What is an Individualized Service Plan (ISP)?

Private schools are not obligated to provide all the services and supports in a child's IEP; they only need to provide reasonable accommodations, but they may still offer a variety of supports and services depending on the school. In private school, a student eligible for services under IDEA is not served through an IEP but a service plan for “equitable services.”

Local education agencies (LEAs) have funding set aside for special education services for students with disabilities whose parents choose to send them to private school.

In some cases, private schools may provide extra services like an individualized service plan or an instructional service plan for kids with disabilities. However, depending on funding, the LEA may not be able to provide all of the necessary services that a public school would.

Even with an ISP, your child may not be able to receive the same services as they would in a public school. Here's what you should know:

1. FAPE is not required — meaning, the private school does not have to ensure that the student is provided with the appropriate services (e.g., aides, therapists, etc.).
2. If funding is depleted before the end of the school year, services will cease until the following year. Parents may have to fund extra services themselves.
3. Service decisions are made on a yearly basis, with no guarantee of continuity from one year to the next.
4. To be eligible for an ISP, a child often has to have one of the thirteen disabilities outlined under IDEA and require special education services to access public education.

To learn more, see our full article Private Schools 101.