Inclusive Principal Leadership and Family Engagement: Strengthening Parent Participation in IEP Meetings and Beyond

Abstract

Principals play a critical role in creating inclusive schools for students with disabilities, but few studies focus on how principals foster meaningful engagement for parents of children with disabilities, especially within Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings where important education decisions are made. Research focused on principal preparation further highlights the lack of preparation in special education which has likely led many principals to delegate special education duties and responsibilities. Consequently, many families feel silenced and disengaged in IEP meetings - which can lead to serious academic, legal, and financial consequences for both districts and families. In this article, we review literature on inclusive principal leadership and parent engagement to provide a set of evidenced-based recommendations to strengthen family participation in IEP meetings. In part, our recommendations are derived from our recent study of parents navigating the special education process and their experiences with principals. We conclude with final thoughts about how these recommendations can be woven into principal preparation programs, school improvement plans, and district efforts to implement IDEA.