Understanding Special Education Services at Scale Using IEP Data

Authors: Christopher Cleveland, Jessica Markham

Project Summary

Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) contain detailed information about students’ experiences receiving special education services in schools. Because IEPs have traditionally been recorded on paper, most states have limited insight into the multitude of data available in IEPs, which has restricted our collective understanding of how special education services are administered broadly. Indiana is one state that requires schools to submit electronic IEP data into a centralized database, making it possible to analyze IEPs on a statewide scale and uncover novel insights about their content. Using rigorous quantitative methods, WEPC researchers are identifying patterns related to IEP goals, services, placements, and more.