There may be times when a parent wishes to examine all the school records on their child with a disability. Under the law parents have a right to these records as long as they write the request to the principal or designated school official.
The school usually has a wealth of information about all children, distributed among a number of people and a number of records. Gathering this information would be very difficult for a parent if they are not made aware of what exists and where to get it. This Parent Teacher Conference Handout provides a list of important documents that parents can gather if they wish:
Prior Teacher reports – Comments written on report cards or in permanent record folders may provide a different view of the child under a different style of teaching. Successful years with positive comments may be a clue to the child’s learning style and may provide you with information about the conditions under which the child responds best.
Reports of prior parent-teacher interviews – Prior conferences between previous teachers and parents may provide you with information that may be important in understanding the child’s patterns and history. These reports or notes may be in the child’s folder, permanent record folder or the teacher’s file.
Cumulative school record: This particular file may contain information from standardized achievement test results, group IQ results, teacher comments dating back to kindergarten, records from previous schools, individual reading test results and family information.
Group IQ test information – This information is usually found in the permanent record folder. Many schools administer this type of test i.e. Otis Lennon, Henmon Nelson in grades 3, 6 and 9 so look carefully. Fairly recently, the term School Abilities Index has replaced the term “IQ” or Intelligence Quotient. These scores are usually wither pasted to the permanent record folder or inside the folder.
Standardized test scores – These scores should be analyzed for patterns of strengths and deficiencies. The older the child the greater the number of scores that can be compared. These scores are usually wither pasted to the permanent record folder or inside the folder.
Report card grades – These materials can be reviewed for comments, patterns of productive and difficult years and can usually be found in the permanent record folder in the main office of the school.
Attendance records – These records should be reviewed for patterns of lateness or absence and can be retrieved from the attendance office or main office.
Medical history in the school nurses office – All medical information known to the school will appear in your child’s folder in the nurse’s office.
Individual Education Plan – This information, in case you have misplaced your copy, can be found in several places; psychologist’s folder, your child’s folder in the office of Pupil Personnel Services, or in the folder of the special education teacher assigned to your child.
Triennial Evaluation – This report, done every three years on a child with a disability, will be found in the psychologist’s office. This report will provide you with the most updated information on your child’s academic, intellectual, academic and social levels.
If you are not sure consult with your child’s special education teacher or the school psychologist.
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