A Parent's Super Power Play: Upgrade the Student Supports Section

Madison Nigh
Oct 30
6 min read

Embarking on the adventure of special education can feel like parents are donning their capes and navigating a tricky maze! Understanding the magical map known as the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is key to ensuring your little superhero gets all the support they need to soar. One of the most crucial sections of this IEP is the student supports section. Here, you’ll find the keys of your child's education —accommodations, modifications, and support for the school staff—crafted to help students with disabilities flourish in their educational universe. This blog will be your trusty sidekick, breaking down these essential components with definitions, real-life examples, and guiding questions to empower you in meaningful conversations about your child's unique superpowers!

Understanding Accommodations

Accommodations are adjustments made in how students access the curriculum. They do not change what students are taught but provide different ways to learn or demonstrate understanding. These changes help create a fair environment for students with disabilities.

Examples of Accommodations

Extended Time on Tests: For example, giving a student who struggles with reading extra 50% time can significantly reduce test anxiety and give them a chance to clearly show what they know.
Preferential Seating: Placing a student close to the teacher or away from noise helps minimize distractions. Studies show that students who sit in quieter areas can improve focus by up to 30%.
Use of Technology: Tools like text-to-speech or speech-to-text software can help students, allowing them to work on assignments more efficiently. For instance, a student who has difficulty writing can use dictation software to express their ideas freely.

Prompting Questions for Parents

What specific obstacles does your child face that may require accommodations?
Have you noticed effective strategies that help your child learn or work more effectively at home or during homework time?
Are there physical or environmental factors (like noise levels or layout) affecting your child's concentration?

Exploring Modifications

Modifications involve changing what your child is expected to learn or how they are assessed. Unlike accommodations, modifications adjust the educational goals compared to their same-grade peers based on a student's ability level.

Examples of Modifications

Simplified Assignments: For example, instead of a 10-page essay, a teacher might assign a 2-page summary for a student who struggles with writing. This change allows them to demonstrate understanding without becoming overwhelmed.
Alternative Assessment Methods: Implementing project-based assessments rather than traditional exams can enhance student engagement and allow for a deeper understanding of the material, particularly for students who thrive in hands-on learning environments.
Curriculum Adjustments: Modifying the content being taught to match a child’s capabilities can help them engage with the material. For instance, a student who is still working on addition may work through multiplication problems using only the repeated addition strategy, rather than using an array or memorization.

Prompting Questions for Parents

What strengths and weaknesses does your child show in relation to the current curriculum?
Are there specific learning goals or skills that you feel should be modified to fit your child's needs better?
How does your child react to different types of assignments or assessments?

Support for School Personnel

Effective implementation of the IEP requires a well-informed school staff. The IEP outlines the support needed to equip teachers and staff to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities each year.

Examples of Support for School Personnel

Professional Development: Providing targeted training sessions on specific disabilities, curriculums, or behavior interventions ensures teachers understand how to support their students better. This can also include training on other specific needs or plans your child has within the school such as medical safety plans, behavior intervention plans, and and more. Research indicates that teachers who undergo such training can improve student outcomes by up to 20%. In the IEP, this can be noted specifically for your child.
Collaboration with Specialists: Involving special education professionals can lead to more effective instructional strategies suited for students' unique needs. Regular communication among staff is vital for successful support. For example, support and training from a Board Certified Behavior Specialist or an Assistive Technology Specialist may be documented here.
Access to Resources: Ensuring that teachers have the right resources, such as customized teaching materials, assistive technology devices, or specific curriculums that allow your child to learn effectively, can significantly enhance the effectiveness of accommodations and modifications in the classroom.

Prompting Questions for Parents

What type of supports do you think would benefit your child’s teachers to assist your child more effectively?
In what ways can the school improve communication between you and the educators working with your child?
Are there certain strategies or interventions you believe would be beneficial for the school staff to learn about or have access to?

