04/07/2022
The end of the school year is right around the corner, less than 9 weeks here in Jefferson City. As a teacher, I developed a checklist I completed for each of my special education students at the start of the fourth quarter. I want to share it with you to help make sure your child is on track for the upcoming school year (2022-2023).
Did I have an annual IEP meeting during the current school year (2021-2022) for the student?
Every IEP has a start and end date, usually located in the middle of the first page of the IEP. If the end date of the IEP is nearing and you have not had an annual IEP meeting with the school, you should contact the school and ask when they are planning to schedule this meeting. Missouri Guidelines state that parents need to be notified 10 calendar days prior to the IEP meeting and schools must also try to make sure the date and place is mutually agreed upon. An IEP meeting should not be taking place without the knowledge of the parents. You are within your rights to take a draft copy of the IEP home with you to review, and you do not have to sign anything at the meeting unless you totally understand what is being proposed. The new IEP services can not be started for 10 calendar days after the meeting so there is time for you to review, don’t be pressured to agree if you don’t. If you agree to what has been proposed, then a finalized copy of the IEP no more than 20 calendar days after the meeting is held.
Is the student eligible for Extended School Year (ESY)?
This is a question a lot of my parents had when they saw the flyers coming home for Summer School (provided by the district). Extended School Year is not the same as Summer School. Service providers (teachers, SLP, OT, PT, Vision) will be providing services for the student if they feel the student will lose abilities during the long summer closure. Not all service providers may feel they need to provide services for your student over the break, and this is normal. If your child attends a resource room setting for their special education, they may not qualify for Extended School Year (ESY) and would be attending standard Summer School with no services along with his/her non-disabled peers.
Is the student transitioning to another school or setting in the upcoming school year?
If I had a student transitioning from one classroom to another I made an effort to share all important information with the new teacher, such as modifications/accommodations, likes/dislikes, work habits, special needs that may not be included as common knowledge, medical issues that may arise and so on. I would also make sure my parents were able to contact the new teacher with any questions or concerns they may have had. I always felt this was an important step in building a level of trust and understanding between the parents and the school. If your student is transitioning into a new setting, or even starting new services, reach out to the new teacher or service provider and start a conversation about your child. Remember you are their voice, share who they are, not just information about their disability.
Are there any services or agencies the parents need to contact for help throughout the summer?
I would ask my parents if there was any information or services they needed to help them and their student during the summer closure. Extracurricular activities available, extra therapy sessions they felt were helpful, and contact with other parents were just some of the requests I would receive. Don’t be afraid to try to branch out within your community, some day your child is going to be an adult living in it.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me. I’m always willing to lend advice.
