Improving Your Child’s IEP Month by Month

A monthly article series by Jacqueline Lembeck, Esq.

 

In talking to parents of children with disabilities, I’ve realized that answering the question, “where do I begin?” is sometimes the hardest part.  Navigating special education can feel like drowning in a sea of acronyms (IEP, RR, PTRE, NOREP, LEA . . .) or climbing an endless mountain of paperwork, or both!  For those of you who have a resolution to make 2017 a more organized, successful, and peaceful year, this article series is for you!  Month by month, I’ll discuss a way to improve your child’s IEP and give action items to focus your journey.  It will still be a mountain, but I hope these tips will provide some trail markers along the way.

 

AUGUST:

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR BACK TO SCHOOL?

            As you approach the start of a new school year, both you and your children may experience some worry or anxiety over going to back.  Feeling prepared and knowing what to expect from the school year may go a long way for easing these nerves.  For you, that may mean getting your documents and schedules in order so you can envision what the school day will look like.  For your child, that may mean physically visiting a school building or rehearsing the back-to-school schedule in advance.  This is especially true for students who experience difficulties with transitions or who are entering a new school or program for the first time.  To ensure a smoother transition back to school and start off the year right, I recommend that you begin by envisioning the program and making plans for how you will address any problems beforehand.

            Before school starts, you should ask yourself the following questions.  If there are any red flags that come up, you should try to address them before they become big problems.

 

• Do I have appropriate transportation to/from school for my child?

  • Does my child need special assistance with transportation that is not included in his/her IEP?

• Am I aware of and comfortable with the school building in which my child’s program will be located? Is my child comfortable?

  • If this is a new school building, am I able to go for a tour ahead of time to familiarize my child with the layout?

• Are there any transition issues my child experiences that the school team needs to know about right away?

  • What about issues with school avoidance or anxiety?

• Do I have contact information for my child’s teachers, case manager, or special education liaison? Do I know whom to contact in the event of a question or concern?

• Am I available for back to school night and, if not, is there an alternate time I can speak with the teachers/staff to introduce myself?

• Do I know how the team will communicate with me or how often a log will be sent home, if applicable?

 

If you feel comfortable with your child’s program based on the above questions, you are in good shape!  From there, you should reorganize your documents for the year, creating a new storage space both physically and digitally to store new records.  If you are trying out a new IEP that you developed in the spring, you should mark down the end of the first marking period as a good time to review the program and see if tweaks are necessary.  If there is any information that your child’s previous team had, but the new team may be missing, you should ensure that you address it with the new team at the start of the year.  Finally, if your child’s physician has updated any medications, limitations, or diagnoses, make sure to share them with the school.

 

August Action Items:

• Compile contact information for your child’s teachers and therapists

• Visit the school building ahead of time, if possible

• Share any documents a new IEP team may need with the team members

• Make sure you are either available for the open house/back to school night or that you can make alternate plans to introduce yourself to your child’s teachers

• Set a reminder to check-in on how things are going at the end of the first marking period