March Special Education Newsletter: Testing Season and IEP Annual Reviews

March brings two of the most important annual events in special education: standardized testing season and the spring IEP annual review window. Families need to understand what each means for their child and how to prepare for both. Your March newsletter gets ahead of the questions before they turn into phone calls.

Explain testing accommodations clearly and specifically

Many families know their child has testing accommodations but do not know what they look like in practice. March is the right time to explain them before testing begins. Rather than listing accommodation names, describe the experience: "During standardized testing, students who receive extended time will have 50 percent additional time per section and may take scheduled breaks. Students who test in a small group will take the assessment in [room] with me or a paraprofessional, not in the general education classroom. Calculator accommodations and read-aloud accommodations will also be in place as specified in each student's IEP." That kind of specific description prevents confusion and reassures families that the accommodations they advocated for are actually happening.

Help families support testing at home

Many students with disabilities experience heightened anxiety around standardized testing. Give families a brief, practical pre-testing routine: usual bedtime the night before, a normal breakfast, arriving on time rather than early to avoid the increased hallway stimulation. "Routine and rest matter more than last-minute review for most of our students. The best thing you can do the night before testing is keep everything normal."

Announce IEP annual review season

If your caseload includes students with annual reviews due in spring, March is when families should be notified of upcoming meetings. A general newsletter note is appropriate alongside individual notices: "IEP annual review season runs through May. Students with annual reviews due in this window will receive formal meeting invitations within the next four weeks. If you have not received a notice and believe your child's annual review is due, please contact me."

Give families three IEP meeting preparation questions

Families who come to IEP meetings with their own questions get more from them. A brief preparation guide in your March newsletter makes meetings more productive. Three questions worth thinking about before an annual review: What progress have you seen at home this year? What concerns are you bringing into next year? What do you want your child to be able to do by this time next year that they cannot do yet? Those three questions, answered by the family before they walk in, change the dynamic of the meeting entirely.

Address spring break transition planning in advance

If spring break is in March or early April, a preparation reminder in your newsletter gives families time to get ready. The same strategies that work for winter break work here: maintain consistent wake time, review the return-to-school schedule in advance, identify the familiar elements of the April return so the student knows what to expect.

Share third-quarter program progress

A brief program-level progress note in March gives families context for the annual review conversations to come. "Students have continued to make progress on their IEP goals through the third quarter. We will share individual data at each student's annual review meeting." One sentence of genuine acknowledgment without individual detail.

Close with an invitation for pre-IEP conversations

Families who want to talk through their child's program before the formal annual review benefit from a brief pre-meeting conversation. An explicit invitation to reach out before the meeting, rather than waiting for the formal document, is something many families do not know they can do.

Daystage makes your March special education newsletter easy to send before testing season begins. Your testing accommodation explanations and IEP review preparation guidance reach families when they need them most.