The special education field is well known for the sheer volume of paperwork it generates. Between assessments, logs, IEPs, and other documents, there are often hundreds of pages every year. Busy parents trying to juggle work, relationships, and children often have trouble keeping up. I know I did.
Paper Record-Keeping
Buy a 3-inch binder and a good hole punch. As soon as you receive a document that you might need later, hole punch it and put it in the binder. We recommend putting the most recent document in front. If you prefer another method, that’s fine; Just use it consistently. There are few things more frustrating than looking everywhere for that key document you know you just had.
Electronic Record-Keeping
If you have access to a scanner, scan the documents as quickly as you can. Give them a name that is instantly recognizable like, “John Jones IEP October 23 2018.” Store a copy on your computer and a copy in the cloud (Dropbox and Google Drive are two common cloud storage options). That way, if your computer does not fire up one day, you still have access to a copy.
Too Late?
If you are missing key documents, you can always request a copy of your child’s cumulative file from the school district. The following is a sample letter/email you can use. After they receive this request, the school district has five days to prepare the file.
Date:
Dear __________
As you know, I am the parent of ________________, who is currently enrolled at _____________________.
I am writing to request that you provide copies of any and all of my child’s educational records within the next five days, as required by Cal. Ed. Code Sec. 49069. I would like copies of his/her cumulative file with all records including (but not limited to) his/her special education file, emails, reports, progress notes, assessments, and any/all other records kept. This also includes any files related to behavioral concerns and disciplinary actions.
I am not able to pay to have these records copied. [If this is the case for your family. Otherwise there is a per page fee.]
I would like to pick up this file at the school on ___________. Would you please let me know what time it will be ready? Should you need to contact me, please email me at _________________.
The good and the bad news is that you will receive a large stack of unsorted papers. This can be a bit daunting. We recommend setting yourself a time to get it separated and stored in whatever record-keeping format works for you.
For help at your child’s next IEP meeting, more information about special education advocacy services, or a FREE 20-minute consult to see if we are a good fit for you, call or fill out our contact form.
As parents, we understand. As experienced and trained advocates, we can help.