With the school year winding down, both parents and IEP teams have their hands full with things to do before summer break begins. Are you feeling stressed about getting that IEP wrapped up and signed before the final school bell rings? Or maybe your child is moving to a new school in the fall and the transition isn’t going as smoothly as planned? Don’t worry — before we dive into summer with the kiddos, we’re tackling a few loose ends to tie up to finish the school year on a high note.
We sat down with Special Education Advocate Dr. Sarah Pelangka, BCBA-D, who shared with us her top tips for parents on handling ESY, transitions, school-provided devices or equipment, assessments, and more. Here are the 5 major items to address to wrap up the school year right:
- Sign parts of the IEP relating to extended school year (ESY). You might not get everything on your child’s IEP fully completed and signed off before the school year ends, but you can still sign off on crucial parts, like the extended school year (ESY), to ensure things are set before summer kicks off.
- Prepare for transitions for the next school year. Now is the perfect time to start planning for next year, especially if your child is switching schools — from elementary to middle school or middle to high school. Find Dr. Pelangka’s top 3 tips for collaborating with your IEP team before summer break here.
- Keep school devices and equipment at home over the summer. Did you know that if your child uses school-provided devices like standers, iPads, AAC devices, or FM systems for hearing aids, they have the right to keep them over the summer? This is to ensure they can continue accessing a free, appropriate education (FAPE) even when school’s out!
- Address the need for compensatory education. Is it the same as “make up hours?” And what do you need to watch for to see if your child may qualify for comp ed services?
- Know how to review the IEP before signing. Whether you’re signing just parts of the IEP or the whole thing before the school year wraps up, it’s super important to read it thoroughly. Don’t rush to sign it at the meeting — take it home, read it a few times, jot down notes, and make sure everything is accurate. This extra step can make a big difference!
And these are just the highlights! For in-depth tips on discussing each of these with your IEP team, see our article 5 Things for Parents to Address Before the End of the School Year.
But the conversation doesn’t stop there! If you have more questions or concerns, or if you’re just more of an audio-visual learner and want to sit back with some coffee and listen to a good conversation — catch the full recording of our Q&A event about wrapping up the school year with Dr. Pelangka here. (Transcript included!)
One Undivided parent shared with us, “Undivided has been the biggest blessing. My current IEP process has been the most robust so far but it’s also been the least stressful.”
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for Ages 0–5: Live Virtual Event
Have you been told that your child doesn’t qualify for IHSS because they’re too young? Maybe you’ve hit other snags trying to apply for IHSS and make the most of these services. Join us Thursday, June 6, 1:00–2:00 p.m. PDT for a live event with Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck. She’ll cover the basics, the recent rule change for parent providers, plus other tips specifically for babies and young kids. Register for this free event here on our RSVP page!
Office Hours with Lisa Concoff Kronbeck
On Wednesday, June 12, 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT, Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck will be available for Undivided Office Hours, where she’ll answer questions about getting our kids what they need from Medi-Cal, Regional Center, and other government programs. Bi-weekly Office Hours are virtual Q&A sessions with experts that are open to Undivided members only, so if you’d like to attend, sign up here to begin your free Kickstart!
- How do you advocate for inclusive ESY with your school team? Check out our Instagram for ideas of what to say→
- Did you miss our conversation about supporting kids through challenging behaviors last week? Check out our full conversation with behavior experts on our YouTube channel→
- Parents in our online community are sharing their kids’ big wins from the past school year, and we love it! Join the conversation in our private Facebook group→
- Looking for more resources and news in the disability community? Connect with us on LinkedIn→
- Wrap up the school year and make a smooth transition to your summer goals with 1:1 support from an Undivided Navigator! Get started→
