Back to School Plan for Special Education Students: Expert Tips and Strategies
If you are the parent to a child who receives special education services, have you started to prepare their back to school transition plan?
My son will be entering third grade in just a few short weeks!
Every day we talk about the first day of school, the number on the calendar, seeing his friends again for recess and his favorite: gym class!
Heading back to school is a huge transition for our kids. Some are off to new buildings, some have new teams, some are eager to go back and others are already nervous about going back.
Here are my top tips to creating a transition plan as you prepare to send your child back to school:
1. Reach out! Don’t wait until the first day of school to try to have a meaningful conversation with your child’s teacher.
2. Create a one page. Every august I update an introductory page about my son for his team. A “snapshot” of him.
His interests, goals, strengths, challenges, how to contact me. And then I take it one step further, I create an IEP snapshot. I highlight his accommodations, modifications, related services, give a brief overview of his goals, and what our agreed upon parent and school communication plan. “An IEP snapshot”, a quick back to school refresh, a tool that can be used for substitutes, and a great transition tool.
3. Work on a schedule. Our quiet summer mornings are about to change.
We need to start setting alarms because his sister sleeps in. Working on packing lunches the night before. We utilize a visual schedule for school mornings, one he can check off getting dressed, brushing hair, brushing teeth, shoes, and backpack. Do you have an after school routine? It’s time to get your schedules out and updated!
4. Discuss the details of your child’s schedule, drop off, and pickup included!
Safety and the school parking lot are often a top concern for IEP clients for kids like mine who elope. Discussing person to person drop off is necessary for a lot of our children, make sure the details are clear before the start of school. Does your child receive aide services at school? Discuss the details of what’s written in the IEP to make sure your child’s day is outlined clearly with what they need to be supported and successful at school.
5. Be honest with your child’s team!
Sometimes the hardest part of returning to school is discussing the changes that may have happened over the summer. If new behaviors have popped up, be honest and discuss any new challenges with your child’s team. If you ended the school year struggling to get communication from hint chicks team, work with them to start off this school year on the right foot. Being honest is the only way to let your child’s team know how to best serve your child.
What’s most important to remember as we head into the back to school season is that the child you have right now may not be the same child you had at the end of last school year.
The experience you had with one teacher, should not set the tone for the next.
Communicate openly with your child’s team to help set the tone for an amazing school year.
Written by IEP Coach Amanda Deluca of Jackson’s Journey, Jackson’s Voice
