Abstract
This study presents data collected from one large district in the greater Sacramento area of Northern California to examine parents’ perspectives and experiences during the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) process. This qualitative research study sought to answer the following research question: What are the experiences of preschool parents with the IEP process of their young child with a disability? Focusing on preschool parents who had a child between the ages of three to five years old will ensured insight was gathered from the experiences of families new to the IEP process. Data from the interviews with four parents indicated positive and negative experiences during the IEP process. In this study the majority of parents shared at least one negative experience during or prior to the meeting. All parents emphasized the need for support by the school district, such as a handbook or a PowerPoint presentation with information about the IEP in order to help understand the IEP process. Implications for practice are discussed and further research into parents’ experiences with the IEP process are suggested