IEP Fidelity in the National Capital Region: A Naturalistic Inquiry Informing Practical Framework

The study was conducted in the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines, where, despite the institutionalization of inclusive education through Republic Act No. 11650, persistent gaps remained between policy expectations and classroom realities, particularly in the consistent implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). To address this gap, the study reconceptualized IEP fidelity as a socially constructed, context dependent practice shaped by stakeholders’ lived experiences. Anchored in a constructivist–interpretivist paradigm, it employed a qualitative phenomenological design within a naturalistic inquiry framework. Data were generated through semi structured interviews with ten teachers, field notes from five principals, and narrative accounts from five parents. Using reflexive thematic analysis, the study identified patterns in how IEP fidelity was understood and enacted across instructional, leadership, and family contexts. Findings revealed that IEP fidelity was often treated as a fixed procedural standard yet was, in practice, dynamically constructed through teachers’ instructional decision making, shaped by leadership practices, constrained by resource limitations, and strengthened through collaborative engagement with parents. Variability in implementation was linked to differences in monitoring practices, professional support, and institutional conditions.