Tips for Starting the School Year and Communicating with Schools
Starting a new school year is exciting and challenging, especially for families of children with special needs. Maintaining open and direct communication with your child’s school team and knowing your rights can help to make school a more positive experience for your child.
Remember, you have the right to be an equal partner in your child’s education. Open communication, documentation, and early advocacy help ensure your child gets the support they need.
- Review your child’s IEP or 504 Plan.
- Gather important documents (evaluations, medical notes, progress reports) and keep them in one folder.
- Share updates with your child’s school about any changes in your child needs, such as, medications, or routines.
- Introduce yourself to your child’s teacher, special education staff, and school administrators.
- Share what works best for your child—strengths, motivators, and successful strategies.
- Establish a preferred method and frequency of communication (email, phone calls, or a communication notebook).
- Don’t hesitate to ask questions or request clarification. Remember you are your child’s best advocate.
- Approach meetings with an open and collaborative mindset. Schools and families are a team working toward the same goal of your child’s success.
- Take notes during meetings and keep copies of all communication for your records.
- Look for details in the IEP:
- Which services will your child get?
- How often and where will your child get services?
- Who will provide your child’s services? Check communication logs and progress notes to confirm services are being delivered.
- Ask questions: How will I be notified if sessions are missed? If services are missed, ask about makeup sessions (compensatory services).
- Keep copies of IEPs, service schedules, progress reports, and your notes.
- Keep track of specific concerns. Document when your child struggles, what supports aren’t being used, or if goals aren’t being met.
- Communicate your concerns in writing (email is best, so you have a record) to your child’s teachers and/or school administration.
- Ask your child’s teacher how your child’s progress is being measured and tracked and ask to see any data.
- If your child is not making progress, you can request changes to the IEP.
- Locate more information on IEPs
- Your child reaches a goal much earlier than expected and needs more challenging next steps.
- Your child makes little or no progress and needs the goal broken down into smaller, attainable steps.
- Services or supports aren’t working.
- Strategies aren’t used consistently or needs have changed.
- Visit "When Schools and Families Do Not Agree" to learn more.
- As a parent, you have the right to request a meeting at any time. You do not have to wait for the annual IEP meeting.
- Put your request in writing and send it to the special education case manager, teacher, or school administrator. Example: “I am requesting an IEP team meeting to discuss possible changes to my child’s IEP.”
- Be specific about what you’d like reviewed (goals, services, accommodations, placement, etc.).
- Schools must respond and schedule the meeting within a reasonable timeframe.
- Get printed copies of schedules, charts, or token boards that match what your child uses in the classroom.
- Request homework packets or practice materials, especially if your child needs extra time or repetition to master skills.
- Ask teachers to share a communication log so you know how your child’s day went. The communication log can be a daily or weekly notebook or an online log.
- Encourage teachers to provide behavior notes or quick check-ins. This is a simple way for teachers to let you know if your child had a tough day, celebrated a success, or needs follow up on a specific item at home.
- Learn about strategies used in your child’s class so you can use the same approaches at home for consistency.
- Practice school routines (bedtime, morning schedule, homework time) to help make transitions easier.
- Use visual schedules, checklists, or calendars if they help your child feel more prepared.
- Talk positively about the upcoming school year to build excitement and reduce anxiety.
- Provide updates to the school on any changes at home that may affect your child’s behavior or learning.
- Celebrate your child’s progress and share successes with teachers.
- If challenges arise, address them early with the school team before they become bigger issues.