Date

Winter 4-26-2026

ESRP 9000 Professor

Jason Abreu, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Jason Abreu, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

A Strategic Research Project Examining Inconsistencies in IEP Documentation and Their Impact on IDEA Compliance. Shavicka Brown, 2026, Strategic Research Project, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: IEP compliance, procedural fidelity, compliance monitoring, standardized protocols and checklists, implementation auditing, IDEA compliance This strategic research project was designed to provide explored documentation discrepancies in Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and their effects on compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at Okapilco Elementary School, a rural school with a Title I program in Moultrie, Georgia. The organization serves a student population with high needs, with about 20% of students receiving special education services. An organizational analysis (external and internal) identified variability in documentation, a lack of progress monitoring, and limited professional development as the main factors contributing to noncompliance with procedures across the school's special education program. Three evidence-based interventions were tested, including applying standardized IEP compliance procedures and checklists, augmenting progress-monitoring and data documentation systems, and augmenting family-school-professional collaboration. The analysis of a Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix revealed that the most strategically plausible and feasible solution was the implementation of schoolwide standardized checklists for compliance with IEP, with a total attractiveness score of 7.97 and a corresponding continuous audit and feedback strategy with a score of 8.06. An action plan was created over 12 months, from March 2026 to February 2027, that includes developing checklists, staff professional development, quarterly compliance audits, a systematic feedback loop, aligning the policy with the multi-tiered support system, and summative evaluation. The success benchmarks are a 25% decrease in documentation errors and a 90% audit pass rate in the first year. The results show that when standardized compliance structures are reinforced by leadership accountability and professional learning, measurable changes in the quality of IEPs and the fair delivery of services to students with disabilities are achieved.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Concentration

Special Education

Language

English

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