Reinforcing Your Child's IEP

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Speak with the teacher and remind her that you should be contacted each time your son misses an assignment. Ask that he be allowed to make up (or find and turn in) the assignments. If the problem continues, call for an IEP meeting and, respectfully but firmly, remind the teacher and IEP team that they've agreed to contact you when your son misses an assignment.

You might consider asking a parent advocate (find one at copaa.org) to attend the meeting. He or she will know which requests you can make of the school and what the school must do to comply with special education law.

Karen Sunderhaft has been a teacher for 16 years, and has focused on ADHD and learning disabilities since 1999. She completed her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Philosophy at Boston College and a special education degree with a concentration in learning disabilities at Northern Michigan University.

Over the years, Karen has taught at prominent private schools such as Laurel School and University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio and Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware. For four years, Karen Sunderhaft was one of only two teachers asked to be part of the national ADHD Experts on Call campaign.

Karen is currently working on an interactive program with an ADHD simulation to assist teachers, parents, and students. She coaches individual students and speaks frequently at ADHD and LD events. She can be reached at karen@sunderhaft.com.