommodation does not seem to be working or a student needs additional support, you should report this to the supervising teacher, who can bring it to the IEP team.

LRE means that students with disabilities must be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. Removal from the general education classroom can only occur when the nature or severity of the disability requires it even with supplementary aids and services. As a paraeducator, supporting inclusion in the general education classroom is part of honoring the LRE principle.

Refer the parent to the special education teacher or case manager. While you can have a brief, positive interaction with a parent, detailed discussions about IEP goals, progress, or program changes should always go through the supervising teacher. Sharing this information without authorization may violate FERPA.

Students are referred for evaluation when a concern is identified by a teacher, parent, or other team member. A multidisciplinary evaluation team then assesses the student across all areas of suspected disability. If the student meets the eligibility criteria under one of the 13 IDEA categories and needs specialized instruction, an IEP is developed. Paraeducators do not conduct evaluations or make eligibility decisions.