Working With Your Child’s School
Working together with your child’s school when dealing with a behavioral health concern can make a big difference in their well-being and academic success. Building a strong partnership between school staff, parents, and family members can improve both behavior and learning outcomes. When families and schools work together based on trust and shared responsibility, students benefit the most.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to work effectively with your child’s school.
- Start the Conversation: Reach out to your child’s teacher or school counselor to share your concerns in a friendly, non-confrontational way.
- Set Up a Meeting: Schedule a formal meeting with the right school staff to discuss your child’s needs and make sure everyone has enough time to talk.
- Document Concerns: Write down your concerns, including specific behaviors, symptoms, and any relevant medical or psychological information.
- Share Observations: Let the school know what you’ve noticed at home, as well as any insights from doctors or therapists.
- Share Information: Inform the school about any diagnoses, treatment plans, or strategies recommended by healthcare professionals.
- Request Accommodations: Talk about possible changes to the classroom environment or additional support, like extra time for assignments or behavioral interventions.
- Individualized Education Program (IEP): If your child’s behavior is affecting their learning, see if they qualify for an IEP. This is a customized plan with specific educational goals and supports.
- 504 Plan: If your child doesn’t need special education services but requires accommodations, a 504 Plan might be the right option. This plan outlines the changes needed to help your child succeed in school.
- Stay in Touch: Set up regular check-ins with teachers or counselors to monitor your child’s progress and address any new concerns.
- Share Updates: Keep the school informed about any changes in your child’s condition or treatment plan. This ensures they can provide the right support and adjust as needed.
- Review Progress: Regularly assess how well the support and accommodations are working and make changes if needed.
- Feedback Loop: Keep the conversation going with school staff to address any new issues with your child’s behavior or academic performance.
- School-Based Mental Health Professionals: Counselors, social workers, and school psychologists can provide counseling, help with behavioral strategies, and connect your family to outside resources.
- Special Education Teams: These teams can identify any additional support your child may need.
- School Support Professionals: These include school nurses and mental health professionals who can join special education teams to provide extra help.
- Know Your Rights: Learn about your child’s rights under federal and state education laws, like IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
- Be Persistent: If your child’s needs aren’t being met, don’t be afraid to push for further evaluations or additional support.
- Behavioral Plans: Work together to create behavior management plans that work both at home and at school.
- Consistency: Make sure any strategies or accommodations are consistently applied in both places for the best results.
- Professional Support: If the school can’t address all the challenges, consider reaching out to child psychologists, therapists, or other specialists.
- Community Resources: Explore local resources and support groups, such as:
- Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN)
- Rhode Island Parent Support Network (PSN)
- Family Care Community Partnerships (FCCPs)
- Medical-legal partnerships and other organizations that can help with the IEP process
Sample Communication
When talking to school staff, you might say:
- Introduction: “I’d like to talk about some concerns I have about my child’s recent behavior and how it’s affecting their school experience.”
- Specifics: “At home, we’ve noticed [specific behavior]. We’ve been working with a therapist who suggested [specific strategies].”
- Request: “Can we work together to put some of these strategies in place at school? I’d also like to create a plan to monitor their progress.”
By staying connected with the school and keeping communication open, you can help your child get the support they need to succeed both academically and socially.
When Schools and Families Don’t Agree
Productive, shared decision-making among families and school team members is an important factor in ensuring a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) — a civil right for each child with a disability.
Relationships and trust are the core of family-school partnership. While differences in perspective and opinion among parents or caregivers and professionals are expected, they can be valuable when productively managed.
The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) recognizes that shared decision-making can be challenging. There are times when family and school team members do not agree, or when a student’s entitlements may come under question.
The Office of Student, Community and Academic Supports (OSCAS) at the RI Department of Education offers several state-level options to help families and schools resolve issues that remain even after they are reconsidered through local, informal dispute resolution.
If you need assistance selecting an option that is right for you, you are welcome to contact the:
- OSCAS Special Education Call Center at 401-222-8999 or email RIDECallCenter@ride.ri.gov
- El Centro de Llamadas al 401-222-8999