The importance of Documentaion

There are so many moments when parents struggle to plead their case against a system that claims to have their child’s best interest at heart but is completely the opposite.  If there is one thing that I can stress to families is the importance of documentation.  This is the difference between having the facts and it being hearsay. So, what am I referring to? Emailed correspondence? Phone calls? Testing? YES, to all the above. Anytime there is a question, issue or just a simple inquiry, you want a paper trail via email. If you have a phone call with a teacher or administrator, you must always recap the conversation with that individual in an email.  The more information you capture regarding your child’s case, the stronger your chances are of not getting push back in your meetings. That’s not to say it will not happen, however, the more documentation the more you can hold those individuals accountable. Learning how to document is essential for every IEP family. Knowing how to play the game is also half the battle.

 

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