As you develop your family's Family Education Plan, it will make it easier for you to understand and communicate with your child's teacher about what is expected of your child.
You will feel more self-confidence in participating in two-way (teacher and parent) more way (your student) conversation about what is important to you as a parent and what your goals are for your child. The Student Education Plan (SEP) and Student Education/Occupation Plan (SEOP) conferencing models are ideal places for you to help the school understand your child better and for you to learn how you can use your Family Education Pan (FEP) to link learning at home with what your child is doing at school. Ask the teacher what you could do to help. You might offer a special skill you have to share that may enhance learning in the classroom. You and your child could share your heritage and culture through stories, music, photos, foods, clothing, traditions and artifacts. You could offer to read aloud to the children on special holidays or help with book fairs. Share what you do in the workplace and offer to pass out parent tips to fellow workers at lunchtime. Think and link to make home more like school and school more like home. Let you teacher know that you support the class rules and policies.
Student Education Plan or SEP is Utah's format for Parent-Teacher Conferences at the elementary school level. This is a time when the parent(s) and their child sit down with the teacher to discuss what the student's strengths and interests are and what would be the best approach to take to make sure they learn about and master the things they need to that year. It is important that the child's parent has thought about what their child is good at and what goals they would like see their child meet during the school year. During the SEP the teacher, student and parent talk about what they can each do to support the student's learning.
An SEP should include:
- Learning about the student
- Showing evidence of student learning
- Working together to set goals
- Share the best way to communicate
- Celebrating the student's progress
Student Education/Occupation Plan or SEOP is a process used at the Junior High/Middle School and High School levels to help students identify their strengths and to help them plan and manage their education so they can be ready for what they would like to do after high school. This is an excellent way to help students and parents see how the things the student is doing in school are preparing them for the future. Make sure you have the name and contact information of your child's Guidance Counselor. A new law has been passed to increase funding to hire 1 full time counselor to every 350 (students) or better. Regulations have been passed to free up counselors from other responsibilities so they may give their full time to counseling students and assisting parents and families in their role as decision makers for their child.
They can provide you and your student with information and advice on what classes are necessary for them to sign up for and include in their SEOP in order to build the pathway to reach their desired destination. If your child is having trouble with a specific subject, consult your teacher or guidance counselor on how to get involved in before or after-school programs, or to find a mentor to help.
The process includes:
- Assessments to help students identify their strengths, interests and abilities
- Guidance information taught in regular classes to help students with career and further education exploration and life planning
- Creation of a 4-year plan to help the student to prepare for their next step after high school
- A portfolio where the student can put examples of their best work to show future employers or schools
An Individual Education Plan or IEP is for children who have been identified with special needs and have been put in a Special Education Program. This plan is put together with input from a team including the teacher, the parents, the principal, and anyone who is giving the child special care and or services. The goal is to come up with a plan that identifies strategies that will help the child reach his or her full potential during the school year. The Federal Government requires this plan for any child in Special Education and parents are very important to the process.
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