Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

A family-centered early intervention (EI) approach mandated by the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C, means involving parents fully in EI and ensuring they know their legal rights and responsibilities for participating. However, many parents report difficulty accessing information and decision-making in EI. IDEA mandates all jurisdictions provide parents with a procedural safeguard notice (PSN) outlining parents’ rights and advocacy processes. Yet, it is unclear to what extent PSNs are accessible, particularly to parents with marginalized identities. This study analyzed PSNs from 56 Part C jurisdictions for the components required by law, understandability to the general public, and availability in multiple languages. The PSNs generally did not include all required information, necessitated grade-levels above high school, minimally attended to plain language, and were infrequently available in non-English languages, suggesting that many parents are prevented from information about EI. PSNs, therefore, are a source of bias in Part C.

Keywords

Policy issues IDEA children with disabilities families systems change disability populations

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bailey

D. B.

Jr Hebbeler

Scarborough

Spiker

Mallik

(2004). First experiences with early intervention: A national perspective. Pediatrics, 113(4), 887–896. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.113.4.887

Batz

Yadav

(2024). Parents’ experiences navigating early intervention and early childhood special education services: A qualitative metasynthesis. Journal of Early Intervention, 46(1), 19–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538151231164902

Blanchard

S. B.

Newton

J. R.

Didericksen

K. W.

Daniels

Glosson

(2021). Confronting racism and bias within early intervention: The responsibility of systems and individuals to influence change and advance equity. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 41(1), 6–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121421992470

Center for Parent Information and Resources. (2021). Parental Rights under IDEA. https://www.parentcenterhub.org/parental-rights/

Çitil

(2020). Informative parent training on parental advocacy and legal rights for families with children with special educational needs. International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies, 7(3), 178–193.

Cobb

(2014). Critical entanglement: Research on culturally and linguistically diverse parental involvement in special education 2000–2010. Exceptionality Education International, 23(1), 40–58. https://doi.org/10.5206/eei.v23i1.7703

Cowhy

J. R.

Mulroy

Bonilla

(2024). Reconceptualizing parents as policy agents within special education. Educational Researcher, 53, 319–325. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X241238679

Cycyk

L. M.

Coles

O'Dea

Moore

Sanford-Keller

Dolata

Zuckerman

K. E.

(2022). Serving young children with communication disabilities from Latinx backgrounds and their families with equity: Provider perspectives. Journal of Communication Disorders, 99, Article 106254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106254

Cycyk

L. M.

De Anda

Ramsey

K. L.

Sheppard

B. S.

Zuckerman

(2022). Moving through the pipeline: Ethnic and linguistic disparities in special education from birth through age five. Educational Researcher, 51(7), 451–464. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X221120262

10.

Dietrich

Hernandez

(2022). What languages do we speak in the United States? United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/12/languages-we-speak-in-united-states.html

11.

Dinnesen

M. S.

Kroeger

S. D.

(2018). Toward active partnership: Notice of procedural safeguards designed for parent use. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 29(1), 54–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207317751674

12.

Division for Early Childhood. (2022). Position statement on ethical practice. https://divisionearlychildhood.egnyte.com/dl/KAh4cOFBZ8

13.

Durán

Cycyk

L. M.

Batz

(2022). Voces de la gente: Spanish-speaking families’ perspectives on early childhood special education. Journal of Early Intervention, 45(3), 285–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538151221131514

14.

Executive Office of President Obama. (2011). Final guidance on implementing the plain writing act of 2010. National Archives and Records Administration.

15.

Fitzgerald

J. L.

Watkins

M. W.

(2006). Parents’ rights in special education: The readability of procedural safeguards. Exceptional Children, 72(4), 497–510. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290607200407

16.

Gibson

A. N.

Martin

J. D.

III . (2019). Re-situating information poverty: Information marginalization and parents of individuals with disabilities. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 70(5), 476–487. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24128

17.

Gorrepati

P. L.

Smith

G. P.

(2021). Contrasting readability and availability of Spanish language with English language patient education materials. Pediatric Dermatology, 38, 142–143. https://doi.org/10.1111/pde.14485

18.

Gray

S. A.

Zraick

R. I.

Atcherson

S. R.

(2019). Readability of individuals with disabilities education act part B procedural safeguards: An update. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 50(3), 373–384. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_LSHSS-18-0057

19.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 20 U.S.C. §303.421 (2004). http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter33/subchapter3&edition=prelim

20.

International Business Machines Corporation. (2021). IBM SPSS statistics for Windows (Version 28.0).

21.

