10 Tips for Starting School for Parents of Kids with Disabilities

Guest Author: Matt Cohen

After a long, hot and wet summer, kids are getting ready for a return to school. If your child has a 504 plan or an IEP, it is a good time to review how things went last year and to brainstorm what your child may need to be successful this fall.

To make the transition back to school as positive as possible for your child with a disability (and perhaps for all kids), here are ten things you can do to smooth the way:

1. Review whether your child has any new difficulties or diagnoses that are important to share with the school, so they can make appropriate adjustments to your child’s plan.
2. Talk to your child about their experience the prior year and what to expect that may be the same and different for the new year.
3. If your child has sensory or directional challenges or anxiety about the school or the teachers, try to set up a visit for your child to tour the school before school starts, and if possible, to meet the teacher or teachers.
4. Consider sending your child’s teachers a one-page summary of your child, their needs and key supports and accommodations from their IEP or 504 plan, so they have a head’s up before the school starts.
5. If you have special concerns about your child or things were not going well this past spring, consider requesting an informal parent meeting or even a formal 504 or IEP meeting for some time in the first 3-6 weeks after the start of school.
6. If you have questions about your child’s educational program, don’t be afraid to contact the case manager, principal or special education director to raise your concerns.
7. If your child in in elementary school or in a self-contained classroom, offer to volunteer in the classroom or lunchroom after school starts to give you a first-person view of how they are managing.
8. If your child has any medical conditions that require special nursing services or other accommodations, make sure that you have up to date information from your doctors so there is no doubt about the need for continuing support from the school.
9. Get to know other parents of the kids in your child’s classes so you can share information and provide support to each other.
10. If you have questions about your child’s 504 plan or IEP or have serious concerns going into the start of school that are not being resolved by the school, consider getting help from a knowledgeable lawyer or advocate to develop strategies for resolving the problems. It is better to resolve issues before they snowball out of control. At the same time, work hard at building and maintaining relationships with the school staff. It is always easier to work things out when there is positive communication and respect between the parents and the educators.

Matt Cohen is the senior attorney at Matt Cohen and Associates and has been representing families with special education issues since 1981. Matt and his staff provide case consultation and assessment, assistance with 504 and IEP meetings, and help with managing service and placement disputes through the IEP level and in mediation where needed. Matt has successfully represented thousands of families over the course of his career. He is also active with federal and state legislative efforts on behalf of children with disabilities and has lectured on these issues throughout the country.

Matt can be reached at 866-787-9870 or at [email protected]. You can learn more about the practice at Matt’s website and review many educational resources about special education and disability law at Matt’s website: www.mattcohenandassociates.com.