To all those that rely on testing to determine a student's capability, this isn't a good idea for those that don't test well. You won't know that they don't test well unless you pull their file. My child's IEP doesn't say he doesn't well because the school thinks that being mediocre (just passing) at testing or anything is acceptable. I also ask that the specials teachers read my child's file/IEP as well. DS has mild CP and ADHD and you won't notice it straight away. You might just think that he's really clumsy and just not listening. So, reading the file and the IEP give you a better picture. I know that teachers are busy, but I would think that this would be rather important and might just make your life easier in the long run.

Private school. I read all IEPs and special files before classes begin. I have general notes about students passed up to me but general enough to allow every child a fair chance to grow and change without prejudice.

I am pretty sure the teachers debrief each other on the most notable students.

Anonymous wrote:Do you read IEP's.

Yes, of course.

Anonymous wrote:Do you read IEP's.

Yes. During our first week back, each teacher gets a copy of the IEPs for students in his/her class. I read them over the next week or two.

Do you read IEP's.

Anonymous wrote:Huh. As a parent I'm really surprised to hear this. I would assume some knowledge of the working level of the student and their strengths and weaknesses would be hugely valuable to hit the ground running in the beginning of the year.
It definitely makes me now understand those parents who always talk to the teacher at the beginning of they year.

I have a general understanding, but I don't need to review the Progress Report in each file. I get a good idea from something like the students' Literacy Folders for example and much of what is in there has now moved online.

The PP which mentioned time was pretty accurate. There just isn't time to go through each student's cumulative file.

PP- There is extensive testing done in all areas at the beginning of the school year for this reason.

Huh. As a parent I'm really surprised to hear this. I would assume some knowledge of the working level of the student and their strengths and weaknesses would be hugely valuable to hit the ground running in the beginning of the year.
It definitely makes me now understand those parents who always talk to the teacher at the beginning of they year.

Thanks for the answers!

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I don't have time and getting access to the cumulative files at the start of the school year is next to impossible.

I was just going to write pretty much the same.

Nope. I don't have time and getting access to the cumulative files at the start of the school year is next to impossible.

When I taught school a lot of teachers bragged about not looking at grades from the year before. The belief was that it would influence you too much. There is some validity to that belief. However, it is also good to know to be alert to certain issues.

I taught first grade, so it was not much of an issue.

I think if a kid is new that a teacher will be open minded. Teachers should always be open-minded, but ............

It depends on the school system probably. At our school system it is VERY hard to get this information and requires multiple steps for each student, which becomes so time consuming that the value is pointless since the info then needs to be re-typed into the teacher's own document. It would be very helpful information to receive, however. Not in a bad way but to help guide things like partners/groups and also to assess if a student was perhaps under-performing in class but standardized test scores indicate a much higher capability.

Do elementary teachers review the transcripts from the year prior of the students they'll be getting?