This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore the perspectives of Mexican American fathers with children diagnosed within the context of the public school's special education system and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. The study focused on understanding the experiences of ten Mexican American fathers to shed light on their viewpoints and address potential gaps in understanding their roles in their children's education. The research delved into fathers' perceptions of school leadership practices and the importance of their involvement in special education. Using Goffman's theory of stigma and Bandura's social cognitive theory, the study examined how these theories applied to Mexican American fathers' experiences with their autistic children. The research followed Moustakas's process for collecting and analyzing interview data, exploring two main research questions regarding Mexican American fathers' perceptions of their experiences with the special education system and the importance they attributed to their presence in their child's IEP meetings. Data was collected from interviews and analyzed using Nvivo and Microsoft Word tables. The findings emphasized the significant impact of fathers' engagement on educational plans. The emerging themes provided a structure for presenting the results, highlighting the need for increased involvement of Mexican American fathers in the special education process and active participation in IEP meetings to enhance their children's educational experiences. The recommendations underscored the importance of fostering a meaningful understanding of engagement for Mexican American fathers. The implications of limited educational experiences when fathers are not actively involved in creating an educational plan were discussed. The findings and recommendations contributed to the broader understanding of fathers' role and highlighted the significance of their active participation in the special education process. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]