A Description of Parent Input in IEP Development Through Analysis IEP Documents

Area of Science:

• Special Education
• Disability Studies
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• U.S. education law mandates parent participation in developing individualized education programs (IEPs).
• IEP teams legally require parent members whose input should be equally considered.
• Effective parent-IEP team collaboration is crucial for student success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the extent to which parent concerns and priorities are incorporated into IEP goals and services.
• To examine IEP team composition and the range of concerns parents voice.
• To identify discrepancies between parent input and final IEP content for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Main Methods:

• Content analysis of 88 IEP documents from students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Examination of IEP team membership records.
• Categorization of parent-raised concerns and assessment of their reflection in IEP goals and services.

Main Results:

• Parents express diverse concerns and priorities during IEP development.
• Only two-thirds of parent concerns and priorities are consistently translated into IEP goals or services.
• Variability exists in how effectively parent input influences IEP content.

Conclusions:

• While parent participation is legally mandated, their input is not fully integrated into IEPs.
• Further research and practice improvements are needed to ensure parent priorities shape IEPs effectively.
• Strengthening the connection between parent concerns and IEP outcomes is essential for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.