Lessons Learned from Implementation of the IEP

Abstract

This article reviews the literature on the various experiences with the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the new Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) with the purpose of applying past learning to improve procedures for developing and implementing IFSPs. The literature identifies a number of problems with IEPs, including poorly written goals and objectives, excessive demands on professionals' time, and inadequate assessment and monitoring. It also identifies a number of positive features, such as better teacher-family relations, better family understanding of the program, and clarification of goals and program directions. Recent research on the IFSP is reviewed, with an emphasis on principles for development and implementation. The authors suggest that what are often seen as technical flaws in the IEP and IFSP process may actually represent a more serious problem—the incomplete transformation to a new pattern of service delivery.