Abstract
Family engagement in the individualized education program (IEP) process is a core tenant under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Central to family engagement is the use of strategies which promote family-school partnerships. Many of these strategies are addressed through the use of high leverage practices (HLPs) in special education. This chapter explores how HLPs can be conceptualized to promote family engagement in the IEP process, from development to implementation. Concrete, practitioner focused strategies and resources are provided to aid schools in fostering positive and collaborative relationships with families to ensure students are able to access the necessary support and service to make progress in their education.
TopIntroduction
Families are integral partners in the education of their children. They are their first teacher and have knowledge and expertise vital to understanding their child’s strengths, interests, and needs. For students with disabilities, not only is it “good practice” for schools to involve families in their education, but it is also mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004), the U.S. federal special education law. Under IDEA, parents are designated as key members of an educational team, equally responsible for creating a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is one of the most important documents for school-age children with disabilities, providing a framework for a free appropriate public education in which students can make progress toward their individualized goals (Yell & Bateman, 2020). Despite being identified in IDEA (2004) as full and equal members of the IEP team, many families experience challenges such as feeling underappreciated or ignored (Hill & Torres, 2010) which limits their ability to advocate for their child’s needs throughout the IEP process (Buren et al., 2018; Burke et al., 2018).
One solution for engaging families in the IEP process is through using high-leverage practices (HLPs) in special education. Developed by a team of special education experts, HLPs represent foundational practices that, according to prior research, either improve student outcomes or have extensive policy support (McLeskey et al., 2017). These 22 practices are organized within four main categories: 1) collaboration, 2) assessment, 3) instructional, and 4) social/emotional/behavioral (McLeskey et al., 2017). In particular, eight of the 22 HLPs (seeTable 1) align with specific strategies to effectively engage families before, during, and after IEP meetings. The eight highlighted HLPs provide guidance on strategies, tips, and procedures to engage families in the development and implementation of the IEP.
Table 1. Eight HLPs with best practices for engaging families throughout the IEP process
| HLP a | Best practice a | Questions to Use With Families |
| 2 | Organize and facilitate effective meetings with professionals and families. | ● What is the best way for me to contact you?
● Would you prefer to meet in person or online?
● What would you like to add to the meeting agenda? |
| 3 | Collaborate with families to support student learning and secure needed services. | ● What would you like to share about [Student]?
● Is there any new information you would like the rest of the IEP team to know about [Student]?
● Would you like to lead our meeting? |
| 4 | Use multiple sources of information to develop a comprehensive understanding of students’ strengths and needs. | ● What strengths do you see at home?
● What are your worries or concerns about [Student]? |
| 5 | Interpret and communicate assessment information with stakeholders to collaboratively design and implement educational programs. | ● Now that we’ve shared [Student]’s assessment information, is there anything that we’ve missed?
● Does this information match up with what you see at home? |
| 6 | Use student assessment data, analyze instructional practices, and make necessary adjustments that improve student outcomes. | ● What have you noticed about [Student]’s progress towards [goal] at home?
● What suggestions do you have for working on [Student]’s goal? |
| 11 | Identify and prioritize long- and short-term learning goals. | ● What would you like to see [Student] accomplish this year?
● What are your goals and dreams for [Student’s] future? |
| 13 | Adapt curriculum tasks and materials for specific learning goals. | ● What strategies have worked for [Student] in the past?
● How does [Student] access [item or content] at home? |
| 21 | Teach students to maintain and generalize new learning across time and settings. | ● Where do you see [Student] in the future?
● What areas at home or in your community would like to see [Student] increase in their independence? |
Note. HLP = high-leverage practice; IEP = individualized education program.
aAdapted from McLeskey, J., Barringer, M.-D., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Jackson, D., Kennedy, M., et al. (2017). High-leverage practices in special education. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children. https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CEC-HLP-Web.pd
Key Terms in this Chapter
Inclusion: Both an educational philosophy and individual practices to best educate and ensure meaningful participation for all students in the general education classroom and within their school community.
High Leverage Practices: A total of 22 evidence-based approaches or policies that special education teachers can use to effectively teach and increase outcomes for students with disabilities.
Practitioners: Teachers, related service providers, and others who support students throughout the school day.
Collaboration: Working, learning, and interacting with others.
Barriers: Roadblocks that get in the way of high-quality and effective instruction or collaboration.
Culturally Responsive Practices: Approaches and strategies to effectively educate, support, and collaborate with culturally and linguistically diverse students and families.
Individualized Education Program: A legal document developed for school-aged students in the United States found eligible to receive special education services.