IPP vs IEP comes down to who pays and where the help happens. The Individual Program Plan (IPP) is your regional center’s plan under California’s Lanterman Act, for life at home and in the community. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is your school district’s plan under federal and California special education law. An IEP is reviewed at least once a year; an IPP at least every three years.
Quick answer
IPP vs IEP: The IPP is written with the regional center and covers services outside school, such as respite, independent living skills and adult programs, for any age. The IEP is written with the school district and covers special education and related services a student needs to learn, from age 3 through 21. Many autistic children have both, and each plan should list the other.
Last checked: November 10, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
IPP vs IEP: what is the difference?
The two plans come from different laws, different agencies and different budgets. The regional center funds services that help a person live, grow and take part in the community. The school district must provide a free appropriate public education. Neither plan replaces the other.
| Question | IPP (regional center) | IEP (school district) |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Lanterman Act, Welfare and Institutions Code | Federal IDEA and California Education Code |
| Who qualifies | People with a developmental disability, including autism, who meet Lanterman eligibility | Students whose disability means they need special education |
| Ages | 3 and older, for life (under 3: Early Start IFSP) | 3 through 21; some students finish the school year at 22 |
| Who leads it | Your service coordinator | A district administrator or case manager |
| First plan due | 60 days after the assessment is done (WIC 4646) | 60 days after you sign consent to assess (Ed Code 56344) |
| Regular review | At least every 3 years (WIC 4646.5) | At least once a year (Ed Code 56343) |
| Meeting you ask for | Within 30 days; 7 days if needed for health and safety | Within 30 days of a written request (Ed Code 56343.5) |
| If you disagree | Lanterman Act appeal (fair hearing) | Special education due process |
Who writes each plan?
The IPP is written by a planning team: the person served, parents of a minor, any conservator, the service coordinator and anyone the family invites. The IEP team must include a parent, a special education teacher, a general education teacher if the child is or may be in general education, a district representative and someone who can explain the assessments. Students attend when appropriate. By age 16 at the latest, the IEP must include transition goals and services.
For the IEP, you can audio-record the meeting if you tell the team at least 24 hours before (Ed Code 56341.1). New to the regional center plan? Our explainer on what happens at a regional center IPP meeting walks through the agenda and the new statewide IPP format.
Which plan covers which service?
Use one test: is the need about learning at school, or about daily life outside school? School needs belong in the IEP. Home and community needs belong in the IPP. The Lanterman Act backs this up: regional center money “shall not be used to supplant the budget” of a public agency with its own duty to serve (WIC 4648(a)(8)), and regional centers must look to school districts and other funders first (WIC 4659).
| Need | Usually in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Speech or occupational therapy during the school day | IEP | Related services the student needs to learn |
| Classroom aide or behavior plan at school | IEP | Part of the school placement |
| Bus or van to school | IEP | Transportation is a related service |
| Respite for parents | IPP | Family support at home |
| Help with self-care or safety at home | IPP | Daily living outside school |
| Behavior services at home | Insurance or Medi-Cal first, then IPP | Regional center is the payer of last resort |
| Day program or job support after school ends | IPP | Adult services through the regional center |
Gray areas exist, such as social skills groups. Ask the school first for anything tied to education. Therapies are planned around the child’s needs; our Options Policy on autism treatments explains why ASC does not promote one approach.
Do the timelines and reviews differ?
Yes. The IEP runs on a yearly cycle, with a full reassessment at least every three years. The IPP floor is one full review every three years; in both systems you can ask for a meeting at any time, and both must hold it within 30 days. The IPP has a faster lane: 7 days when the change is needed for health and safety or to keep the person at home.
For the school side, the clock starts earlier. The district has 15 days to send an assessment plan after a referral, you have at least 15 days to sign it, and the IEP is due 60 days after your consent. Our IEP meeting checklist for autism helps you use that time well.
How do you disagree with an IPP or an IEP?
Each plan has its own appeal system. A regional center decision goes through a Lanterman Act appeal. A school decision goes through special education due process at the Office of Administrative Hearings. Both let you keep current services while you appeal, if you act in time.
- IPP: appeal within 60 days of the Notice of Action. To keep a current service during the appeal, file within 30 days and before the change takes effect. You can choose an informal meeting, mediation or a hearing. Our guide to the regional center fair hearing covers each step.
- IEP: you have two years to file for due process (Ed Code 56505), and the student stays in the current placement during the dispute (“stay put”). You can also consent to the parts of an IEP you agree with. See our guide to an IEP dispute in California.
How the two plans work together
The IPP lists “generic resources”, the services another agency provides, so the school services in the IEP belong in the IPP too.
- Bring a copy of the current IEP to every IPP meeting.
- Bring the IPP, or a summary of its services, to IEP meetings.
- Invite your service coordinator to the IEP meeting. Attendance isn’t guaranteed.
- Line up goals, so a communication goal at school matches the one at home.
- When one agency says “ask the other one”, ask for that answer in writing.
At age 3: from Early Start to both plans
Children under 3 have an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) through Early Start, not an IPP. A transition conference happens at least 90 days before the third birthday, and the school district must have an IEP in place by that birthday. The regional center then decides whether the child qualifies for ongoing Lanterman services and an IPP. Our guide to the Early Start transition at age 3 explains the steps and who to call.
Frequently asked questions
Can my child have an IPP and an IEP at the same time?
Yes, and many autistic children in California do. Your child can be eligible for one, both or neither. School eligibility has its own test; see whether autism automatically qualifies for an IEP.
Will the regional center pay for services the school refuses?
Usually not at first. The regional center is the payer of last resort and must not replace school funding. Ask the school in writing, and if it refuses, use the IEP dispute process. Then show the written refusal to your service coordinator.
What happens to the IEP when my child leaves school?
The IEP ends when the student graduates with a regular diploma or ages out at 22. The IPP continues for life. Plan the handoff early: the IEP transition plan starts by 16, and adult services such as day programs and supported work are planned in the IPP.
Next step
For the school side in depth, read our complete guide to autism and IEPs in California or Disability Rights California’s manual on the special education IEP process. For the regional center side, the IPP review rules in WIC 4646.5 are short and readable, and our guide to autism services in California shows where the IPP fits.
Juggling both plans? Call the ASC information line at 1-800-869-7069, or find your local Autism Society affiliate to talk with parents who have done it.