Preschool to TK / Kindergarten Transition IEP Questions

As the parent of a young child with a disability, you are often the best source of information about your child. Your voice and ability to share your experience as the parent of your child will be very valuable as you and the IEP team plan a positive educational experience. Always be confident to ask questions to find the right placement for your child. Watching your child emerge from the playful days of preschool and take their first steps toward “big kid” status in kindergarten can be tough (and is often tougher on us than it is on our kids!). But it‘s a move to take seriously, as kindergarten can set the tone for their entire elementary school experience. For many kids, kindergarten is the first exposure to a more structured curriculum, and the academic environment (and expectations) can be stressful. If your child is transitioning to a public elementary school, the sheer size of the building and the number of other students can also be overwhelming. With all this in mind, we developed a list of questions for you to ask at your transition IEP meeting.

• What is the expected class size? What is the maximum # of students this class can have?
• How many classroom aides will this class have? What is the ratio of students to adults?
• Is the team recommending related services be pull-out services or push-in models?
• Are you recommending individual services (speech, OT, PT) vs group services?
• Are you recommending individual services or just a consultation with the therapist?
• Are you recommending a self-contained classroom, general education, or a combination?
• Is a 1:1 aide appropriate for behavioral, academic, or health needs?
• Does my child need a behavior plan, or should we update the current one? What is the process of getting a behavior plan?
• How does the school promote inclusion on the playground?
• Does my child qualify for transportation?
• If my child needs medication, who will administer that?
• Can I meet with the school nurse to discuss my student's health plan?
• How does the class support my child's food or allergy issues?
• When can I meet my child’s General Education teacher and tour the mainstream classroom?
• If the recommendation is for a Special Day Class placement, ask to set up a tour. Pay attention to how many adults are in the room. Is it enough, or are they short-staffed?
• If the recommendation is for a Special Day Class placement, ask what curriculum they will be using compared to the mainstream classroom.
• Are kids with IEPs segregated or separated at any point during the school day? Ask specifically about how they will be included in recess and lunch with their peers.
• Does your child need assistance in the bathroom or require diaper changes? If so, where will this be done, and by whom?
• Get an idea of the size of the campus, where the entrances and exits are, and where classes are located, especially if your child is an eloper. Do the gates lock? Are any gates broken that they could easily push open?
• What does inclusion look like? Observe how the teachers interact with the students (in any setting) and, more importantly, whether kids with IEPs are truly included in the same activities at the same time in the same place as their peers.
• If your child has auditory sensitivities, pay attention to the classroom acoustics. If your child has trouble staying focused, pay attention to the environment. Are there a lot of distractions (e.g., an adjacent playground, doors and windows left open, etc.)?
• Where are the increased mobility stresses, such as lunch, recess, or the library? Consider a physical therapy assessment if your child may have difficulty navigating a bigger school.
• Are the playground and field accessible? If the school doesn’t have an accessible playground, ask how the school accommodates children with physical disabilities on the playground.  If the school does not have an accessible playground, it may be a reason to choose a different school. Many schools will say their playgrounds are ADA compliant, which isn’t the same as accessible.