What Do I Do with All this Paperwork?

1. What Do I Do with All this Paperwork? How to organize your child’s papers

2. What to do first? • Gather any paperwork that has do with your child • Divide them into categories • Put them in date order • Get a 3-ring binder (rookies) • Get a 3-ring binder & portable file drawer (veterans)

3. Binder Categories • Current Year’s IEP • Current work samples (with dates) • Most Current Evaluation(s) • Progress reports/Reports cards/ IEP Goal Updates • Communications

4. Current Year’s IEP • This is the document created at the end of the year meeting. • Put it in a sheet protector or just hole punch it. • Any amendments made to the IEP

5. Current Work Samples • Anything that comes home with a grade on it • Anything you think shows progression or regression • Anything coming home in progress or report cards • Always put a date on it

6. Progress/Report/IEP Goal Updates • When these reports come home: • Take the work samples you have collected to that point • Place them behind the report • Email or call the teacher with any questions about the reports • Purge as needed

7. Latest Evaluation • Copy of the most current psych evaluation • Cheat Sheet of psych terms • (coming soon)

8. Communications • Any emails or notes on a particular subject • Meeting notices • Discipline notices • Anything you get from the school that you feel is important

9. File Drawer Categories • Past Year’s IEPs (newest to oldest) • Standardized Test Results • Past Evaluations

10. Past Years’ IEPs • The previous IEP • Work samples • The last (or all) reports cards • Any communications • Rubber band these all together

11. Evaluations • School psych evaluations • Private evaluations • Copies of the surveys you completed for the evaluations

12. Standardized Tests Results

13. Why organize? • Take your binder (and portable file drawer) with you to conferences and IEP meetings. • You have the appearance of being prepared for the IEP meeting, even if you don’t feel it. • You have any report that may come up in discussion. • You know where the item is when you want to show your point. • Your child’s progress for the year(s) is all in one place (or 2 places for the veterans).

14. Why Bring It With You? • You can look on as reports are discussed. • You may have something that the school does not have. • The information is at your fingertips. • You can be an informed and involved parent who participates in the development of your child’s IEP.

15. What if I do not have everything? • You may come to the office and look at your child’s file. • If there is anything that you do not have, you have the right to have a copy of it. • Call and make an appointment with our records clerk, Connie Kelly. Her phone number is 770-460-3911 ext. 245.

16. Guidelines • “This is not so much a code, it is more of a guideline.” • This is a starting point. • Find what works for you. • Date everything - because you are not going to remember. • Purge as needed - I do not support being a pack rat.

17. Questions or Problems • Please call or email me if you have any questions or need help with organizing or anything at all • stevenson.allison@mail.fcboe.org • 770-460-3911 ext. 239 – if it rings back to the front office, please leave a message OR call • Work cell phone – 770-668-6314

18. Have a Happy IEP Season!