Parental perceptions of the special education delivery system in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Abstract

Parent satisfaction and involvement with special education programs are two important topics in the field of education today. Because of the steadily increasing legal rights and responsibilities of parents, districts need to identify areas of concern within their schools, as well as understand the ideas and views of the school’s parents regarding the delivery of special education services. If certain programs, schools, or grade levels are not viewed favorably, it is important for educators to know why and attempt to initiate positive change. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of parents related to the Eau Claire Area School District’s special education delivery system. This study was done through the analysis of survey data collected by the school district in 1999. 267 parents of children with special education needs responded to a survey sent out as an addition to a special education newsletter. This survey data was used to determine their level of satisfaction and isolate any significant differences in their perceptions related to their child’s disability type or educational level. Results indicate that parents of children with Speech/Language disabilities were significantly more satisfied than parents of children with other disabilities. In addition, results reveal that parent satisfaction decreased as the educational level of their child increased.