Timmesha Butler, LICSW
Back to School Tips for Parents of Students with IEPs

Students with disabilities are entitled to receive academic and/or emotional support resources in the academic setting. At times teachers and school staff can be overwhelmed with caseloads and struggle with meeting the needs of all students. As a parent of a student with an IEP it is important that you are fully aware of the services entitled to your student and monitor services delivery. Here are a few tips you can use to ensure your student has a successful school year.
Attend all meetings, formal and informal that pertain to your student.
Ask for a one-on-one meeting with your student's case manager to ask detailed questions and get a full understanding of your child's disability and the resources being provided to them.
Have an in-depth understanding of the laws in your students school district as it pertains to students with disabilities.
Request detailed information on the interventions being provided in the classrooms.
Reinforce practices and strategies that are used at school in your own home.
If your student receives behavior emotional support services, you have the option to request progress/session notes and a log of service hours.
Seek the advice of your student when advocating for their needs. Student buy-in is very important to effective service delivery.
Progression does not occur overnight, have patience and be understanding.