Getting Ready for a New School Year

April 17, 2025
Source: Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF)

In a flash, summer will be here, and as you look forward to the end of the school year activities, it is also a good time to reflect on this year and prepare for the summer and the next school year. Here are some steps you can take to help set your child up for success.

Tip: Reflect on your child’s school year to prepare for next year.

Get Organized

Effective advocacy starts with documentation. Sort through paperwork and emails and make sure you have your student’s complete school file, including previous Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) and evaluations, letters or reports from health care providers, results of state testing, or other information that helps create a picture of the student’s school journey. If you are unsure whether the school file is complete you can write to the school to request a copy of their records. Make sure to note that you are requesting both the cumulative (regular) school records and the special education or 504 records, which are often held separately.

Resources

Review How Things Went This School Year

You should have received a progress report at least as often as report cards were issued and you can expect to receive a final report card and special education progress report at the end of the school year. Review the reports and this year’s IEP to see whether the IEP met your student’s needs and if their goals were met. Consider whether new challenges came up this year that need attention over the summer or next year. Don’t forget to think about what worked well and should be continued.

If goals weren’t met or IEP services weren’t provided, now is the time to request an IEP meeting (always in writing) to make sure it’s scheduled before school ends so the IEP team can discuss concerns, consider options for Extended School Year, and develop a new IEP for the coming year. (Note: In California, an IEP meeting must be held within 30 calendar days of your request, excluding the summer break.)

Resources

Check in with Your Child

Children and youth have information to share about their experiences at school.

Remember: all children communicate, and as a parent or caregiver, you know what your child is trying to share. Ask your child about what they liked this year, what worked and what did not work for them.

For example, does your child wish they had more friends? That’s an important thing to let the team know so the new teacher and staff can watch how social relationships are forming and help children make connections early in the new school year.

Document How the Summer Goes

If a student attends Extended School Year (ESY), summer camp, tutoring, college classes, gets a job, or has other new or different experiences over the summer, try to get written reports, take photos of projects or activities, or write down what staff tell you about how your child is doing. This can be very helpful when discussing student needs with school staff when school starts. It might be that there were fewer behavioral problems when the student could move around more freely. Was unstructured time a problem, showing that a structured program works best? If your child didn’t receive ESY services, did they go backwards (regress) or stop making progress? The IEP team can use this information to shape services for the school year and next summer.

Write a Letter of Introduction to New Teachers

An important part of advocacy is helping others understand what makes a student unique, helps them feel included and valued, and helps the student, school, and family to work together as a team. One way to get this information to the IEP team is by writing a parent report. A Parent Concerns Letter is a written communication from a parent/guardian or youth to the IEP or 504 team where you share concerns, observations, and suggestions about how to support your child. For example, you might point out concerns about academics, behavior, or communication.

You can include your child’s picture, one of their drawings, or even a video. Explain who your child is, what makes them happy and motivates them, what is hard for them, and what you are hoping they can work on in the new school year. Share what’s most important to your family, culture, and community. Let teachers know that you want to participate at school and ask about volunteering opportunities. If possible, take time over the summer to write your letter so it’s ready as soon as school starts.

Resources

Special Education Resources

Acronyms/Glossary

ADR — Alternative Dispute Resolution: an informal way of settling disagreements directly with the school or district.

FAPE — Free Appropriate Public Education.

IDEA — Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that creates special education rights for students and youth with disabilities from ages 0-22 years.

IEP — Individualized Educational Program. A legal document that explains how a school will meet the disability-related needs of a student eligible for special education.

LEA — Local Education Agency. Public Schools including Charter Schools, County Schools.

LRE — Least Restrictive Environment. The requirement in federal law that students with disabilities receive their education, to the maximum extent appropriate, with non-disabled students and that special education students are not removed from regular classes unless, even with special education support, education in regular classes doesn’t meet their needs.

PARENT — the person(s) legally authorized to make educational decisions on behalf of a student. At 18 in most states, the student holds their own education rights unless a court limits them.

Notice of Parent Rights / Procedural Safeguards — Important safeguards that protect the rights of parents and disabled students. Also, give families and school systems several mechanisms through which to resolve their disputes. Parental Rights under IDEA summarizes these safeguards.

PTI — Parent Training and Information Centers are places families can get free help to understand their student with a disability’s education rights and learn to use them effectively.

SELPA — Special Education Local Plan Area (California only).

News source:
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) April 2025
Web: mailchi.mp/dredf/special-edition-april-2025