6 Easy Ways to Start the School Year Off Right

Here are easy ways you can start your student’s school year off right when they have an IEP or 504 plan.

1.  Review your child’s 504 Plan or IEP. Are the IEP goals measurable in a way you can understand? For example, reading with “good fluency” is not measurable. However, reading “100 words correct per minute” is measurable. Are the 504 accommodations still appropriate? Does the “Present Levels” section of the IEP have current information (from last school year)?
2. Meet with the IEP team in September or October (email during the summer or the around the first week of school to set this up). Ask how the team plans to collect data on your child’s IEP goals. One option is to ask them to show you a blank data collection sheet. Or you can ask for the “baseline” data — this means data from the first weeks of school. If you don’t understand how measuring progress with actual data is going to work, it’s not you– its them! Data almost always means numbers– it is not subjective. CRITICALLY, Ask about the W’s of your child’s IEP services– where, when, who (type of adult, how many other kids), and why. This is information you are entitled to– do not accept unclear answers. What this means is that you should know what service your child is getting, who is providing it, when and where it is happening (time of day/days of week), and why (or how) it will help your student.
3. Make sure every member of your child’s IEP team has read the IEP, and if necessary, any relevant evaluations of your student. Ask teachers if they need a copy. The same goes for 504 plans.
4. Update your student’s new teacher(s) about anything that happened over the summer, like new behaviors or new skills. Confirm they have the IEP or 504 plan. In fact, you may want to create a one page summary of your child’s needs yourself and provide it to teachers. Include a photo!
5. If you child has multiple and substitute teachers, you can ask for a group parent-teacher conference them, even if it is outside the formal IEP meeting. If this isn’t possible, set up a quick phone call with each teacher in September or October. Ask how IEP implementation is going– they may be better able to answer your “W” questions (see above!) now.
6. Make yourself known, and be helpful! Attend school events if you can, volunteer in the classroom if possible, go on field trips, and even if you can’t do those things, everyone can give positive feedback.

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