How do I make sure my child is being included in their classroom and school activities?

If you wrote an inclusive placement or inclusive goals into your child’s IEP, you’ll want to ensure that the school staff is working to make sure your child is meaningfully included in the classroom.

Placement details

• Are they getting the educational and/or social minutes with their same-aged peers that are outlined in their IEP?
• If your child is in a special day class for the majority of the day, where do they sit when they go into the gen ed classroom? Do they have their own desk? Are they interacting with other kids or just other adults? Are kids with IEPs truly included in the same activities at the same time in the same place with general education students?
• Are all gen ed class activities accessible and inclusive? This includes group work, independent work time, presentations, performances, asking/answering questions, and student responsibilities.

Accommodations/modifications

• Is your child able to relay their knowledge in an accessible way for THEM, or are they expected to do things the same way as everyone else?
• If a specialist or special education teacher is modifying work for teachers and your child, can you see samples, and is that happening every day?

Social opportunities

• Does your child eat lunch, go on field trips, and have PE with same-aged peers?
• Do they have daily opportunities to socialize with all kids?
• If your child requires facilitation for socializing or communicating, who is supporting that?

Check out our article on socialization and inclusion for ideas to help your child be involved at school. Also be sure to read Back-to-School Toolkit Part 2: The Fall Check-In for more ways to check in with your kid's IEP and ensure their success at school.