Annual goals are an essential component of Individual Educational Programs (IEP), which are developed for students with disabilities, and which are informed by data. However, the methods and practices that special educators use to make sense of data to inform the annual IEP goals represent a gap in research literature. This qualitative study was…

The problem of this basic qualitative study was that students served in self-contained classes had limited access to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process due to the rationed participation by parents and teachers (i.e., advocates), which may have been restraining students' ability to prepare for adult living expectations within their…

This Research Note discusses research on class size reduction (CSR). The research on CSR is not definitive but a contested, ongoing debate. The research on CSR has been severely limited by the singular focus on student academic performance, although some studies have sought to expand the conversation by focusing on the impact of CSR on teaching…

This qualitative research explored pre-service teachers' understanding of special education transition planning. Findings suggest pre-service teachers increased their understanding of transition planning, accessing post-secondary services, and supporting students obtaining and maintaining employment. By including expert community members,…

In 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States redefined Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities (SWD) in "Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District." The Court's new standard for FAPE was more demanding than previous rulings. Parents of SWD are expected to participate in the special education…

Early intervention (EI) plays a crucial role in supporting infants and toddlers with developmental needs and helping families understand how to meet their child's needs. However, once a child reaches the age of three, these services come to an end and families must transition to school services. Surprisingly, there is a lack of research focusing…

Family-educator collaboration results in enhanced outcomes among educators, families, and, most importantly, students with disabilities. Collaboration of this nature, however, does not always occur for many reasons, including tension that arises when family and educator microcultures differ and result in communication breakdowns. Reflexivity is…

The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) section in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) is critical for aligning educational goals with students' current capabilities and needs. However, inconsistencies and legal deficiencies in PLAAFP statements persist due to inadequate data collection and fragmented…

The purpose of this study was to examine responses from U.S. high school students with (n = 356) and without (n = 1,599) an Individualized Education Program (IEP) on 11 independent living skills (ILS) items taken from a broader college and career readiness assessment. Results indicated significant differences in ILS proficiency based on IEP…

The aims of this study were to (a) characterize the prevalence and interrelationship of Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals in academic (reading, writing, math) and developmental (language, social skills, behavioral) domains in a large U.S. national sample of autistic children across the elementary and secondary grade levels and (b)…

Nearly 31% of U.S. school-age students labeled emotional disturbance spend most of their school day in self-contained classrooms. Thus, it is critical for district leaders to understand how to support educators' capacity to provide effective services for students with significant behavior-support needs. We overview how district leaders can…

The Special Education Process (SEP) demands the collaboration of various professionals and personalities to create the Individualised Education Plan (IEP), beginning with the evaluation conducted by clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and in this study, developmental paediatricians. Assessments acts as a keystone document, serving as basis for…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act emphasizes that students and parents are equal partners in the individualized education program (IEP) process, including planning for transition to postsecondary education, employment, and community living. This is especially important for English learners (ELs) with disabilities, yet little is known…

This manuscript offers an approach to secure needed SBMHS for students with disabilities through unique applications within the IEP development process, informed by an analysis of recent case law. We will discuss six components of this approach. First, the need for SBMHS must be established through evaluation data. Data sources to confirm the need…

The aim of this article was to explore whether and how special education documents incorporate efforts to hear young children. The study is based on an in-depth analysis of expert assessments and individual education plans (IEP) pertaining to 17 children enrolled in early education and care (ECEC) institutions in Norway. The documents are…