What if the school doesn't tell me when there's a change in my child's team?

Some parents are understandably concerned when their child starts working with a new team member, such as a new therapist, and the parent wasn't notified in advance.

You can request that your IEP team notify you of any changes in the staff who works with your child. However, the reality is that your child's IEP indicates a service, not a person. As long as the school provides your child with that service, they’re in compliance.

You have to approach this carefully during IEP meeting. You could say, "My child works best when they have consistency, so if something new is happening, I would like to have a chance to prepare them," for example. You can add this in the "Supports for Staff and Student" section of the IEP.

See our article Helping Our Kids Cope with a Change in Providers for more information.