The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66302

Joni Taylor McFelea, MS¹, Stacey B Plichta, ScD¹, Sharon Warren, ME², and Pam Henry, ME³. (1) College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23529-0286, (757) 766-1588, jtmcfelea@aol.com, (2) Hampton City Schools, Department of Special Education, 1 Franklin ST, Hampton, VA 23669, (3) Philpot Elementary School, 3711 Hawthorne DR, Owensboro, KY 42303

Children with disabilities are legally entitled to receive a free and appropriate education. Special education administrators recognize the need to evaluate these services. Absent from these efforts, however, is a valid instrument for assessing parent satisfaction. Parents are important consumers and their viewpoints likely influence the opinions of their children about their education. An urban school district developed a parent survey for measuring satisfaction with special education services. In 2002, all 825 parents of middle school special education students were surveyed by mail. The survey contained 36 close-ended questions and four open-ended questions. After two weeks, non-respondents were contacted by telephone and given an opportunity to complete the survey at that time. A total of 444 parents (54%) completed surveys. Parents were generally satisfied with their children’s special education services. There was no significant relationship between parent satisfaction and the number of years enrolled in special education, grade in school, and disability category. The close-ended responses were subjected to factor analysis and three factors (quality of services, communication with staff, and child satisfaction) that reflect parent satisfaction with services were identified. The open-ended responses were categorized according to common themes and the characteristics parents like most (the additional help and the staff) and least (lack of academic challenge and the special education “label”) about their children’s special education services were identified. This effort represents an important first step in developing a valid instrument for assessing parent satisfaction with special education services.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to:
• a. articulate the concepts that measure parent satisfaction with middle-school special education services
• b. articulate the characteristics of middle-school special education services that parents like most and those that they like least.
• c. articulate the characteristics of middle-school special education services parents feel their children like most and those that they like least.

Keywords: Children With Special Needs, Disability Studies

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Hampton City Schools, Department of Special Education
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employment