Potentially Overlooked Aspects of Your Child's Transitional IEP

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A few years ago, I was approached by a nondisabled parent about their child's upcoming transitional IEP into middle school.

"Is there anything we might be overlooking?" I was asked.

There was no way I could accurately sum up everything in a conversation, so I made notes.  And I kept them.

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SAFETY (LOCKDOWN & OTHER DRILLS):

My first IEP of sixth grade there was a stark, one-sentence reference.  Something like: “Need to establish [a] safety plan.”  It was a month into the new school year at this point and nothing was set.  People with disabilities are often overlooked when it comes to safety / drills / evacuation plans.  It is early now.  You have time to think and plan.  Make sure a plan exists come September.

[Image: Tonia smiling as a sixth grader]

Fire:

-If there is more than one floor in the school, make sure that your child has all their classes on the ground floor, as well as something like a Tuck-and-Carry (a tarp like piece of fabric - this was provided to me by the school) they can keep in their backpack that can be used by pre-selected staff to safely carry your child down the stairs just in case, should they need to evacuate.  Another staff member should follow with your child’s wheelchair.

Tornado:

-Ensure your child is included in all drills.  

-Know that maintaining balance in a tucked position may be difficult (as stress - even in a drill - impacts our spasticity.) Ask your child if they need support.

Lockdown:

Cabinet - If your child is in their desk (on the perimeter of the classroom) have a closet / cabinet / cupboard empty / accessible and as close as possible to your child’s table / desk in each classroom.  In the event of a lockdown, your child can shelter there.

1. Lockdown is called

2. Your child gets in the closet / cabinet / cupboard

3. Staff / another pre-selected student closes them in.

4. Your child waits quietly until lockdown is called off.

Corner - If your child cannot access their cabinet location, the teacher or a pre-selected student helps them to the floor in the corner closest to them.

1. Lockdown is called

2. Teacher / pre-selected student lifts your child out of their chair

3. Teacher / pre-selected student moves them to the nearest corner.

4. Your child waits quietly until lockdown is called off.

Hallway - If your child is in the hallway when a lockdown is called, they will go into the nearest classroom and shelter there (see: Cabinet or Corner) until the lockdown is called off.

Restroom - If your child is in the restroom when a lockdown is called they will:

1. Stay in the stall

2. Return to the stall ASAP.

3. Keep stall door locked (or main bathroom door if a staff bathroom)

4. Wait quietly until lockdown is called off.

Cafeteria / Gym Class:

1. Lockdown is called

2. Teacher / pre-selected student lifts your child out of them chair

3. Teacher / pre-selected student carries your child to kitchen area / closest office / wherever kids are sheltering

4. Your child waits quietly until lockdown is called off.

Outdoors:  

If danger is apparent and your child is outside, they will:

1.  Go as fast as they can in their wheelchair away from danger.

2.  Find the closest safe place away from school grounds (determine this beforehand, discuss where they can go) and wait there.  Remember that landmarks / recognizable symbols work best.  (The McDonald’s sign, for example.)  Ideally, pick something they can see from school.

3.  Call parents.

***

LOCKER:

Opening their locker could be an issue.  I recall being a new sixth grader and struggling with getting my locker open.  (The first time using a combination locker.)  This involves a couple CP-related aspects that your child may also struggle with.  Fine motor (turning the dial), visual tracking (locating the right number) and sequential movement.  I remember getting in trouble for taking too long opening my locker.

If this is something your child wants to do, they should have the chance to do it, but recognize that this could be stressful.

Accommodations:

-If your child wants to work on and open their locker themselves, allow them extra time.  (Find time for them to practice before school is in session.)

- Keep only what’s absolutely necessary (for example, a jacket and cold lunch) in the locker.  This will ultimately save time and streamline your child’s day.

- If your child finds locker-opening stressful, have aide / para or a peer your child trusts open their locker.

- Could they share a locker with a sibling also in their school?  (Best locker experience I had was sharing one with Tara in high school.  It worked because we trusted each other, and could help each other.)

-Retrofit a locker with a lock that opens with a key (preferably house key-sized)?

RESTROOM:

Having access to the restroom is often overlooked.  I went through the majority of middle school and high school rarely drinking anything and never using the restroom at school because it took too long - and if I did chance it and try to go - there were nondisabled students in the accessible stall, using it to talk to friends.  (This is not uncommon for students with CP to face.)

Accommodations:

- Make sure your child can access the restroom.  Whether this means the outer door is propped ajar or whether it means they have an aide / para / peer to hold the door for them.

- Are there staff bathroom(s) that are more accessible (single person) and / or closer to some of your child’s classes that they could use as needed?

- Factor restroom trips into your child’s day.  (After lunch, perhaps?  Other times as needed.)  Recognize that this will take extra time, but as a basic human need, it is entirely necessary for your child to be able to stay hydrated during the day and use the restroom, the same as any other student.  

-If students are only allotted a certain amount of bathroom passes per class per quarter/trimester/semester, ensure that this number is sufficient for your child’s needs. Adjust if needed.

PASSING TIME:

In middle school, we only had two minutes to go from class to class.  For kids with CP, this is not feasible.  your child will likely need more time to get from class to class, even with their wheelchair.

Accommodations:

- Allow your child two sets of textbooks.  (One set to keep at home, and the other in each classroom.)  This will minimize locker stops and allow them to maximize them passing time getting from place to place.

