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Talking to your child's school
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Is your child failing classes at school?
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Are their grades worse than they have been in the past?
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Are they missing a lot of classes because of physical or mental health problems?
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Are they highly anxious and worried about school?
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Are they having problems with teachers or classmates because of behavioral health concerns?
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Are they struggling to learn new information?
In all of these cases, school accommodations can help. Accommodations are types of support that students can receive at school to help them perform at their best. Accommodations can include things like getting extra time on tests, having a quiet space to go when they feel upset or worried, participating in special education classes, receiving tutoring, getting less homework, a specific place to sit in the classroom, or even attending a different school with more support to better fit their needs. If you think your child might benefit from getting accommodations at school, keep reading to learn more.
Types of Support & Accommodations
There are a few different categories of support that kids with behavioral health needs commonly receive in public schools. If your child goes to a private school, it’s possible that these could have different names and the process to get support could look a little different, so ask your school to be sure.
These types of support are called education programs or plans, and they are formal documents that legally require schools to provide accommodations and support for your child. The two main categories are 504 Plans and IEP’s.
Individualized Education Program (IEP) to qualify for an IEP, a child must:
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Have a diagnosed disability as defined by the IDEA federal law.
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There are 13 categories of disability defined by IDEA: autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, developmental delay, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment (OHI), specific learning disability (SLD), speech or language impairment, and traumatic brain injury.
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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often qualifies kids for an IEP and is categorized under “Other Health Impairment (OHI)” in IDEA.
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Need specialized instruction because their disability makes it challenging for them to learn in a general classroom (ask: does my child need teachers to change how they teach?)
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Examples of things that may qualify your student for an IEP: autism spectrum disorder, severe mental health conditions (like long-lasting anxiety, depression, or another mood disorder), ADHD, an intellectual disability, or dyslexia.
Students with an IEP may receive support at school like counseling, behavioral intervention, special instruction, and classroom modifications to support their learning.
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to qualify for a 504 Plan, a child must:
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Have a medical or behavioral health problem that causes them problems in daily life but does not meet full criteria for a disability under IDEA (ask: does my child need some changes to their regular classroom environment to do well?)
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This often includes mild to moderate behavioral health concerns. Behavioral health conditions that are chronic and severe may fall under the “Emotional Disturbance” section of IDEA.
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Examples of things that may qualify your student for a 504 Plan: mild anxiety or depression, having trouble at school after experiencing trauma or stress, or any other concern where they can stay in their regular classroom with a little extra help.
Students with a 504 Plan may receive support at school like getting extra time on tests, taking more breaks in class, or getting written copies of notes from the teacher ahead of time. They usually do not participate in specialized instruction outside of the regular classroom.
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I think my child needs support at school, how do I get started?
If your child already has accommodations in place and you’re not sure if they’re working, you can make a request in writing to the school to review their IEP or 504 Plan. If your child has not had accommodations before and you want to see if they qualify, you have to submit a request in writing to the school for an evaluation. Schools cannot evaluate your child without your written permission. Once you have done this, the process officially starts.
In the next 25 school days after you submit your request, the school is required to respond. They will decide if an evaluation is needed. They have 35 school days to evaluate your child, and if your child is receiving an IEP, the school has to schedule an IEP meeting with you within 30 calendar days to discuss plans for your child. Timelines for a 504 plan are a little less strict, so ask your school district at the beginning of the process when you can expect to receive a plan for your child.
If the school decides an evaluation is appropriate and necessary, they will evaluate your child to see where they are struggling and how the school can help. Evaluations often look at things like behaviors, emotions, and school performance. As a caregiver, you may be asked to participate in parts of this evaluation by completing questionnaires about your child’s behaviors and emotions. It can also be helpful to share doctors’ notes or treatment records from other providers if your child is getting other services to help them outside of school.
After an evaluation is completed, the school will start writing a plan and will schedule a meeting with you (the caregivers), your child’s teacher(s), and special education providers at the school.
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Your child’s plan will talk about resources and services that they qualify for (like school counseling, peer groups, or specialized instruction) and it will also have specific goals for your child to reach as they get services (for example, “child will recognize 20 out of 100 common sight words” or “child will use learned coping skills with an 80% success rate).
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You will get a copy of your child’s plan – it’s good to keep this somewhere safe so you can look back at it when you need to and check to see if your child is making the progress they should be.
Once your child has a plan in place, schools will review the plan every so often to see how they are doing and check if more support is needed. If your child has an IEP, the school is required to review the plan every year and do another full evaluation every three years. If your child has a 504 plan, the school isn’t required to review it as frequently – but you can always request a review in writing if you are concerned that your child isn’t getting what they need.
What if I don’t agree with the school’s plan?
