Reply to peers posts in 5-7 sentences each
Ash post- In my experience working in special education, I’ve seen how important family advocacy can be during the IEP process. Some families initially struggle to get the supports their child needs because they aren’t sure how to navigate the system or what questions to ask. When schools provide clear guidance and flexible ways to communicate, such as phone calls, emails, or translated forms, families feel more confident and empowered to share their perspective. This kind of support can turn the IEP process into a true partnership rather than a one-sided plan.
Currently, I work with a kindergarten student who was identified in preschool as having a Developmental Delay. His mom is very involved in his IEP and consistently advocates for the services she believes are important. She is planning to have him evaluated soon for ASD, which shows her commitment to understanding his needs and ensuring he receives appropriate supports. Because of her engagement, the IEP team can create goals and strategies that reflect both her insights and the child’s classroom performance.
Schools can support families like these by being proactive in communication, offering flexible meeting options, and explaining assessment results in clear, practical terms. Assessment plays a key role in this partnership, as it can empower families when they understand what scores and observations mean for their child’s learning and daily routines. On the other hand, confusing or overly technical explanations can make families feel sidelined. For example, standardized testing like the
Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals – Fifth Edition (CELF-5) provides valuable information about language skills, but families need guidance to understand how those results connect to classroom supports and goal planning.
When schools prioritize collaboration, respect, and transparency, families feel like true partners in the IEP process. Their insights, combined with assessment data and professional expertise, help ensure that goals and supports are meaningful and effective for the student.
Kal post- I have seen a couple of times where a family has succeeded in advocating for their child. At my daycare center, when we have students who seem to struggle a bit there tends to be a lot of communication with that students’ family. This comes from the preschool teachers typically and through all the communication, the teachers can send out the referrals to get the student the help they need. I have seen this with a couple of the kids, the preschool teachers have brought up concerns to the child’s families and then from their a lot of the times the parents start advocating for their children. Then after the referrals and communication between the families and the teachers, the district also becomes involved and then the child gets started with the IEP process.
I think some supports the schools could put in place to make families feel like true partners in the IEP planning are things that would help support just overall communication. I think communication is key and that it would help families feel supported the most if they know they are respected and on the same page as the rest of the IEP team. I think having more IEP meetings, or emails/phone calls with everyone a part of the IEP team would help with communication and staying updated with the child’s progress.
I think assessments can both support and undermine the partnership with families. I think assessments are good for showing families where the students are at and what the school is seeing. However, I could see some parents feeling like their child does better than what the assessments may show. I do think though that the assessments allow teachers to share the progress of the students with data that is clear and transparent for the families to see. This can help with advocating for the students needs and help improve communication with the families and the school.