Jimenez

M. E.

Barg

F. K.

Guevara

J. P.

Gerdes

Fiks

A. G.

(2013). The impact of parental health literacy on the early intervention referral process. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 24(3), 1053–1062. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2013.0141.

22.

Kincaid

J. P.

Fishburne

R. P.

Rogers

R. L.

Chissom

B. S.

(1975). Derivation of new readability formulas (Automated readability index, fog count and flesch reading ease formula) for Navy enlisted personnel (Research Branch Report 8-75). Naval Technical Training.

23.

Klare

G. R.

(1963). The measurement of readability. Iowa State University Press.

24.

Kramarczuk Voulgarides

Fergus

King Thorius

K. A

. (2017). Pursuing equity: Disproportionality in special education and the reframing of technical solutions to address systemic inequities. Review of Research in Education, 41(1), 61–87. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X16686947

25.

Krouse

H. J.

(2001). Video modelling to educate patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 33(6), 748–757. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01716.x

26.

Leyden

D. P.

(2005). Adequacy, accountability, and the future of public education funding. Springer Science & Business Media.

27.

Mandic

Rudd

Hehir

Acevedo-Garcid

(2012). Readability of special education procedural safeguards. The Journal of Special Education, 45(4), 195–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466910362774

28.

McManus

B. M.

Murphy

N. J.

Richardson

Khetani

M. A.

Schenkman

Morrato

E. H.

(2020). Family-centred care in early intervention: Examining caregiver perceptions of family-centred care and early intervention service use intensity. Child: Care, Health and Development, 46(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12724

29.

Morgan

(2022). Unsettling the settled: A mixed methods exploration of special education informational materials for parents [Doctoral dissertation, University of Kansas]. ProQuest.

30.

Nagro

S. A.

Stein

M. L.

(2016). Measuring accessibility of written communication for parents of students with disabilities: Reviewing 30 years of readability research. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 27(1), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207314557489

31.

National Archives and Records Administration. (2019). Plain writing checklist. https://www.archives.gov/open/plain-writing/checklist.html

32.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2019). Data point: Adult literacy in the United States. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2019/2019179/index.asp

33.

Ong-Dean

(2009). Distinguishing disability: Parents, privilege, and special education. The University of Chicago Press. http://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226630021.001.0001

34.

Plain Language Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-274. (2010). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-111publ274/pdf/PLAW-111publ274.pdf

35.

Plain Language Action and Information Network. (2011). Federal plain language guidelines. https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/

36.

Quintero

Zraick

R. I.

Rosa-Lugo

L. I.

La Scala

J. D.

(2023). Readability of individuals with disabilities education act part B procedural safeguards notices written in Spanish. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 54(1), 355–363. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_LSHSS-21-00186

37.

Rispoli

K. M.

Hawley

L. R.

Clinton

M. C.

(2018). Family background and parent–school interactions in parent involvement for at-risk preschool children with disabilities. The Journal of Special Education, 52(1), 39–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466918757199

38.

Soto-Boykin

X. T.

Larson

A. L.

Olszewski

Velury

Feldberg

(2021). Who is centered? A systematic review of early childhood researchers’ descriptions of children and caregivers from linguistically minoritized communities. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 41(1), 18–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121421991222

39.

Trainor

A. A.

(2010a). Diverse approaches to parent advocacy during special education home—school interactions: Identification and use of cultural and social capital. Remedial and Special Education, 31(1), 34–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932508324401

40.

Trainor

A. A.

(2010b). Reexamining the promise of parent participation in special education: An analysis of cultural and social capital. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 41, 245–263. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-1492.2010.01086.x

41.

Turnbull

H. R.

Stowe

M. J.

Huerta

N. E.

(2007). Free appropriate education: The law and children with disabilities. Love Publishing Company.

42.

United States Census. (2022). Educational attainment in the United States: 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2024, from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/educational-attainment.html

43.

United States Department of Education. (n.d. a). Parents’ rights and procedural safeguards. Retrieved April 8, 2024, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/topic-areas/#Parents-Rights-Procedural-Safeguards

44.

United States Department of Education. (n.d. b). Guidance on required content of forms under Part B of the IDEA. Retrieved April 16, 2024. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/modelform_Procedural_Safeguards_June_2009.pdf

45.

United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). National CLAS standards. https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/clas/standards

46.

Wang

L.-W.

Miller

M. J.

Schmitt

M. R.

Wen

F. K.

(2013). Assessing readability formula differences with written health information materials: Application, results, and recommendations. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 9(5), 503–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2012.05.009

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

0.04 MB

0.11 MB

Part C Early Intervention Procedural Safeguard Notices: Are They Supporting Parents to Understand Their Rights?

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References

Supplementary Material