On Jan. 30, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Working Group released its final report. The working group was organized by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) in 2025 in satisfaction with the requirements set forth in P.L.2025, c.107, which Gov. Murphy signed into law in July 2025.
The purpose of the working group was to examine current practices related to the development and implementation of IEPs across local education agencies, with a focus on enhancing procedural consistency and ensuring meaningful parental involvement. The group was required to review existing practices in New Jersey and other states and provide the NJDOE with actionable recommendations for improvement. The Commissioner of Education appointed the 27 members of the working group, which included two school board members.
The final report includes 17 recommendations across five priority areas. These recommendations represent consensus-driven solutions to identified barriers and gaps in IEP development, implementation, and parent involvement. Each recommendation is designed to be actionable by the NJDOE, and has been vetted through research, stakeholder input, and voting processes.
The full report is available on NJDOE’s website.
