How Does My Child's IEP Work With ABA Therapy?

If your child receives special education services and ABA therapy, you probably have two thick documents in a folder at home. Both are individualized, both are full of goals, and both come with acronyms. It is natural to wonder why your child needs two plans and which one really matters.

At Creating Brighter Futures, we help families read both plans side by side. They do different jobs, and your child gets the most out of each when they point in the same direction. Here is what sets them apart.

What Is the Main Difference Between an IEP and an ABA Treatment Plan?

An IEP is a school document. It describes the special education and related services your public school district will provide so your child can learn and make progress in school. An ABA treatment plan is a clinical document. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) writes it to describe the therapy your child will receive, and it is usually authorized through health insurance. In short, the IEP focuses on learning at school, while the ABA treatment plan focuses on building skills across your child's daily life.

What Is an IEP?

An Individualized Education Program, or IEP, is written by a school team that includes you, your child's teachers, and other school staff. Federal special education law requires every IEP to describe your child's current skills, set measurable annual goals, list the services the school will provide, and explain how progress will be measured and reported. In Michigan, special education is available to eligible students from birth through age 25, and children under 3 receive a similar plan for families called an IFSP. The IEP team meets at least once a year, eligibility is generally reviewed every three years, and services are free to families.

What Is an ABA Treatment Plan?

An ABA treatment plan starts with a skills assessment. Our BCBA looks at what your child can do today and what children their age typically do, and the gap between the two becomes the goals. Those goals can cover communication, social skills, daily living skills like brushing teeth or getting dressed, and behavior. The plan also recommends weekly therapy hours, anywhere from about 10 to 40, and includes parent training so strategies carry over at home.

Before anything is finalized, we sit down with you to review every goal. We often ask parents what one change would make daily life easier, and that answer helps set priorities. The plan is then submitted to your insurance company, which typically authorizes services six months at a time, so progress is reassessed and the plan is updated about twice a year.

IEP vs. ABA Treatment Plan at a Glance

• Who writes it: The IEP is written by the school team with you. The ABA treatment plan is written by a BCBA with your input.
• Who pays: IEP services are free through your school district. ABA is usually covered by health insurance, with your plan's usual deductibles or copays.
• Where it happens: IEP services happen at school. ABA happens at a center, at home, or in the community.
• Main focus: The IEP centers on access to education. The ABA plan centers on communication, social, daily living, and behavior skills across settings.
• How often it is reviewed: An IEP is reviewed at least yearly. An ABA plan is usually reviewed every six months.

How the Two Plans Work Together

The best plans complement each other rather than overlap. In fact, some insurance plans will not approve ABA goals that duplicate the academic instruction a school already provides. When you choose to share information between your child's school and our team, we can ask where your child struggles most during the school day and target those skills at the center. Progress from ABA can also give your IEP team useful information about how your child learns best. For more on scheduling and teamwork, read ABA Therapy & School: Can My Child Do Both?

If you are just starting out, our Parents' Guide to ABA Therapy and Insurance page explain the first steps, or you can Schedule a Tour & Consult to bring your child's IEP and talk through it with our team in Ann Arbor at no cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can my child have both an IEP and an ABA treatment plan?
  Yes. Many children have both at the same time. Because the plans are written by different teams for different purposes, having one does not replace or cancel the other.

• Can ABA goals be added to my child's IEP?
  You can bring ABA progress reports to an IEP meeting and ask the team to consider them. The IEP team, which includes you, decides which goals and services go into the IEP.

• How is a 504 plan different from an IEP?
  A 504 plan provides accommodations, such as extra time or sensory breaks, so a student can access regular classroom instruction. An IEP is for students who need specialized instruction and services.

• Do I have to share my child's ABA treatment plan with the school?
  No. Sharing is your choice and usually requires your written permission. Many families decide to share at least part of it, because aligned goals tend to help children make progress in both settings.go ahead and