Communication with Stakeholders

A special education teacher is, fundamentally, a linguist and a diplomat. You will spend your career translating complex diagnostic data into actionable daily instruction, and you will do so while navigating an intricate network of stakeholders: parents, paraprofessionals, therapists, administrators, and the law itself. The success of a student’s intervention does not occur in a vacuum; it is the direct result of a highly synchronized team. If the communication breaks down, the intervention breaks down.

In this guide, we will examine the mechanics of stakeholder communication. We will explore how to strip away jargon, how to engineer a truly collaborative Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting, and how to operate flawlessly within the legal parameters of federal special education law.