Organizing Records and Letter Writing
Importance of keeping organized records: It is important to keep organized records for several reasons. It makes following and understanding the child’s progress or regression easier. Keeping documents pertaining to the child’s medical history, as well as letters written to communicate with school personnel may be critical to help you make a case for increased or different services under IDEA. Organizing medical documents, school files, work samples, and any communication to the school can make your handling your child’s case easier.
Communication with schools (working as partners in child’s education): Parent and caregivers want to work in a partnership with teachers and schools in their child’s education. Writing letters can be an effective tool to communicate concerns and wishes. This form of communication can give parents an opportunity to check over the phrasing and tone of a letter before sending. Written communication and revision can help parents avoid expressing concerns in an emotional manner, increasing the chance that school administration will receive parental communications favorably and be more likely to cooperate with requests. Copies should be made of any letters given to school personnel along with the date of delivery. Emails and phone calls should also be saved and/or noted in a file for future reference.
Importance of starting a “paper trail”: As mentioned above, letters written to communicate with school personnel may be critical to help you make a case for increased or different services under IDEA. Writing and dating letters can be helpful in tracking timelines for approving and implementing services.
Time frames: The school division’s special education administrator has three business days after receiving referral for an evaluation to make a decision to evaluate, deny evaluation, or refer to school-based team. If the referral is reviewed by the school based team, the team must meet within 10 business days of receipt of the request and must return a decision within three business days of the meeting.
The school division must complete an initial evaluation and make an eligibility decision within 65 business days of receipt of the initial request. The parent must have access to the evaluations at least two business days prior to the eligibility meeting. The school must develop an IEP within 30 calendar days of finding a student eligible for special education services.
» Wrightslaw: 12 Rules for Writing GREAT Letters
» Center for Parent Information and Resources: Communicating with Your Child’s School Through Letter Writing
» PEATC: How to Talk So Schools Will Listen
» Wrightslaw: The Art of Writing Letters
» Disability Rights Ohio: Communicating with Your Child’s School Through Letter Writing