- Give your child extra time.

- When possible, have your child’s classes near each other.  If there is a way to avoid them needing to travel repeatedly from one end of the school to the other, that would be ideal.

- Recognize that it may take more time for your child to orient themselves in a new school and locate all of their classes due to place blindness - a common issue for those of us with CP.  If possible, they could come in before sixth grade starts on a quiet day (outside of an open house type of event with tons of children) and start to familiarize themselves with the new space. Take pictures.  Having a para / aide (if they do) can help in finding their way when school actually starts.

***If your child has class in an outdoor / portable classroom, recognize that they will need to be able to safely access this even in cold weather.  Factor in a stop for their jacket.  Factor in snow that might hinder their entrance.  Make sure they have help to navigate, especially in the event of cold / snow.

GYM:

Gym class presented various issues.  Often, it was spent apart from peers.  (Scorekeeping is okay once in a while, but when you are always the scorekeeper?  It feels exclusionary.)  Or I was expected to participate in ways that felt unsafe to me.

Accommodations:

- If the kids have to wear a gym uniform, allow your child to, perhaps, only change their shirt.  (This is an accommodation I actually had and it worked well.)  It will save them time, and it will not set them apart from peers as much as not expecting them to change at all.

-If there is a swimming unit, let your child wear their suit to school under their clothes, so changing is as efficient as possible.  (Bring undergarments to change into after swimming.)  Allow your child to opt out of post-swimming shower (no safety bars, slippery, a safety hazard) and shower at home that afternoon / evening instead.

- Allow your child to have options for adaptive equipment on gym days (or allow them to use the adaptive equipment that feels the most safe to them.)  For this to be the most effective, have the gym teacher give your child a heads-up about what they will be doing next time, so they can ask questions and/or figure out what they’ll need.  

-Request a lesson plan at the beginning of the quarter/trimester/semester to get a better feel of what will be covered when - and to anticipate and work out possible issues in advance.

- Ask your child what they feel they need in a given situation.  Don’t assume because they can stand and walk, that they’ll feel confident without their chair in a rough and tumble middle school floor hockey game.  Likewise, don’t assume because they use a wheelchair they cannot participate in a sport.  Get used to thinking together and brainstorming solutions on the fly.

CLASSWORK:

Anything physical takes those of us with CP more time to complete.  This includes writing.  Chances are good that your child might need accommodations in the classroom as well.  

Possible Accommodations:

- Shorter assignments

- A copy of the teacher's notes

Math/Science/Art:

Know that many kids with CP struggle particularly in math.  (A lot of science has a heavy math component.)  If your child is one of these kids, they may struggle in a similar way I did.  I could learn material (though it took longer for it to make sense) to do a certain problem or set of problems.  But I could not carry over information I had learned and apply it to a new set of problems.

Subtracting, dividing, fractions, area, and any spatial concepts (so, art may be difficult as well) required a lot of extra time to understand.  

Possible Accommodations:

- It may help to hear the material presented in a different / simplified manner.  Sometimes hearing a peer explain a concept can make sense more quickly than hearing a teacher's explanation.

- Extra time on tests.

- Any opportunity to teach with manipulatives (like yarn, or blocks - anything tactile) has the potential to really help a math concept “click.”  If possible, have hands-on learning opportunities connected to the math being taught.

ORGANIZATION:

Organization is difficult for those of us with CP to maintain because we are often in a hurry.  If we are rushed, we cannot also make sure things are neat and tidy.  Any opportunity for your child to have access to better organization will help them succeed.

Accommodations:

-Assignment notebook

-Desktop organizer for table in each class / some sort of portable organizer to bring from class to class (Google “desktop organizer” for ideas)

-Erasable pens / mechanical pencils (sharpening pencils = cumbersome at best)

-Color-coded folders and notebooks (different for every class, clearly labeled) Yellow = Math, Green = Reading etc.

-Fanny pack / small purse for personal items

LUNCH:

In sixth grade, I sat with the other kids with disabilities because our paras brought our lunch trays to the same table.  None of the other kids sat with us.  I hated not having a choice in where I sat.

Accommodations:

-Para / peer to help go through hot lunch line, bring tray wherever your child wants to sit

-Lunch from home (which would allow your child to have access to their own food and decide where to sit.)

FIELD TRIPS:

-If possible, get a comprehensive list of these from teachers at the beginning of the quarter / trimester / semester.  

-If there are field trips that do not look feasible (for example, in sixth grade, I joined in on the ski trip and stayed in the lodge the entire time) you will know that ahead of time, and can make the decision to keep your child home on those days.

-Also knowing about field trips in advance allows you to contact the venues ahead of time and inquire about accessibility as thoroughly as is needed.  (Visit corresponding websites, so your child can begin to visualize the space ahead of time when possible.)

***

Though these notes are specific to a child with CP, I hope they give an idea of some areas that may be overlooked.  Realize that adults with your child's disability have insight on what your kids might need.

Your kids need allies in that room.  

And while I can't be in the room with your kids, I want to help them in any way I can.  IEP meetings were nothing short of traumatic for me.  

But they don't have to be.

I hope these notes offer some hope, and are the beginning of a new kind of experience for kids who have IEP meetings, knowing that their whole self is being looked after.

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