ANSWERS: Special Education Today

Two years ago, Connecticut public schools started using a new format for their IEPs. An IEP is the document that summarizes a special education student’s Individualized Education Program. The aim was to make the document more parent friendly and to improve the quality of their children’s IEP. Now, two years later, it can be asked: Are parents more satisfied with the new IEP form? Do parents believe the new form has a positive impact on their child’s IEP? The answer to these questions might surprise you. Many parents feel the new IEP form is far less than ideal. Jacqueline Forchetti is a parent, special education teacher and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She recently conducted a survey of Connecticut parents to determine their level of satisfaction with the new IEP form. Her work is the first comprehensive study of parent satisfaction since the new IEP form was introduced.