Bridging the Gap Between Special Education Teachers and Families

By Rebekah Poe

THE WORLD OF SPECIAL EDUCATION CAN SOMETIMES BE DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE. THERE ARE NATIONAL LAWS, DISTRICT PROCEDURES, AND SCHOOL PROCEDURES THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT ALWAYS MAKE SENSE WITHOUT EXPLANATION. THAT IS WHY COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION ARE KEY.

Special education dialogue in meetings can involve a plethora of acronyms, laws, and educational terms that general education teachers and families don’t necessarily use every day. This might mean they aren’t as familiar with them.

Think about it—special education teachers are working day in and day out with the terms and acronyms related to Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and different education-related laws. But, for those team members with limited experience using them, it can be overwhelming. That’s why it is imperative to have good collaboration and communication partnerships between general education teachers and special education teachers, as well as between teachers and student families.

There are a couple of common barriers when trying to form a truly unified IEP team. Often, a disconnect occurs when one of two things happens: there is a lack of communication or there is a misunderstanding between team members. Either of these could occur between the educators and the family, or it could even occur between the general and special education teachers themselves.

General education teachers and special education teachers must work together to support students in all school environments. This means being able to communicate effectively. If a special education teacher is rattling off acronyms and different laws, it could leave a general education teacher feeling overwhelmed and lost. The same goes for students’ families. During IEP meetings, there tends to be a lot of educational jargon said, and even if a particular student’s family has been involved in the IEP process for a while now, that doesn’t always mean they know exactly what each acronym and law means.

So, what are some solutions to these issues? First, it is important to make sure everyone knows how the meeting will be run and what the specific terms and acronyms being used mean. It is also useful to assure the whole team that everyone present is attending for the good of the student. These are all essential aspects of a truly unified IEP team. How can we make sure all team members are set up for success?

1. Take time at the beginning of the meeting to review its purpose. Is it to create a new IEP or amend the current one? Is the meeting intended to go over test results, change a student’s placement, or determine eligibility? Make sure the purpose of the meeting is clear to all members of the team.

2. Have a meeting agenda where you go over what will be discussed. Make sure you have plenty of time allotted for students’ families to give information and feedback.

3. Before diving into the meeting, take some time to go over terms that will likely be used. For example, does everyone on your team know the difference between accommodations and modifications? How about the definition of a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)? Going over these terms and acronyms will help the other members of your team not feel like you’re speaking a second language.

Increasing communication and understanding will increase collaboration among the IEP team, ensuring the student receives the best possible outcome.

Rebekah Poe, MA, MEd, is an award-winning special education teacher and national teaching conference presenter with over a decade of experience in the special education field. As an educator, Rebekah focuses on providing equitable education and establishing connections to students of all ability levels in an inclusive setting.

Website: www.RebekahPoeTeaching.com