6 Steps to Take When You Are Concerned About Your Child’s Academic Progress

Website design By BotEap.comSteps to Take When You Are Concerned About Your Child’s Academic Progress

Website design By BotEap.comChildren attend school to learn foundational skills to eventually become productive and contributing members of society. When you send your child to school, you expect the teachers to teach you and your child to learn. However, not all students progress academically at the same rate. If your child does not seem to be up to date with what is being taught, has difficulty with reading, math, or writing, does not seem to retain new information presented at school, is having difficulty with homework, or seems to dislike the school, then you may want to take the following steps to voice your concerns about his academic progress.

Website design By BotEap.com1. Document your concerns

Website design By BotEap.comThe first step you should take is documenting your concerns. Get a notebook to jot down specific examples of when your child is struggling and what topics will be helpful in later steps when you express your concerns to the school. Keeping work samples, progress notes, report cards, standardized test results, and teacher feedback helps you see if these struggles and concerns are constantly present.

Website design By BotEap.com2. Contact your child’s teacher.

Website design By BotEap.comMake a phone call or send a note to your child’s teacher. Letting the teacher know that you have concerns about your child’s academic progress is a good idea because it lets him know that he is engaged and compliant at home. Teachers will generally have additional information about your child’s academic progress and will generally offer suggestions for additional practice, as well as more closely monitor your child’s progress in the classroom.

Website design By BotEap.com3. Request a conference with your child’s teacher.

Website design By BotEap.comA conference with your child’s teacher, or team of teachers, is a more formal meeting where you can discuss specific concerns and strategies that have been tried. A conference is sometimes helpful because there are usually additional teachers involved who can help come up with strategies for interventions. Additionally, you can develop an action plan with the teacher and / or team to monitor your child’s progress, which can be followed at a specific time.

Website design By BotEap.com4. Contact the manager

Website design By BotEap.comYour child’s principal may have additional suggestions or additional resources to assist you with your concerns. May suggest pre-referral or response to intervention (RTI) interventions. These types of interventions may have already been implemented; however, if they haven’t, they will be helpful in determining your child’s response to specific and targeted interventions. The idea behind these approaches is to intervene before your child fails.

Website design By BotEap.com5. Discuss your concerns with your pediatrician.

Website design By BotEap.comAt any time, you can discuss your concerns about your child’s academic progress with your pediatrician. Your pediatrician is an expert in child development and behavior. They can often give suggestions and guidance on how to ask the school for help. They can also help determine if there are any health or physiological conditions that are interfering with your child’s academic progress.

Website design By BotEap.com6. Refer your child for a special education evaluation

Website design By BotEap.comIf you think your child is not making progress academically or has a learning disability, you can make a referral to the school for a special education evaluation. You can request this type of evaluation at any time. You do not have to wait until RTI or pre-referral interventions have been implemented. The public school will provide this evaluation to you free of charge and will help you and the school team better understand your child’s learning strengths and weaknesses.

Website design By BotEap.comAs a parent, you are your child’s first teacher. You can tell when your child is having a hard time progressing academically. You are also your child’s best advocate. As your advocate, you can take some of these steps to help your child get the services he or she needs to be successful academically. It is important to know and understand your rights under education law in order for your child to receive a free appropriate public education. If you have concerns or need help, it may be helpful to consult with a professional advocate.