Special education teacher resources
The whole job in one place: the IEP cycle from present levels to annual review, behavior support (FBA, BIP, MTSS), data collection, and working with paraprofessionals — plus AI tools that draft the paperwork so you can teach.
Special education is specially designed instruction for students with disabilities, delivered through an IEP that the whole team writes together. The special education teacher is usually the person who keeps that IEP alive day to day: teaching to the goals, collecting data, coordinating accommodations, and guiding the adults who support the student.
The IEP cycle, step by step
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Referral and evaluation | A concern (often after MTSS interventions) leads to a referral. With parent consent, the school evaluates the student in all areas of suspected disability. |
| 2. Eligibility | The team decides whether the student has one of the 13 IDEA disability categories AND needs specially designed instruction. If not, a 504 Plan may still fit. |
| 3. Present levels (PLAAFP) | A data-based snapshot of what the student can do now, how the disability affects access to the curriculum, and baseline numbers for each area of need. |
| 4. Annual goals | Measurable goals that grow out of the present levels: condition, behavior, criterion, and how progress is measured. |
| 5. Services, accommodations, placement | Minutes of specialized instruction and related services, accommodations and modifications, and placement in the least restrictive environment (LRE). |
| 6. Progress monitoring | Regular data collection on every goal, with progress reports sent home as often as report cards go out. |
| 7. Annual review and reevaluation | The IEP is reviewed at least once a year; the student is reevaluated at least every three years unless the family and school agree it isn't needed. |
Timelines and forms vary by state and district, so always follow your district's procedures. For writing the goals themselves, go to the IEP goal bank; for the difference between plans, see IEP vs 504.
Behavior: FBA, BIP and MTSS
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| FBA (Functional Behavior Assessment) | Finds out WHY a behavior happens: what triggers it, what the student gets or avoids, and when it is most likely. |
| BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan) | Turns the FBA into a plan: prevention strategies, a replacement behavior to teach, how adults respond, and how data is collected. |
| MTSS / PBIS tiers | Tier 1 supports for everyone, Tier 2 small-group supports, Tier 3 individualized supports. An FBA/BIP usually sits at Tier 3. |
Start with the FBA vs BIP guide, then see a filled-in behavior intervention plan example. The team decides whether an FBA is needed and approves the plan; your job is to bring good data. For how the tiers fit together, read MTSS vs RTI.
Data collection that fits in a real school day
- Trial-by-trial for discrete skills (sight words, math facts): mark + or − for 10 trials.
- Frequency for countable behaviors (call-outs, hand raises): tally per interval.
- Duration and latency for on-task time and task initiation: a timer and a start/stop note.
- Rubric scores for writing and multi-step work: same rubric every probe.
- ABC notes (antecedent, behavior, consequence) when a behavior is new or escalating.
Pick one method per goal and keep it the same all year, so the graph actually means something. Ready-to-copy formats and a weekly schedule are in data collection sheets for IEP goals; for the baseline that every goal starts from, see these present levels of performance examples.
Working with paraprofessionals
Paras make inclusion work, but they need a clear role: what they do, what they don't do, and who to ask. Our guide to paraprofessional duties in special education includes a daily checklist you can hand over on day one.
Draft the paperwork faster
The Pluma IEP draft assistant helps you draft measurable goals and accommodation language from general descriptions, and the report card comment generator turns your notes into family-friendly comments. Neither one creates a legally compliant IEP or replaces your team's decisions. Never enter real student names or identifiable information. Free to start, no card.
Create free accountFrequently asked questions
What does a special education teacher do?
A special education teacher designs and delivers specially designed instruction for students with IEPs, writes present levels and goals, collects progress data, coordinates accommodations with general education teachers, supervises paraprofessionals, and usually serves as case manager for a caseload of students.
What is the difference between an FBA and a BIP?
An FBA is the assessment: it gathers data to explain why a behavior happens. A BIP is the plan built from that assessment: prevention strategies, a replacement behavior, consistent adult responses, and a way to measure progress. The FBA comes first; the BIP uses its findings.
How often should IEP progress be monitored?
Data should be collected often enough to make decisions — for many skill goals that means weekly or every other week. Under IDEA, families must receive progress reports on IEP goals at least as often as general education report cards go home, unless the IEP says otherwise.
Can AI write an IEP?
AI can help draft goal language, accommodation wording, or a first version of present levels from general descriptions. It cannot make eligibility, placement, or service decisions, and it doesn't produce a legally compliant IEP. The IEP team decides, and you should never enter a real student's name or identifiable information into an AI tool.
IEP goal bank
IEP vs 504
Report card comments