With another school year right around the corner, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently put out advice to help schools make sure they’re giving students with disabilities the behavioral supports they need.
The guidelines remind everyone that under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools should try to keep a student in the classroom instead of removing them if they get in trouble. Through its #RethinkDiscipline campaign, the DOE is offering school administrators and teachers ideas for managing their classrooms so that students with and without disabilities get an equal education.
If you’re a parent, you can read the DOE’s “Dear Colleague Letter” and take a look at their ideas for classroom management and school-wide safety. Think about ways you can include some of these ideas in your next IEP. Having a plan in place for when your child needs to be disciplined should be a part of your child’s IEP – that way everyone is on the same page and can try to keep your child in the classroom where they belong instead of taking them out for detention or suspension.
Not sure where to put this in the IEP? Use our free IEP Guide to take a look at the Massachusetts IEP form and find out which section should include these goals.
