Telling your child about the IEP

Learn

• Make a 1-page summary

  After you and the school develop the IEP, you might wonder how much to tell your child about it, or whether it’ll make them feel different. Knowing what’s in the plan can help them speak up for what they need.

  You may want to make your own summary or fill out Understood’s one-page “snapshot” with your child. (The template includes a blank version and a filled-in example.)

  Your child can take the summary or snapshot to school and use it to:

  • Remember what supports your child should be getting at school

  • Show to teachers in case they need reminding as well

  One detail to consider: If your child tends to misplace papers, you might want to leave their name off. That way, other kids won’t know what’s in the IEP unless your child wants to tell them about it.

• Practice self-advocacy

  Help your child practice what to say if the IEP isn’t being followed at school. One handy phrase you may want to share with your child: “It’s part of my learning plan.” (“Learning plan” is a kid-friendly name if you’re not sure your child is ready to use “IEP.”)

  For example, let’s say your child has a substitute teacher who doesn’t realize your child uses audiobooks during reading time. If the substitute tells your child to leave the listening station and sit somewhere else to do the reading, your child can say: “I use audiobooks as part of my learning plan. They make it easier for me to follow along.”