Sometimes schools choose not to evaluate a child for an IEP or 504 plan, or they may say your child qualifies for a 504 plan instead of an IEP, or they may recommend services and supports that you’re not sure will help. Start by voicing areas of concern or disagreement in your meeting with the school – this is why these meetings happen. If you can’t resolve things with the school directly, there are a few other things you can do:
Caregivers have the right to get “an independent educational evaluation (IEE)” if you don’t agree with the evaluation that was done in the school district. In other words, you can request another evaluation by a provider that works outside of the school.
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You have to request an IEE in writing to the school district. The school can either provide documentation to show that the evaluation they did was appropriate and met criteria, or they can agree to pay for the IEE.
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If the district decides that the initial evaluation was appropriate and met criteria, you can still decide to get another evaluation – but the school district does not have to cover the cost for you.
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The school district has to consider the results of the IEE when they are making decisions about your child’s services, but they do not have to change their original decision.
There are a few things to keep in mind to help this process go as smoothly as possible:
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Keep detailed notes and records of everything: your communication with the school, your child’s behaviors and problems at school, notes from other providers, etc. Any data you can present to show that your child is struggling can help your child get the support they need.
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Make all your requests in writing. Schools can’t move forward with the process unless they have written permission and communication from you, so make sure you are sending emails to the correct person at the school and keeping a copy of those emails and when they were sent.
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Ask the school to communicate with you in writing as well. This helps make sure all communication is clear and documented and helps you understand why the school is making certain decisions.
If you feel you’ve taken all the steps above and still are not in agreement with the school, you can file a complaint with the Washington OSPI office. This is the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and they look into whether or not school districts have violated a special education rule or law.
Who can I talk to if I have questions or concerns?
ESD 105 — Special Services (Yakima) — Dana Floyd, Executive Director Special Services: 509-454-3110 ext. 110; Assistant Director Alexa Ranger mobile: 509-834-3460. (esd105.org, OSPI)
Together 105 (ESD 105 behavioral health school services / request line) — (509) 567-6685 (school-based behavioral supports / crisis navigation). (esd105.org)
East Valley SD (Yakima County) – Special Programs Director Mary Kay Weber – 509-573-7330
Yakima SD No. 7 – Special Education Services – (509) 573-5060
Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) — toll-free 1-866-297-2597 (free coaching for families). (WA Education Ombuds)
WA PAVE (Parent Training & Information) — phone (253) 565-2266 or national helpline listed on their site; sample letters and coaching available. (Findhelp, PAVE)
Disability Rights Washington (legal advocacy, info) — (800) 562-2702 (or 206-324-1521). (Disability Rights Washington)
OSPI Special Education / Dispute Resolution — file due process or state complaints (see OSPI website for forms and filing). (WA Education Ombuds, OSPI)
What do I say when I contact the school?
Here are some templates you can use when you’re reaching out to your child’s school for support or to communicate concerns or disagreement. Just add your child’s name and specific information into our template and send your message!
Subject: Request for Special Education Evaluation for [Child’s name]
Dear [Principal / Special Education Coordinator],
I am writing to request a full special education evaluation for my child, [name, grade, DOB, school, primary teacher], because I am concerned about [brief list of concerns: e.g., frequent emotional meltdowns, long absences because of anxiety, trouble focusing and completing classwork, repeated suspensions]. Please evaluate in all suspected areas (academic, social-emotional/behavior, cognitive, speech/language, and a Functional Behavioral Assessment if behavior is a concern). Please confirm in writing you received this request.
Thank you,
[Your name, phone, email, date]Subject: Request for Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense for [Child’s name]
Dear [Special Education Director],
I disagree with the district’s evaluation report for my child [child’s name] dated [date]. I am requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at public expense to be completed by a qualified evaluator. Please provide the district’s criteria for IEEs and let me know if the district will accept this request or intends to initiate due process.
Thank you,
[Your name, phone, email, date]
Subject: Request for IEP Team Meeting to review eligibility decision for [Child’s name]
Dear [Principal / Special Education Coordinator],
I am writing to request that we schedule an IEP team meeting as soon as possible to review the evaluation reports and the team’s reasons for determining ineligibility. I would like to attend and bring a [therapist/doctor/advocate]. Please send all evaluation reports and prior written notice before the meeting.
Thank you,
[Your name, phone, email, date]
Subject: Request for IEP Team Meeting to review services for [Child’s name]
Dear [Principal / Special Education Coordinator],
I am writing to request that we schedule an IEP team meeting as soon as possible to review my child’s current school performance and progress towards goals identified in their IEP report. I am concerned that the IEP is not sufficiently meeting their current needs, specifically related to [brief list of concerns: e.g., frequent emotional meltdowns, long absences because of anxiety, trouble focusing and completing classwork, repeated suspensions]. I would like to attend and bring a [therapist/doctor/advocate]. Please send all evaluation reports and prior written notice before the meeting.
Thank you,
[Your name, phone, email, date]