My child has an IEP/504 Plan and is moving from middle school to high school. How is the new school going to know what my child’s needs are?

When your child matriculates from elementary school to middle school, or from middle school to high school, parents have the opportunity to participate in what is referred to as a MAPS Meeting. MAPS is the acronym for McGill Action Planning System or Making Action Plans. The meeting is an opportunity for the existing IEP team to meet with the IEP team at the new school the child will be attending. This meeting is very important because it gives the parents and the current IEP team the opportunity to explain the student to the IEP team at the new school to prepare them to receive the student after having familiarized themselves not only with the IEP, but with how it was implemented, what the child’s strengths and challenges are, about the child’s personality and interests, how best to bring the child into the new school environment, any other matter of concern a parent wants to personally voice. It is also an opportunity for all involved to address the changes in class schedule, the faster paced environment, potential social challenges, allows the current IEP team to highlight matters they feel are important for the child’s success, and allows the new IEP team and staff to have their questions about child and his/her accommodations and needs. MAPS meetings are set up like, and have the feel of, an IEP meeting. However, they are less formal. Notes will be taken and distributed to the parents and all attendees of the MAPS Meeting.