Cut these apart or use them as prompts at dinner, in the car, or before a meeting. Don't push — let your child skip any card. Write down what they say in their words. Their voice belongs in their IEP.
"What's the hardest part of your school day?"
Surfaces sensory, social, or academic pain points they may not volunteer.
"When do you feel like you can actually do the work?"
Identifies conditions, supports, or settings that make learning possible.
"Is there a grown-up at school you'd go to if something was wrong?"
Reveals safety net (or lack of one) in the building.
"Do you have someone to sit with at lunch?"
Lunch and recess are where isolation shows up first.
"If you could change one thing about school, what would it be?"
Often names the barrier the team hasn't addressed — or hasn't asked about.
"What are you really good at — even if school doesn't count it?"
Builds a strengths-based frame the IEP team can anchor goals to.
"Is anything at school too loud, too bright, or too much?"
Sensory overload often drives behavior the school misreads as defiance.
"What do you want to be able to do when you're older?"
Feeds directly into transition planning (required by age 16, earlier in many states).