A recent article at Ed Week wonders why more students have IEPs than ever before. I get what they're saying. It does seem like there are issues on both ends - with the education system itself as well as changes in society. The way schools are set up these days doesn't work well for every kid. But there's also more awareness about learning differences now, which is mostly a good thing.
On the school side, I agree the focus on academics alone and one-size-fits-all teaching makes it tough for kids who don't fit the mold. That's on the system to be more flexible and creative in how they do things. Teachers are often stuck following rigid plans though. More freedom would help them meet students where they're at.
When it comes to society, it's awesome that disabilities aren't as stigmatized nowadays. Parents are more comfortable with getting the help that's best for their child. Diagnoses for things like ADHD and autism have gone up a lot. That means more kids can get support through IEPs which is great.
So in the end, I think they've got a point - both schools and society play a role here. But the priority should be on making education work better for all kids. That may require rethinking certain classroom practices and attitudes. It's complicated, but important work!
Looking deeper …
Many traditional classroom settings use a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn't work for a lot of kids. Students have different learning styles, strengths, challenges and needs. When the curriculum is too narrow or rigid, it fails to engage or support students who don't fit the typical mold. This lack of flexibility contributes to more kids struggling and needing help. So do they have a learning disability or other health impairment, or do teachers just need to change some things up?
Schools need to get better at differentiating instruction and offering multiple ways for students to access content and demonstrate learning (UDL Week was all about this). This could mean providing lessons in visual, auditory and hands-on formats, giving students choice in assignments, customizing the pace or complexity of work, and allowing different ways to show mastery like projects instead of tests. Flexibility allows teachers to play to students' strengths while accommodating challenges.
Curriculums also need to strike a better balance between academics and critical life skills like relationship-building, self-regulation, and executive functioning. Overemphasizing rote academics whilst neglecting these other areas sets many students up for frustration and failure. A more holistic, student-centered approach would go a long way in meeting diverse learning needs (a hint at my upcoming book, Holistic Language Instruction).
Summary
Based on the article, it seems the authors believe the increase in students with IEPs stems from both systemic issues in education as well as societal changes. A few key factors they note:
The regular classroom environment has become less accommodating of differences in learning needs over time. Inflexible curriculums, overemphasis on academics, and lack of support for social-emotional development contribute to this. This points to flaws in the education system itself.
Increasing academic standards and rigor make it harder for some students to keep up without additional support. So even students without disabilities may now struggle more in a general classroom setting. Again, an issue with the system.
Better identification and reduced stigma around disabilities like autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities means more students are being recognized as needing and qualifying for IEPs. This shows broader societal progress in awareness and acceptance.
Parental advocacy has also improved, with families more willing to seek IEPs for children who need additional support. This highlights evolving attitudes toward disabilities.
So in summary, both systemic inflexibility in schools as well as positive social changes like reduced stigma seem to play a role in the increased prevalence of IEPs. It's a complex issue with roots in both education and society. But the takeaway is that more students clearly need additional support to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
What do you think?
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