Checking in throughout the year

Back-to-school IEP prep

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A new school year can mean new teachers, new routines, and a lot for kids to keep track of. A one-page summary can help your child know what support to expect.
Understood’s school support “snapshot” sums up your child’s services and , so they know what to ask for at school. Go over it together before the first day. Your child can also bring it to school to remind teachers what’s in the IEP.
If you haven’t talked with your child about their IEP yet, now is a good time. Telling your child about the IEP can help them learn about their strengths, challenges, and IEP goals.
Understood’s free snapshot works for kids with an IEP or a . It also includes a filled-in example.
When kids are going back to school, it’s an important time for families and teachers to connect. Your child’s new teacher will want to know about the last school year. Was school stressful for your child? Did your child make friends? What helped your child learn?
Use Understood’s back-to-school update to let the teacher know how your child is doing. You can fill it out online or print it and fill it in by hand.
Sending a copy of the IEP can help make everyone aware of your child’s needs. It also helps keep general education teachers involved.
The key is to balance acting as your child’s advocate while assuming positive intent from school staff members. Starting from a spirit of collaboration can help the year go smoothly.
An introduction letter is a great way to share unique things teachers should know about your child that aren’t included in the IEP. This kind of back-to-school letter helps the teacher get to know your child’s strengths and what your child needs help with.
Kids can fill these templates out on their own (or with a little help from you). Understood has a template for older kids and a template for younger kids. You can use the one for older kids as a guide to write a more traditional letter, if you and your child prefer.

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Back-to-school IEP prep
Your child’s school support snapshot
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Back-to-school IEP prep
Back-to-school update: Tell teachers how your child is doing
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Back-to-school IEP prep
Introduction letter for grade-schoolers
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Back-to-school IEP prep
Introduction letter for middle-schoolers
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Hear from a parent

“A month before the start of school, I ask for a meet-and-greet with my son’s teachers. Over the years I’ve gotten better at sharing who our son is and what his differences look like in the classroom. I’ve shifted from focusing on his struggles — what he cannot do — to focusing on what he can do.”

-Kristin