5 Acronyms New School SLPs Need to Know

Guys!  I'm drowning in back to school craziness, but I'm super excited to have my buddy, Jenna Rayburn from Speech Room News, here to share a guest post with you!  You know we toss around acronyms like beanbags.  It's like our own little special education world language!
If you're new to the schools this year, you're going to be learning a new language! One of things I love about working in a school is the ability to collaborate with other professionals daily. While you settle into your new school office you have to retrain your brain to the school jargon. Today let me breeze through five acronyms you will need to know this year!

AYP: Adequate Yearly Progress

AYP is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized tests.

504: 504 Plan

While you might know what an IEP (Individualized Education Program) is are you familiar with a 504? The 504 Plan is a plan developed to ensure that a child who has a disability identified under the law and is attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives accommodations that will ensure their academic success and access to the learning environment.

IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a four part (A-D) piece of American legislation that ensures students with a disability are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that is tailored to their individual needs.

FAPE: Free Appropriate Public Education

Free Appropriate Public Education is an educational right of children with disabilities in the United States that is guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

ESY: Extended School Year

Extended School Year (ESY) services are special education and/or related services provided beyond the usual school year, at times when school is not usually in session – typically during the summer. ESY services are different from summer school, summer remedial classes, and summer enrichment programs. ESY services are individualized, based on the child’s needs as documented in the IEP, and are free of charge to parents.

If you're new to the schools this year, I encourage you to reach out to fellow school SLPs to make your first year a success. We learn so much from each other! I'm excited to be mentoring SLPs who are new to the school system this year with online video courses. If you're new to the schools visit SchoolSLP101.com or SLPcf101.com to learn how you can start the year off right!

Jenna Rayburn, M.A., CCC-SLP is a school-based speech language pathologist from central Ohio. Jenna has a passion for educational resource design and professional development for SLPs. On her blog, Speech Room News, she writes about current topics in the field, completes app reviews, and shares practical treatment activities. Jenna has presented on a variety of relevant topics to school-based speech-language pathologist including a presentation at the 2015 and 2016 American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention.

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