Communication Check-up
Your schools and districts offer so much information to families. But families are busy and don’t take it all in. It’s hard to present complex information clearly. Key points get missed. Families may not respond. Everyone is frustrated.
No matter how often you communicate or how well you do it, it's only working if families can find, access, and understand what you're sharing.
Our Communication Check-up can improve your clarity, build your team's communication skills, and help you connect better with families.
We can even take pressure off your staff by providing chat support for them and for families while we work on improving the materials you already offer.
We Help You
1. Prioritize what matters most
Does your resources highlight the information families need most? Is it easy for them to respond?
We look at how your communication addresses issues your families struggle to understand, or where things tend to get difficult in the Special Ed process.
We provide meaningful, concrete suggestions to reduce stress and help you present the most critical information simply and clearly - on your website, in your newsletters, and in daily communication.
We'll also share user-friendly templates and tools you can use to communicate more clearly with families so they hear the same message you're trying to send.2. Focus on accessibility
Special Education Families have a lot on their plates, and a lot of questions. Do they know how to find your answers?
Our team of plain language and user experience experts will review your electronic content and offer practical, easy suggestions to improve clarity, decrease frustration, and improve accessibility.
We offer data and recommendations to help you understand where families are struggling and make more strategic decisions about how to help.3. Simplify to amplify communication
Are you writing in a way busy families can take in?
We’ll show you how to make your current content more effective by saying it more simply. Our plain language experts help transform complex jargon into clear, concise, family-friendly language so your message shines through.
4. Refer to reliable resources
Are you making effective referrals for Special Ed families looking for community-based resources?
Families need many services outside of school, and districts scramble to provide trustworthy listings. We evaluate your resource lists to make sure they are comprehensive, up-to-date, and meet families’ needs.
Contact us today.
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- By submitting this form, you consent to be contacted by a member of our team.
How Plain Language Helps
Before:
Dear parents and guardians:
You have an upcoming IEP eligibility determination meeting for your child. During the eligibility meeting, the team discusses the results of the evaluation. Then the team will determine the eligibility of your child for special education services.
To be found eligible, the child must be found to have a disability as recognized by the IDEA, the disability must have an adverse effect on your child's educational performance, and the child requires either specially designed instruction or a related service necessary to allow the child to access the general education curriculum.
If the student is found to be eligible for special education, the next step is to create an effective IEP. If the student is not eligible for special education, he or she might still be eligible for other accommodations, services or programs.
Sometimes the evaluation results are not clear, in which case an extended evaluation may occur. If that is the case, we will discuss next steps during the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
Sincerely,
The Special Education Team
After:
Dear parents and guardians:
This letter tells you what you can expect at your upcoming meeting about your child’s recent evaluation.
At this meeting, the team will discuss the results of the evaluation. Then they’ll decide if your child qualifies for special education services.
Your child will qualify for extra support in school if the evaluation finds:
- They have a disability, as defined by IDEA, the disability education law
- The disability is getting in the way of their learning
- Specialized teaching can help them learn
If your child qualifies, the next step is to create an effective IEP (Individualized Education Program). (4)
If not, they may qualify for other services or programs.
Sometimes evaluation results are not clear. If this happens, we may do some more testing.
You are an important member of your child’s team. We welcome your questions.
Sincerely,
The Special Education Team