Back-to-School Jitters! Tips for Parents of Students in Special Education

Back to school is the start of a stressful time for many parents, especially those with students in special education. You might be worried about your child's education plan or the supports in school. Your child might be anxious too. Here are some tips to make the transition easier for both of you!

1.       Visit the school. Make a time to bring your child to the school, reviewing or introducing where the library, gym, cafeteria, main classroom and other important rooms are. Take pictures to make into social stories to review with your child. Introduce your child to their teacher and, if they have an aide, find out if you can have your child meet them as well.

2.       Discuss transportation and meal plans. Two areas that students often struggle with is uncertainty regarding transportation plans and knowing when/where/what meals will be. Planning ahead and discussing this with your child should help ease some of their anxiety.

3.       Establish a relationship with their teachers and service providers. The IEP gives the teachers/service providers a general idea of your child, but it doesn’t really tell them about your child. Create a short (1-2 pages) document about your family, your child’s likes and dislikes, what upsets them and what calms them down. Describe how your family supports your child. List allergies and important contact numbers. If your child has a disability that isn’t widely understood, include a few facts about their disability.

4.      Keep it positive! Involve your child in purchasing fun school supplies, especially those that will help them stay organized. Ensure your language about school stays positive. Re-introduce study and focus skills by doing things like sitting down for a 15-minute activity that requires concentration, reading, or brain-training games.

5.       Review the IEP. Note if anything is no longer relevant, confirm the review date, and check the goals, supports, and accommodations. If you are unsure or think the IEP is not going to meet their needs, contact the school to set an IEP review meeting. Take this opportunity to organize all your paperwork.

6.       Start a communication log. Write down dates, times, types of communication, and the subject matter in a notebook. This way it is easy to find emails and remember phone conversations.

7.       Start collecting data. As the school year starts, begin keeping data on your child regarding various areas: academic performance, social interactions and communication skills, behavior and emotional well-being, independent living skills, and motor skills. This will allow you to keep track of their progress toward meeting goals and will allow you to share this data with their teachers in order to better develop supports and interventions.

8. Get involved in the school! Attend back to school events, introduce yourself to staff and other parents. This will allow you to develop a relationship with teachers and support staff as well as find support in other parents.