“Got Your Shit Waders? . . . We’re Going Through Some Knee-Deep Crap”: Family Experiences at IEP (Individualized Education Program) Meetings

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Power, Politics, and Paradigms: Examining Disability Knowledge in Educational Contexts (Table 10)

Abstract

Family participation and advocacy are critical at the Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting (Boshoff et al., 2016; Cavendish & Connor, 2018; Duquette et al., 2011; Fish, 2006). Families are expected to be partners in the IEP meeting however, participating in the IEP meeting is challenging for families (Cavendish & Connor, 2018; Fish, 2006; Goldman & Burke, 2019). By learning more about their thoughts about the IEP meeting, the field can work to enshrine more collaborative practices. This study examined nine families’ perceptions of their participation and treatment during IEP meetings using semi-structured interviews. Findings included concerns about power dynamics as well as the challenges present at the IEP such as rigid school policies and lack of knowledge from school staff.

Author

• Elizabeth Golini, Portland Public Schools