Back to School

Whether you're new to the school system or a seasoned advocate, check out the resources and tools below to help you feel confident and connected as the year begins!

Back-to-School Essentials Checklist

Start the school year off right by making sure you’ve covered the basics:

Complete back-to-school forms for your child’s school or district

Create a Student Snapshot of who your child's Learning Profile

Find out your child’s teacher(s) and class schedule

Download and/or print the school calendar

Add key dates to your calendar (open houses, parent conferences, early release, vacation days, etc.)

If your child takes the bus, get info on pick-up/drop-off and routes. If it's available in your district, download the School Bus Tracking App.

For students with disabilities, confirm transportation supports in the IEP

By the District

Boston Back to School

Brockton Back to School

Worcester Back to School

CPLAN Mental Wellness

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Visit the CPLAN Mental Wellness Hub for more service provides, hotlines, and other resources to promote mental wellness in our communities.

Therapy for Latinx

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Finding a mental health provider shouldn't make you feel worse. We know first hand that going through Google searches and endless directories can feel daunting.

Therapy for Latinx was created to make this process as easy as possible. Search our listings to find therapists that honor who you are, provide services with dignity, and can code switch like the best of them.)

Pure Spark Wellness Directory

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PureSpark uses social media and our web interface to provide resources and daily coping mechanisms that would otherwise be out of reach for someone who is unfamiliar with the mental wellness system. While open to providing information for everyone, the organization’s focus is on Black women.

United We Dream- Toolkit

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The UndocuHealth Project Emergency Toolkit was designed to alleviate not only the stress and anxiety of folks across the nation and keep ours families secure, but also to give the reader tools that will allow them to conduct safe zone events and incorporate stress reducing activities within their community work and daily lives.

CPLAN Special Education

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Visit the CPLAN Special Education Hub for more resources and information about special education laws, resources available, and organizations that assist with direct service.

Parent's Guide to Special Education

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This online, interactive guide has been developed as a complement to the Parent's Guide to Special Education (Parent's Guide) written guide, available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

The Parent's Guide and accompanying module was developed to assist families in understanding the Special Education process and the supports and services that children with disabilities need to succeed in school. Click to visit the interactive guide.

Understanding the IEP Process

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This guide was developed to explain the revised IEP process and provide suggested practices to ensure your child's educational rights are protected.

You can also visit DESE's hub for the Individualized Education Program here.

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Advocating for Gift Services

Steps to take when your school doesn't have effective gifted programs and services.

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Glossary of Common Terms

Familiarize yourself with these commonly used terms in gifted education.

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National Association for Gifted Children

Strategies for Classroom Advocacy

Best practices for approaching your child's teacher about signs of giftedness.

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Nurturing Gifted African American Children

African American children may exhibit giftedness differently than others and need different types of support.

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Teaching Children Self Advocacy

Students need to know how to speak up for themselves to find the right opportunities to fit their needs.

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Assessments for Giftedness

It can be confusing for parents if, when, where, and why they should have their child tested for giftedness. Visit this tip sheet to learn more.

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Effective Advocates Series

Series of articles from the NAGC on crafting effective messages and advocating for gifted education in your child's school.

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Starting and Sustaining a Parent Group for Gifted Ed.

This in-depth eBook guides parents about how to start and sustain groups to support gifted children. Click here to read the shortened brochure!

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Purpose

The purpose of the PCO  is to rebuild the village it takes by bringing families together to support one another making sure our children receive an equitable and quality education in which prepares our children for post-graduation whether that is college, a trade, or employment.

How? By collaboratively working with school administrators to identify and resolve the issues while supporting each other to improve the educational experiences of all students.

Parent Council: Roles & Responsibility example

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Who's Who?

Read this guide to understand the roles of the many different professionals available in your child's school.

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DESE Family Portal

Visit the Family Portal for links to information and resources on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) website.

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Evaluating Schools

Visit our page to learn more about what to consider when deciding where to send your child to school and evaluating a school's effectiveness.

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Advocacy Resources

Learn how you can advocate for students on a local, statewide, or national level.

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Communicating with the School

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Parent Teacher Conferences

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Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences can feel intimidating, but they’re really about working as a team with your child’s teacher. Advocacy simply means speaking up for your child’s needs to ensure they receive the best education possible.

General Resources

Sharing your Child's Needs

Use our Student Snapshot document to introduce your child to their new teacher, it’s a simple way to share their strengths, needs, and interests.

English: Student Snapshot
Spanish: Student Snapshot

Communicating with the School and teachers