Special Education Parent Survey

OSPI’s Parent Survey gathers feedback from families of students with IEPs to understand how well schools support parent involvement in special education. This page explains and answers questions about the purpose of the survey, how and when families can participate, district responsibilities, survey questions, language options, confidentiality, and how to get help or access results. 

Why does OSPI conduct a parent survey?

Parent input is important. This survey helps OSPI understand how well Washington schools work with families to improve services and outcomes for students with disabilities. We conduct this survey to meet federal and state special education requirements for Indicator B-8 in the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report:

Indicator B-8: Percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities. [20 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1416(a)(3)]

How and when will parents access the survey?

Starting in March 2026, parents and guardians of all students with IEPs in Washington will be invited to complete the online survey every two years. This means half of the state’s school districts will participate each year.
For the 2026 survey, parents of students with IEPs in districts (including charter schools) in the following Educational Service Districts (ESDs) will participate:

• ESD 112 (southwest Washington)
• Puget Sound ESD 121
• ESD 123 (southeast Washington)
• North Central ESD 171

The other five ESDs will participate in the survey in 2027.  All nine ESDs in the state can be found on the Washington State Educational Service Districts map. Parents will access the survey through an online portal using a link provided to them by their local school district. 

What role will districts have in implementing the survey?

Districts are responsible for sending survey information and links to families of students with IEPs. OSPI’s survey vendor, the Technical Assistance Center for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE), will give districts all needed materials and instructions.

What questions will be asked?

Parents will answer a few questions about their child (such as school, disability category, race/ethnicity, and grade level). They will then rate the following statements on a five-point scale (from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree) about how their child’s school supports parent involvement:

• I have been asked for my opinion about how well special education services are meeting my child's needs.
• I feel like an equal partner in the development of my child’s IEP.
• I am included in discussions about what special education services my child will receive and where they will receive them (i.e., in the least restrictive environment).
• My child’s school provides me with information about the progress my child is making toward meeting their annual IEP goals.
• Information from my child’s school is easy to understand.
• Information from my child’s school is provided in my preferred language.
• I know who to contact at my child’s school if I have questions or concerns.
• I am comfortable asking questions and sharing concerns with school staff.
• School staff have given me information to help me understand my child’s needs.
• My child’s school has helped me understand my rights as a parent of a child with an IEP.
• The school has provided information on what options are available if I disagree with a decision of the school.
• For parents of students in Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, or Kindergarten: I have participated in discussions about how my child will be included in an early childhood program with typically developing peers to the greatest extent possible.
• For parents of students in grades 10-12: School staff have asked for my input about my child's goals for after high school and the supports they may need to reach those goals.
• The survey also has one question with an open-ended narrative response:
• What else could your child’s school do to support your involvement in your child’s education?

Is the survey anonymous?

Yes, the survey is anonymous.  It does not ask for the parent’s or student’s name, so answers cannot be traced back to the parent. However, while school districts will not see the parent’s name or other identifying information attached to the survey responses, they will see open-ended comments.  To protect privacy, parents should not include any personally identifiable information in their responses (e.g., parent or student names, teacher/staff names, phone numbers, school names, class names, etc.).

In what languages is the survey available?

The survey is currently available in the 13 most commonly spoken languages in Washington:

• Arabic
• English
• Khmer (Cambodian)
• Korean
• Marshallese
• Punjabi
• Russian
• Simplified Chinese
• Somali
• Spanish
• Tagalog
• Ukrainian
• Vietnamese

What should a parent do if they need assistance in completing the survey?

If a parent needs assistance, such a paper copy of the survey or other accommodations, they should contact OSPI at WISM@k12.wa.us or 360-725-6075. 

Who can request a copy of the survey results?

The parent survey results will be available in early summer.  Anyone can request a copy of the survey results for their school district or the state’s aggregate results by contacting |OSPI at WISM@k12.wa.us.

What should I do if I have additional questions about the parent survey?

You can reach out with additional questions by emailing OSPI at WISM@k12.wa.us.