School is now once again in sessions. You have prepared your child for the new school year, but are you prepared? As a parent, what do you need to know about your child’s school and his/her rights in that school? What right do you have as a parent? You, as the parent, definitely need to understand the laws of your state and how they work. You need to know all about the school that your child attends, how they work, how they score tests, and how standardized testing is done in that school.

State laws do give our children special rights, but you as the parent must advocate for your child to guarantee that your child gets the proper education that he/she needs. There is one outstanding website that will help you find the information available. This website will assist you in finding everything from how schools view parents to how schools view students. Sections of this website will assist you in understanding tests and measurements. This will enable you to understand test scores to identify a child’s strengths. Basically, only your child’s weaknesses are focused on the school report. You will find it refreshing to find that your child does have many really good points!

Follow up:

Do open the lines of communication with your child’s teacher before school starts. A teacher is there to teach, and the great majority of teachers want to do just that. You will find that most teachers feel that they were “called” to teach, and that teaching is more than a pay check to them. Many teachers turn their paychecks right back into the school system by purchasing supplies and extras for their own classroom.

By meeting the teacher early, you can discuss your child’s strengths and weaknesses which gives the teacher a head start in helping your child.
One thing that you must do is be sure that the teacher knows of your child’s IEP or 504 plans. There are times when these two items just never get filtered down to the classroom. School is a big place. If necessary, provide copies of IEP’s or modifications under 504 for the teacher. Be constructive, not belligerent. Let the teacher know you want all to work together. You will be surprised at how often you have made a teacher’s load much lighter and made school a happy place for everyone. Teachers do want their students to succeed. They invest a lot of time – and a lot of their personal money – in teaching. They don’t live with your child on a daily basis as you do. You are the one who is most aware of what is happening to your child. Your child’s teacher is responsible for approximately 30 minutes on a daily basis with your child.

If a problem arises at school, take care of it promptly and in the correct order. This is called the chain-of-command. There’s no need to call the superintendent or the principal. They’re not aware of the problem. Contact the teacher by note or by phone at school – not at the teacher’s home. Set up a meeting. Arrive promptly. Be willing to listen to all sides of the story before you make a rash decision. Remember that no teacher is perfect and that no child is perfect. Solve the problem as a team. Be as supportive as possible of your child’s teacher, even if you do occasionally disagree. You must learn what is best for your child. Teachers must learn what is best for your child. Remember: It is definitely a team effort that determines the success of your child.