North State Parent magazine

Most people shop around extensively and do plenty of homework before purchasing a new car. If you’re the parent of a child with a disability, like my son Braden, you need to do something similar when preparing for a new school year. It’s no simple task.

Look under the hood and take it for a drive. Christmas may not be until December but you’d be wise to make your list now and check it twice.

Preparing for the next school year begins well before Back-to-School Sale signs decorate your local store. Hopefully you’ve already previewed classrooms for the next grade up and seen prospective teachers in action in order to know which teacher and which style of teaching is the right fit for your child.  One of my son’s real needs is structure, so my wife and I look for a teacher who allows for less free time and has greatly organized activities throughout the day. Then we jump right in and begin fostering a positive relationship. Positive relationships with everyone involved in your child’s education will yield dividends.

Somewhere very close to the top of our list is also that wonderful meeting called the IEP, which requires preparation of its own. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) guides the education of children with special needs somewhat like streets guide cars.

To be eligible for an IEP your child must have a disability. When your child has an IEP you get the opportunity to weigh in on your child’s educational goals. The IEP meeting is a time to work with the school to tailor the services your child needs in order to be successful. You need to be familiar with the IEP if your child receives services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, a one-on-one aide, visual impairment services… the list is long. I could list all the services that require an IEP but who needs another list?

The agency I work for, Rowell Family Empowerment, offers parent-to-parent support, free IEP Preparation trainings and many other trainings and supports to parents of children with disabilities. I encourage parents to attend those trainings and to come visit us to see all that we offer. Our agency is the only agency serving Butte, Tehama, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties where you can find this kind of parent-to-parent support and training. Why parent-to-parent? Because it’s tough to coach a team if you’ve never played the game yourself. Everyone in a training or support role at Rowell Family Empowerment is a parent themselves. They not only help you, but also understand your situation like only a parent can.

Your child’s IEP is the legal document that outlines which services he or she will receive, who will provide those services, and what goals the school district will work towards, among other things. As the parent, you play a big part in the IEP process. Nobody knows your child like you. Think of it like this: You have years of live footage of our child in your mind. That’s a lot of knowledge about your child’s experiences, accomplishments, needs, preferences, etc. Everyone else on the IEP Team has only glimpses and pictures taken at given points in time. Although the team has your child’s best interests in mind, you literally come to the table with much more information about your child, making you a huge contributor in how your child’s education is shaped and molded. There’s a certain framework you need to understand and work within. The special education system can be complex, which is why Rowell Family Empowerment offers the aforementioned trainings and supports.

Having some familiarity with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is important for all parents who have children with disabilities or special needs. Just like motorists need to be familiar with the rules of the road, you need to be familiar with your child’s rights under IDEA. Every child is entitled to a free and appropriate public education regardless of the child’s skin color, disability, or nationality. That means your child has the right to be in the least restrictive environment and to get the help needed in order to ensure equal access to an appropriate education. And guess what? Rowell Family Empowerment offers free trainings on IDEA also!

The IEP Prep and IDEA trainings go hand-in-hand. As you head down this road of Special Education, the IEP Prep training will make you familiar with the car you’re driving while the IDEA training will teach you the rules of the road. These two trainings will help ensure you stay on the road and get to where your child needs to be.

Once your child’s IEP is in place, you may want to hang a copy on the refrigerator. When I’m on a long journey, in between my wife telling me where to go and how to drive, I tend to check the roadmap every now and then to make sure I’m still on the right track. You’ll want to do the same with your child’s IEP. What kind of progress is your child making toward his or her goals? If your child is veering off track, maybe some changes to the IEP are in order.

During the summer children change and grow. Children with disabilities are no different. Braden’s IEP often needs to be reviewed and discussed just prior to the start of school. Don’t be surprised if your child achieves a goal or two during the summer, in which case that goal on his IEP needs to be updated. Keep in mind that an IEP is a live document and can be changed anytime, not unlike a car needing a tune-up or a new transmission.

Regardless of the bumps you may hit on the road of special education, being familiar with your car and the rules of driving will give you and your child a much better chance of avoiding collisions and getting to your destination safely.

If you suspect your child has a disability, contact Rowell Family Empowerment at 1-877-227-3471 or visit EmpowerYourFamily.org for help.

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Author Shane Nurnberg and his wife, both of Anderson, have a jubilant, challenging 6-year-old with autism.