Individualized Education Plans
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Headline

Boys are more than twice as likely as girls to receive special services through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). In 2003, 9 percent of boys in kindergarten through grade 3 had an IEP compared with 4 percent of girls in the same grades. (See Figure 1)

Importance

Individualized Educations Plans (IEPs), mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA),¹ are specific education plans for students with disabilities, created with input from teachers, parents, special education teachers, and when appropriate, the students themselves. IEPs contain information such as the student's current performance, annual goals, services that the student receives, needed transition services, and how progress will be measured. Research has shown that IEP documents are related to the quality and quantity of services received by students with disabilities.² Early, accurately targeted interventions will help each student succeed to the best of his or her ability and avoid future problems such as grade retention or academic failure. However, families of more diverse culture and ethnic backgrounds or with low-incomes are less likely to access early intervention services and are less likely to participate in the IEP process.³ Hispanic and Asian children are also underrepresented in special education programs.⁴ Because of this, it is important to make sure that the IEP process is culturally and linguistically sensitive.⁵ The change in legislation in 1997 puts a much bigger emphasis on parental involvement in the IEP process.⁶

An IEP can also serve as an opportunity for a student to acquire knowledge about his or her own disability and can contribute to decisions about their plan. The IDEA legislation requires that children and youth ages 14 and older are asked to participate in any meetings about their IEP.⁷ Research shows that students who play a role in leading their IEP meetings know more about their own disabilities and rights, and may also gain self-esteem.⁸

Trends

Between 2001 and 2003, the percentage of children in kindergarten through third grade receiving special services through an IEP remained relatively constant and was at 7 percent in 2003. (See Table 1)

Of those children with special needs, 28 percent were receiving special services through an IEP in 2003. (See Table 2) Of those children receiving services through an IEP, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) had some type of speech or language delay. About one-third (31 percent) were diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.⁹

Note: Special needs include those children whose parents were told the child had any of the following disabilities: a specific learning disability, mental retardation, a speech or language delay, a serious emotional disturbance, deafness or another hearing impairment, blindness or another visual impairment, another health impairment lasting 6 months or more, autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD), or Pervasive Development Disorder.

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Differences by Gender

Boys are more than twice as likely as girls to receive special services through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). In 2003, 9 percent of boys in kindergarten through grade 3 had an IEP compared with 4 percent of girls in the same grades. (See Figure 1)

Differences by TANF and Food Stamp Receipt

Children in households receiving TANF in the last year are more than twice as likely as children in households which do not receive TANF to have IEPs (14 percent versus 6 percent, respectively). Similar trends can be found by food stamp and Medicaid receipt. However, there are no significant differences by WIC receipt. (See Figure 2)

Differences by Type of School

Kindergartners through third graders attending private church-related schools are much less likely than other students in the same grades to have an IEP. In 2003, 2 percent of kindergartners through third graders in such schools received special services through an IEP, compared with 7 percent of students who attend public school. Children attending other non-church affiliated private schools and children who are home schooled fall in the middle at 6 percent and 5 percent, respectively. (See Figure 3)

Differences by Language Spoken in the Home

Children whose parents both spoke English as their primary language were more likely than other children to receive special services through an IEP. In 2003, 7 percent of kindergartners through third graders whose parents both spoke English as their primary language received special services through an IEP, compared with 2 percent of children with neither parent speaking English and 6 percent of children who had one parent whose main language was not English (See Table 1)

Related Indicators

ADHD, Learning Disabilities

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State and Local Estimates

None available

International Estimates

None available

National Goals

According to the US Department of Education, every child with special education needs must have an Individualized Education Plan. More information is available at: http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html.

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What Works: Programs and Interventions that May Influence this Indicator

None available at this time

Research References

¹U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. (2000). "A Guide To Individualized Education Program." Accessed August 23, 2005. Available at: http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html

²Test, David W., Mason, Christine, Hughes, Carolyn, et al. (2004). "Student Involvement in Individualized Education Program Meetings." Exceptional Children 70(4): 391-412.

³Zhang, Chun, and Bennett, Tess. (2003). "Facilitating the Meaningful Participation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families in the IFSP and IEP Process." Focus on Autism & Other Developmental Disabilities,18(1).

⁴Takanishi, R. (2004). "Leveling the playing field: Supporting immigrant children from birth to eight." The Future of Children, 14. Available at http://www.futureofchildren.org/usr_doc/Vol_14_No2_no_photos.pdf

⁵Ibid.

⁶Sopko, K. (2003) "The IEP: A synthesis of current literature since 1997." Prepared for Project FORUM, National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE): Alexandria, VA.

⁷Test, David W., Mason, Christine, Hughes, Carolyn, et al. (2004). "Student Involvement in Individualized Education Program Meetings." Exceptional Children, 70(4):391-412.

⁸Mason, Christine Y., McGahee-Kovac, Marcy, & Johnson, Lora. "How to Help Students Lead Their IEP Meetings." Teaching Exceptional Children, Jan/Feb2004, 36 (3): 18-24.

⁹Child Trends original analyses of data from the National Household Education Survey.

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Definition

This indicator includes children in Kindergarten through third grade or the equivalent if they are home-schooled etc.

In 2003, parents who said their children received special services, and then answered yes to the question: "Are any of these services provided through an Individualized Education Program or Plan (IEP)?" are included.

Data from 2001 are based on the question: Are any of these services provided through an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Education Program or Plan (IEP)?

Data Source

Child Trends' original analyses of data from the National Household Education Survey

Raw Data Source

National Household Education Survey
http://nces.ed.gov/nhes/

Approximate Date of Next Update

Unknown

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