Every August, teachers get class rosters and start wondering who's walking through that door. As a special ed teacher, the most useful thing I ever received from a parent wasn't a diagnosis list or a demand letter — it was a one-page note that told me who their kid actually was. What made them laugh. What shut them down. What worked last year and what didn't.
That letter changed how I set up my classroom before day one.
In this episode, I'm giving you the exact framework for writing that letter — from someone who spent 20 years on the receiving end. This isn't about accommodations (that's what the IEP is for). This is about giving your child's new teacher a head start on knowing your kid.
In This Episode
Why the teacher letter works — and why it's different from the IEP or 504
What teachers actually want to know vs. what overwhelms them
The 5-section framework for a letter that gets read, kept, and used
What NOT to include (and why leading with diagnoses backfires)
When to send it and how
Timestamps[Update after recording]
00:00 — Introduction
01:00 — UCLA Study
02:29 — Parent Coaching
02:55 — Study Outcomes
03:52 — Culture of Communication
09:20 — What To Put In Your Letter
15:23 —What NOT To Say
18:06 —Key Takeaways
Resources & References
Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools, SEDL.
Epstein, J. L. (2011). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools (2nd ed.). Westview Press.
Turnbull, A. P., Turnbull, H. R., Erwin, E. J., Soodak, L. C., & Shogren, K. A. (2015). Families, professionals, and exceptionality: Positive outcomes through partnerships and trust (7th ed.). Pearson.
Blue-Banning, M., Summers, J. A., Frankland, H. C., Nelson, L. L., & Beegle, G. (2004). Dimensions of family and professional partnerships: Constructive guidelines for collaboration. Exceptional Children, 70(2), 167–184. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290407000203
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