Now that Labor Day has passed and the traditional school year has begun, you may have or are facing currently some difficulties with the back-to-school transition. This is not uncommon for families dealing with the challenges of LD. Certain scenarios can create unusually sticky situations, but you can navigate them if you’re armed with knowledge, a proactive spirit, and a can-do attitude.

Here’s one common sticky situation and a solution for handling it. Do you have additional advice to share with others? Post your experience below!

Concern: Your child has an IEP but is in a new school (or simply a new grade level) this year. You’re worried about how well the IEP will make the transition along with your child. Will the new school and/or new teacher honor it?

Take action: If your child is moving to a new school but you didn’t have a "transition meeting" with your child's IEP team at the previous school, request a meeting to take place before the start of the school year and no later than the end of the first week of school. If you’ve moved to a new state, your child’s new school district must provide an education comparable to that of the previous district until a decision is made to adopt your child’s IEP from the previous school district, or to develop and implement a new IEP that meets the applicable requirements pursuant to IDEA and your state’s special education rules. Learn more about your child’s rights if you move to a new school in the same state or to a different state.

Even if your child is moving to the next grade level at the same school – and will have a different teacher – you may be concerned. Academic pressures increase from one grade level to the next, and teachers have different attitudes and approaches to teaching. In this case, be proactive and set up a meeting with the new teacher(s) early in the school year. Together you can review your child’s IEP, you can explain what helps your child learn best, and answer any questions the teacher has. Depending on your child’s age, you might include him or her in the meeting. After all, the new teacher will now become a member of your child’s IEP team too!

Read about more sticky situations and how to handle them.