Parents trying to support children with special needs often need to request accommodations from their local school district. Frequently, they do so by establishing an Individualized Educational Program (IEP).
IEPs identify the challenges that students face and propose specific ways for the schools to help them achieve academic success. Frequently, IEPs include provisions allowing for breaks or special support during testing. They may recommend certain special services, including social work and speech therapy. In some cases, children with more significant support needs might also require one-on-one assistance to participate in mainstream schooling instead of a special education program.
Can parents ask a school to provide them with a paraprofessional for their child?
Paraprofessionals can make a major difference
Paraprofessionals provide many different types of social and educational support. They can help children process their feelings in challenging social situations. They can keep them on task during timed testing. They can even serve as an advocate who may help remind teachers and other school professionals of the provisions included in an IEP.
Schools can place paraprofessionals with students who have higher support needs. In some cases, it may even be possible to arrange to have the same paraprofessional work with the student for many years.
Their support in social and academic circumstances can help students achieve academic success, develop friendships and limit the bullying that they experience. When children with special needs require one-on-one support to make a traditional classroom work for them, requesting a paraprofessional in an IEP meeting could be one of the most effective accommodations a parent could seek.
Discussing the needs of a child and the current support provided by a school district with a skilled legal team can help parents evaluate whether they need to modify an IEP or establish one. Learning more about different support options can help parents obtain the accommodations that their children with special needs require to truly thrive in public schools.