What do I do if my child needs a substitute aide?

If your child benefits from a 1:1 aide at school and their regular aide calls out sick, the school is responsible for providing a substitute aide. Ideally, the sub aide has some familiarity with the student.

A substitute aide or substitute teacher can disrupt a child's routine, so some advance planning is helpful for all involved. At your next IEP meeting or in an email, ask your team for the plan when the aide is out. Let them now that advance notice can help you prime your child for the change.

Undivided Education Advocate Lisa Carey says, "Start with an email and go from there. If it can be resolved outside the IEP meeting, great, and then put in the parent's notes to get it memorialized in the next IEP if they have a plan and it seems to be working."