IEPs are based on a series of decisions that together form a comprehensive plan that defines a student’s educational program. Teams must determine the exact goals and objectives, related services, educational placement, and extended school year needs that best meet the needs of the student. These are difficult decisions, and team members can disagree. When one side files for due process, hearing officers must determine the student’s real needs and the better determinants for success. In this post-Institute symposium, District Education Specialist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst Ruth Ballinger will outline data collection systems based on observation in particular contexts and designed to answer specific questions that inform all aspects of the IEP by providing objective and reliable information.