Dear parents, as sweater weather draws near, it also brings us to a significant moment in the school year — progress reporting! Many of us can feel like we’re in the dark when it comes to getting meaningful IEP progress reports from our kids’ schools. Do they really matter? Baselines, hard data, present levels, goals — can all of that wait until the annual IEP? What happens if your child isn’t progressing as you’d hoped?? Data is at the heart of measuring progress on annual IEP goals, which is why it’s critical for us as parents to understand how we want our kids’ progress to be measured and reported, and see it in regular progress reports throughout the school year.
“You should be getting progress reports throughout the year. With progress reports, you can compare to the present levels and then also compare to a previous year’s present levels, if this is your second or after IEP. It can help you show where the progress is. Also, it can help you catch if a provider or a teacher might not be tracking the data as well as you would like.”
— Lisa Carey, Undivided Education Advocate
This week, we’re breaking down progress tracking and why you gotta fight for your right to…data!
- True or false: when reviewing goal progress, the district can just say the goal was “met” or “not met.” The answer is…false! They need to have hard data, so if there is no number attached to that goal, request it and the data that was collected to track the goal. Get the lowdown on progress tracking and download our Yearly Progress Chart to make it easier for you to compare baselines (with helpful examples, too!) in Progress Reporting for IEPs.
- Do you know the nine key parts to an IEP? Learn about annual goals, PLOPs, progress reports, special education services, accommodations and modifications, assessments, and more Key Parts of an IEP.
- We all breathe a sigh of relief when that IEP is signed and we’re happy with the services, goals, accommodations, and plan of action. But what happens after? How do we know if our kids’ IEPs are being implemented in all the ways the team agreed it should be? And what the heck do we do if it’s not!? Keep calm and get all the info you need in How to Make Sure Your IEP Is Being Followed (and What to Do If It Isn’t).
One Undivided member tells their Navigator, “Thank you so much for your and your contact in helping us with this madness. I’m so grateful to you and Undivided. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without you all.”
Interested in working with an early childhood support coach for FREE behavioral support via text? The Family Advice and Support Text and Telephone (FASTT) team is partnering with Undivided to give you guidance that fits into your busy schedule (and your purse!). If you have a child age 10 and under in California, fill out this form to get more information. Undivided and FASTT have received a grant, in partnership with the University of Oregon, to offer this great service for free for a limited time.
IHSS Under Age 18
On November 30, we’re going live with Undivided Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck, where we’ll be discussing everything In-Home Supportive Services, including eligibility, how to request more hours, prepping for annual visits, how to access those impossible trainings, and more. If your child qualifies for IHSS — or you don’t know if they qualify — join us for a virtual event to find out whether you’re making the most of those services. Did you know you can get set up as your child’s paid parent provider? And what do you do if you’re denied IHSS? Bring all your questions and Lisa will bring her expert insight to help us get a handle on all things IHSS. Register for the event here!
Office Hours with Lisa Carey — ask Lisa directly!
Undivided Education Advocate Lisa Carey will be available to answer questions about IEPs, special education, and more on Wednesday, November 15, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PDT. Bi-weekly Office Hours are virtual, small group 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!
In between official progress reports, you can ask your child’s teacher for work samples to review. Watch on YouTube→- It’s open enrollment season for many health plans. What plan do you have, and what’s your experience with it? Join the discussion in our private Facebook group →
- What are present levels of performance (PLOP) in an IEP? Check out our Education Advocate’s explanation on Instagram→
- Looking for a past Undivided newsletter to share with a friend? Find them on our LinkedIn page→
- Undivided Navigators are here for year-round IEP support. What do you need help with? Start here→
…
This newsletter was originally sent to our subscribers on 11/9/23. Subscribe to our newsletter to get more resources like this in your inbox, and check out our full library of articles, templates, and videos at undivided.io/resources.
