Parental perceptions of the individualized education plan process
Subject
Abstract
This research seeks to answer the question: What are parental perceptions of the Individual Education Plan process? Efforts to improve student performance are at the forefront of every IEP. The IEP outlines the necessary supports, adaptations and modifications that are necessary to aid the student supported in special education in reaching their full potential within a mainstream classroom. Central to the development of an authentic IEP is the involvement of parents who know their child best and can anticipate their child’s behaviours. The goal of this study is to shed light on the barriers that inhibit parents from having a positive perception of IEP meetings and provide insight into what factors help to build positive parental perceptions. A personal interview and a survey were used to gather data from parents who participate in IEP meetings. The data gathered revealed a need for agendas to guide the IEP meeting, a lack of student participation in their own IEP meeting, and the innate desire of parents to be involved in the IEP process. In addition, the data highlighted that positive parental perceptions of IEP meetings were negatively affected by: a lack of trust between educators and parents, depersonalization of the student, parents not understanding school or government policy directly related to their child, and educators that ‘listen’ but do not ‘hear’ parents.