Is your child with reading disabilities mastering the skills he was taught last month or is he struggling with them? Is his fluency increasing? Is he effectively using his study skills in different classes? Do you need to prepare him for what the school will soon teach him?
If he’s eligible for special education, a letter like the one below might answer these and similar questions. If he’s ineligible, it pays to send the school a modified version. In both cases, it pays to meet with your child’s teachers to discuss the details and build a positive relationship.
The Letter
Dear IEP Team Coordinator,
Please (a) send us copies of all data and information that’s collected to assess [YOUR CHILD’S NAME] progress toward meeting the goals and objectives in his IEP; (b) let us know which goals and objectives the data and information assesses; (c) send this data and information to us, at the above address, within a week of collecting it. Sending us this data and information, and telling us which goals and objectives they assess, will help us coordinate our in-home support with [NAME's] instruction in school. It will also help us monitor his progress and prepare for future IEP meetings.
Also, every two weeks, please send us a list of the vocabulary and concepts the school will soon introduce to [NAME]. This will help us prepare him for upcoming lessons and will increase his odds for success.
We appreciate your anticipated cooperation in these matters as it will help us to enhance [NAME ‘s] education and prepare him for further education, employment, and independent living.
Sincerely,
The Justification
The regulations for The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA-2004) support a letter like this. The regulations state that:
The child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) must include “a description … of how the child’s progress toward meeting [his] annual goals … will be measured; and … when periodic reports on the progress the child is making toward meeting [his] annual goals … will be provided.” (34 CFR § 300.320)
The IEP Team “must consider … the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child.” (34 CFR § 300.324)
The regulations also state that:
One of the purposes of IDEA-2004 is to “ prepare [children] for further education, employment, and independent living.” (34 CFR § 300.1)
The IEP Team must review “the child’s IEP periodically, but not less than annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved; and … revise the IEP, as appropriate, to address … any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals.” (34 CFR § 300.324, italics added)
Without the ongoing collection of data and information, the IEP Team, which includes you as the parent, has no way of knowing if your child’s progress is inadequate and if the IEP needs to be revised. Waiting until the end of the year may intensify the harm caused by struggle and failure.Thus, your letter is asking for data and information that IEP Team members and teachers should frequently collect, review, and discuss.
The Consequences
Generally, the consequence of not asking is not getting. And often, not putting requests in writing is like not asking.
If you ask, and the school refuses your request, you and your child are no worse off. You may, however, have a grievance that necessitates legal action. Can you and should you start such action? To find out, you need to ask an attorney who specializes in special education.
If, however, you get the cooperation you requested—which is often forthcoming—you and the school will probably be in a good position to guide your child’s program and quickly rectify unforeseen problems. This should accelerate progress.
You will also be in a good position to assess the quality of the monitoring and perhaps your child’s program. When examining the data and information, ask yourself:
- Are they collected frequently enough?
- Are they logically related to his goals and objectives?
- For each goal, is he making progress sufficient to achieve the goal by the end of the year?
- Is the school monitoring all his goals and objectives?
- Do the teacher’s comments suggest an understanding of his needs?
Although we geared this post to parents of children with reading disabilities who receive special education services, it pays for all parents of children with reading disabilities to request ongoing monitoring. If you’re denied, look at our column of July 21, 2009; it lists a free download about curriculum-based measures and describes how you can use Rasinski and Padak’s 3-Minute Reading Assessments to monitor your child’s progress.
Resources
34 CFR § 300.320 and 34 CFR § 300.324 refers to the Code of Federal Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. You can download a copy from our website: www.reading2008.com.
Rasinski, T. & Padak, N. (2005). 3-Minute Reading Assessments, Grades 1-4 and Grades 5-8. NY: Scholastic.
HM © Reading2008 & Beyond
lengthy and in depth article but full of useful information
Are you a professional journalist? You write very well.
Thank you for your kind words. No, I’m not a professional journalist. But my wife and kids demand that I write clearly and logically and that every word count. They’re my editors.