The Best Kept Secret: Readability and Accessibility of IEPs

Individualized education plans (IEPs) are to serve as a guideline for the supports and services a student with a disability needs to have access to the general education curriculum. State departments of education monitor the compliance of these programs within the public schools. This study found the materials that state departments use to inform parents and guardians about IEPs and their rights and responsibilities in the special education process are difficult to read and understand for most parents, which potentially limits the ability to advocate for their children. The implications of these findings suggest the parents’ capacity for active participation in the IEP processes are diminished. Opportunities for improving collaboration and communication between schools and families are discussed.