TOP 5 BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS
The beginning of school year is a bit overwhelming for all parents. Getting the required school supplies, buying new school outfits, and attending back to school orientation all make for a very hectic August and September. In addition to managing these duties, parents of students with disabilities have the additional pressure of insuring that their child receives an appropriate education. In anticipation of the pressures you will face, we offer this “to do” list for the beginning of the academic year.
1. Review your child’s IEP
The Individualized Educational Plan (“IEP”) must be reviewed annually. Many school districts convene their annual meetings in the spring. Regardless of when the IEP was last written, it is important that you review your child’s IEP prior to the beginning of the school year. The foundation of your child’s IEP is the goals and objectives that your child will be trying to meet throughout the school year. It is imperative, and required by law, that the IEP contain measurable goals. What does it mean for a goal or objective to be measurable? WCT attorney Neal Takiff explains:
“When I’m looking at an IEP goal to determine whether it is measurable, I first examine whether the IEP contains a present level of performance that is measurable. I want to see baseline date included in the present level of performance. An IEP indicating that a student is struggling to read, doesn’t tell me anything about the student’s reading level, fluency level, or what type of errors they are making. If I can’t determine where the student is at the beginning of the year, how can I measure whether he was successful at the end of the year.”
In addition to baseline data, the goals and objectives should be clear as to what is being measured and to how much improvement is expected for each objective and for the annual goal. Make sure that your student’s IEP has a beginning point, a clear goal of what’s being measured, and a clear expectation of what needs to be achieved during the time period. Without these three components in a goal, there is no measurability and therefore no accountability.
2. Make sure that the teachers who will be interacting with your child have acopy of the IEP and know of their requirements
The best thought out IEPs will not provide educational benefit if they are not implemented correctly. Make sure the school district provides copies of your child’s IEP to all of the student’s teachers. Ask the school district to highlight the modifications and accommodations that will be expected to be carried out in your child’s different educational environments. WCT educational advocate Laura O’Connor explains one strategy she uses to ensure proper implementation:
"The beginning of the school year is a time of transitions for both teachers and students. If I am attending an IEP meeting in the spring I will request that my client’s service providers for the upcoming year be in attendance at that IEP meeting. This allows the new teachers to hear directly from my client’s current providers as to the student’s unique needs, strategies that might be successful and, equally important, teaching methods that were not effective. Although school districts are not obligated by law to have the next year’s teacher’s present, many are willing to attend. If the school district is unwilling to provide next year’s teachers at a spring IEP meeting and implementation may be particularly complex, I will request an IEP meeting at the beginning of the year to make sure all of the providers are on the same page and there is communication between them to ensure proper implementation of the IEP.”
3. Begin effective communication early
Try to meet with each of your child’s teachers face-to-face¸ before school starts. Effective long term communication begins with a personal relationship. Understand that the beginning of the school year is an extremely busy time for teachers and staff members. Be flexible with meeting times, but insist on meeting before the year begins. Let your child’s teachers know of your hopes for your child for the upcoming year, as well as your expectations. Be positive, but be honest if there were concerns or issues from the previous year. Begin a discussion as to how to start the year off right. Attorney Brooke Whitted states:
“In about half of our cases disputes are really personality conflicts resulting when interaction between school staff and parents become so strained that there is no room for compromise. When you find yourself talking with a school staff member who is insistent upon engaging in a power struggle, try to focus the topic of conversation back to your child. Make the conversation about your child, not the teacher. Taking a step back emotionally, if at all possible, is important in these situations.
4. Make sure that all the evaluations are up to date
The Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (“IDEA”) requires every three years that a comprehensive re-evaluation is conducted on each student with special needs. At the start of the year determine the date of your child’s last three year evaluation to ensure that no additional testing is needed and the district is in compliance with the re-evaluation requirements. In addition to the required tri-annual evaluation, either the school district or the parent can request a re-evaluation if educational or related service needs warrant one. An evaluation may not occur more than once a year unless the parent and the school agree otherwise.
5. Set up a time to observe
Observing your child in the school setting provides many benefits. Implementation of specific behavioral management techniques, reading strategies, or use of assistive technology devices can assist a parent in carrying over successful strategies into the home. Being in the classroom lets the teacher know that you are invested in your child’s education and in working with the school. It also illustrates that you desire some accountability and that you’re looking for evidence that your child’s IEP is being properly implemented. As attorney Lara Cleary notes:
“I found that parents who observe their children in the classroom are less likely to need our services. School districts seem to take these parents seriously. In addition, it is important to remember that some of the methodology and instruction may be highly specific and may require further explanation by the teacher at a later date. I usually recommend that my clients meet with the teacher after the observation to discuss what it was that they saw and how they can be of assistance to further support their son or daughter at home.”
Conclusion
Parents of regular education students have a lot to do at the beginning of the school year. Special education involvement multiplies the parents’ fall “to do list” significantly. It is important to start the academic year on a positive note with school staff while demonstrating your concern and consistent involvement. We at WCT wish you the best for the upcoming year.