If It Isn't Documented, It Isn't Happening!

Often as Advocates we hear "Oh that isn't an accommodation, that is standard practice." or "We do that for all of the students." or "Well we have always done that for your child, it doesn't need to be in the IEP."

Your child's needs need to be specifically and completely outlined in this section for a few reasons....

If it isn't Documented in the IEP, You CAN'T HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!
Unfortunately, we see it far too often. A parent says that they discuss all of this positive support in the IEP meeting but it is no where to be found in the IEP. You child starts to struggle and the conversations are repetitive about what they need but it seems like it isn't actually happening in the classroom. You cannot hold the school staff accountable to provide a support that is not documented in the IEP. Period.
New School Year, New Teachers, New School, OH MY!
When a new school year comes, or your child's primary special education teacher is out for maternity leave, or you have to move your child to a new school district, you child's IEP needs to document EVERYTHING that makes them successful. Any new teacher should be able to pick up your child's IEP and go through a full school day without assistance in understanding what supports they need, when they need it, or who is going to provide it. The plan should be fully encompassing.
DATA, DATA, DATA!:
To make sure that your child's IEP is supporting them, it needs to function as a tool for the team to track interventions and supports that are successful and that are not successful. If a student is suddenly begins to struggle, ask yourself if you've added or taken away supports that your student may be responding to.

How a Special Education Advocate Can Help

A special education advocate plays a crucial role in developing the student’s support section, focusing on accommodations, modifications, and support for school personnel to ensure a comprehensive approach tailored to the student's unique needs. Here are several ways in which an advocate can assist in this process:

Identifying Necessary Accommodations: Advocates assess the student's learning profile to identify specific accommodations that will enable them to access the curriculum effectively, such as extended time on tests or preferential seating.
Defining Modifications: They help determine appropriate modifications, if applicable, to the curriculum or assignments that align with the student's abilities, ensuring that the educational goals remain attainable while still challenging.
Supporting School Personnel: Advocates collaborate with teachers, administrators, and support staff to ensure they understand and have the tools they need to provide the instruction, accommodations, and modifications required, fostering a supportive environment for the student.
Creating Comprehensive Support Plans: They assist in developing detailed support plans that outline the roles and responsibilities of school personnel and the specific strategies they should employ to support the student effectively. They can help make sure each team member understands their responsibilities and assist in holding the team accountable for following through with the plan as discussed.
Training and Resources: Advocates can provide or recommend training and resources for school staff to help them implement accommodations and modifications successfully, enhancing the overall educational experience for the student.
Regular Review and Adjustment: They help establish a process for regularly reviewing the effectiveness of accommodations and modifications, ensuring that adjustments are made based on the student’s progress and changing needs.

In summary, a special education advocate is an essential tool in developing a student’s support section, ensuring it encompasses necessary accommodations, modifications, and the support needed from school personnel to foster an inclusive and effective learning environment.

Key Takeaways

Understanding the student supports section of an IEP is essential for parents of children with disabilities. Here are the main points to consider:

Familiarity with Supports: Parents should become well-versed in accommodations, modifications, and the support offered to school personnel.
Advocacy: Effective advocacy for a child's educational needs may require assistance from an advocate who can provide recommendations for appropriate supports.
Collaborative Process: The IEP process is a collaborative effort, and parental involvement is crucial to address the unique challenges faced by the child.
Open Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication and asking pertinent questions is key to fostering a supportive learning environment.
Student Success: A well-informed approach helps ensure that the child can thrive in their educational setting.

Eye-level view of a classroom with diverse learning materials — A science classroom designed to support diverse learning needs and abilities.

Navigating special education can be complex, but with the right knowledge and support, you can approach the IEP process with confidence. Understanding the importance of accommodations, modifications, and support for school personnel is a powerful step in ensuring your child receives the education they deserve. Let us know if you want to take the next step in supporting your child's education!

Written By: Madison Nigh