Special Needs Abbreviations List

IEP, FBA, TSS, so many abbreviations! What do they all mean? This is a helpful list of abbreviations used in public school systems. With a free printable included! Jump to the list.

An introduction to the special needs world should really come with a fruit basket and a list of abbreviations. Every IEP or ISP meeting is full of them. If you want to be an informed parent and an effective advocate for your child you need to learn the abbreviations being thrown around by the professionals.

As a nurse, I am aware of all the abbreviations used in the medical profession which can make anyone’s head spin. This is a whole new world to me as a parent of an autistic child with special needs. It made me feel left out and unaware. To be apart of the conversation you need to at least understand what is being spoken around you.

Why are parents so important?

This should be obvious, but if it isn’t... The parent is the most important part of an IEP team as they are the only expert on the child. You have known them their whole life and you know what they need, want, or desire. At least until they are able to do it themselves and join you at the IEP team meeting. Although your expertise doesn’t come with a degree, diploma, or certificate yours is valuable and integral.

I talk a little bit more about this in my previous post about an IEP binder. Which I still use all the time, by the way. So, now that you know how important you are to the team, let’s talk about abbreviations. A lot of fields have abbreviations specific to them. Education is but one of many that have abbreviations. This is to ease communication between professionals it also keeps anyone uneducated about the space from fully being aware of what is going on.

This is why I am going to try to educate you guys on these abbreviations. So the conversation is widened by the parents of the special needs community. Without further ado, let’s get to the abbreviations!

Special Needs Abbreviations

• 504 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• ADOS Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
• BASC Behavioral Assessment System for Children
• BSC Behavior Specialist Consultant
• DOE Department of Education
• DIBELS Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
• ECC Evaluative Conciliation Conference
• ESY Extended School Year
• FAPE Free and Appropriate Public Education
• FBA Functional Behavior Assessment
• FERPA Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
• IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• IFSP Individual Family Service Plan
• IEP Individual Education Plan
• IEE Independent Educational Evaluation
• ISP Individual Support Plan
• K-SEALS Kaufman Survey of Early Academic & Language Skills
• LEA Local Education Agency
• LRE Least Restrictive Environment
• OT Occupational Therapy
• PBSP Positive Behavior Support Plan
• PT Physical Therapy
• PTONI Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence
• RR Reevaluation Report
• SDI Specially Designed Instruction
• SLD Special Learning Disability
• SBAP School-Based Access Program
• TSS Therapeutic Staff Support
• VMI Visual-Motor Integration

This list is by no means all inclusive but I went through my daughters entire IEP and SDI’s to make sure I had all of them included. Some of them are specific to the testing involved with my particular case. If you read the IEP or evaluation reports they always list the meaning next to the acronym in the first place it is presented. It is harder to understand when they are being thrown around without context just in conversation.

Print it out!

Printing this list out and using it in your IEP binder will help you be able to have a quick reference that can be used during conversation. Of course, if you are using these terms for a while you will no longer need a reference. For the new moms to the special needs world though, this makes you an informed advocate for your child.

I also have one that matches the IEP binder printables better. It features the same flower pattern as it had on there.

If you do use this printable in your IEP binder or for reference with your special needs child please tag @mamaofthedrama to let me see my hard work not go to waste. Also, if you want to join the mama of the drama family and get quality content delivered to your inbox weekly hit the subscribe button!