PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND PARENT-PROFESSIONAL
COLLABORATION QUIZ

Answer #1-9 “True” or “False.”  Answer #10 with 3 examples.

1.  It is a courtesy to invite parents to meetings to discuss their child’s progress and needs.

2.  If a parent speaks a language other than English, it is important to remind them to bring along a translator so that they can fully understand and participate.

3.  Parents have unrealistic expectations for their children with special needs, and we need to help them adjust those expectations.

4.  We must notify parents of all the decisions that we make regarding their child’s education.

5.  If a child is in foster care, we must get the permission of DYFS to evaluate the child.

6.  We must provide a written summary to the parent of the child’s progress towards meeting her/his goals, including whether or not s/he is “on track” to master all of the goals by the end of the year.

7.  When a parent doesn’t attend meetings about their child, that’s a pretty clear indication that they aren’t as interested as they should be in their child’s development.

8.  It’s important to share all the information we have about a child and family during a district’s evaluation process, so the evaluation can be accurate and comprehensive.

9.  We must provide the parent with any relevant information about her child in our records, at her request.

10. Name three ways professionals can intimidate parents.

          (1)_______________________________________________

          (2)_______________________________________________

          (3)_______________________________________________

PARENT INVOLVEMENT & PARENT-PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION: ANSWERS

1.  False.  The law requires that parents be invited to every meeting held to discuss whether or not their child will be evaluated, what the evaluation will consist of, whether their child is eligible for special education, placement, and any other decision about their child.

2.  False.  The law requires that a translator be provided for the parent.

3.  False.  We all have expectations for children based on our experiences with them.  Parents’ expectations are based on their experiences.  It is important for parents and professionals to come together to talk about their experiences concerning the child’s strengths and needs, and how those experiences and other information should shape the expectations of the child’s growth and development.

3.  False.  We must involve parents in all decisions we make regarding their child’s education.

5.  False.  DYFS is a state agency and therefore under the law cannot be responsible for giving consent for a special education evaluation.  The foster parent or a surrogate parent may give consent if the child is a “ward of the state;” otherwise, the birth parents/adoptive parents, legal guardian, or person acting in place of the parent, may give consent.

6.  True.  This new requirement of the law is intended to ensure that children don’t reach the end of the year before the parents are aware that they have not been making sufficient progress to ensure that they reach their annual goals by the end of the year.

7.  False.  There are many reasons why a parent may not attend meetings about their child: work obligations, other family/child obligations, feeling overwhelmed, fear, intimidation, language barriers, transportation, shame/embarrassment, depression, anxiety, illness or disability, lack of understanding of the importance of their participation, insufficient advance notice, scheduling meeting at a time and place that isn’t convenient for them, not receiving the notice at all, etc.  It is important that we follow up to make sure that we are facilitating their attendance and participation as much as possible.

8.  False, unless we have the family’s prior written consent.  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prohibits the sharing of information about a family or their child without their written consent.

9.  True.  FERPA (see above) also requires that we provide the family with all information about their child that is in our records a reasonable amount of time after their request.

10. Ways professionals can intimidate parents:

          (1)  Too many professionals in the room

          (2)  Using “big words,” jargon, professionalese, shorthand

          (3)  Talking “at” parents

          (4)  Talking to each other and ignoring parents

          (5)  Speaking rudely to parents

          (6)  Speaking about them in front of them

          (7)  Criticizing their contributions

          (8)  Attacking them or their children

          (9)  Talking too fast

          (10) Blaming them for their child’s behavior, disability, etc.

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