One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a special education teacher is this. You cannot support a student effectively without first partnering with their family. Over the years, I’ve seen that when parents feel included, respected, and informed, the student benefits in a significant way, both academically and emotionally.
Parental communication is not something I do out of obligation. It is a professional practice grounded in IDEA (2004), rooted in evidence-based teaching strategies, and ultimately driven by care. In my own research (Wydra, 2024), I found that building collaborative relationships with families strengthens progress monitoring, improves IEP planning, and leads to better student outcomes.
Here are three keys that have helped build strong, lasting partnerships with families.
Starting the Year: My Approach to Building Trust Early
Each year, I begin by reaching out to families during the first week of school. I send personalized welcome emails that outline how I will support their child and include a link to schedule a short virtual or in-person meeting.
A few years ago, one of my first challenges was meeting with a well-known parent who had requested a special review meeting for her daughter, an incoming senior with an IEP. The parent previously worked in the district and was known for being difficult, especially when expectations were unclear. Instead of reacting defensively, I focused on building rapport. I presented updated progress monitoring data and explained how we would work together to meet graduation goals. The result was a collaborative relationship that lasted the entire year. Her daughter made tremendous academic progress, graduated on time, and was accepted to several colleges. That early trust made all the difference.
This experience reinforced a valuable lesson. Relationships with parents must begin with empathy, clarity, and preparation. When trust is established early, it sets the tone for everything that follows.
Reporting Progress: Communicating with Purpose and Clarity
Progress monitoring is central to what we do, but it only becomes effective when the data is clearly communicated. I use a combination of curriculum-based measures, classroom assignments, and feedback from general education teachers to track how students are progressing toward IEP goals (Kurth et al., 2022; Swain et al., 2022).
One student who entered high school with a history of emotional disabilities presented a clear challenge. His mother was understandably nervous about the transition and shared her concerns at our first meeting. I made a commitment to communicate with her weekly. We discussed behavior goals, academic progress, and social-emotional growth. That steady communication helped reduce discipline referrals by more than 75 percent. The student’s attendance improved, and he raised both his math and English grades by a full letter. By staying consistent and focused on shared goals, we saw real success.
When I send quarterly IEP progress reports, I always include a brief narrative to give context to the data. It’s not just about numbers. It’s about growth. Parents appreciate when I highlight strengths, challenges, and next steps. They feel like partners in the journey, not just recipients of a report.
Maintaining the Relationship: What I Have Learned Matters Most
In my experience, the strongest parent relationships are built on empathy, transparency, and consistency. I have learned not to wait until there is a problem. Consistent outreach, even just a quick message like “I appreciated your child’s effort this week,” can shift the entire tone of the relationship. What follows is a more positive and productive partnership.
To stay organized, I keep a digital communication log that tracks how and when I reach out. It also helps reflect on which families may need more contact or a different approach. Some parents prefer phone calls. Others respond best to email or text updates. Being responsive to personal preferences shows that I value their voice, and they are more likely to stay engaged.
I remember one itinerant student who transitioned from middle school. He had already mastered all of his academic and behavioral goals. Still, his parents were nervous about dismissing services and moving to a 504 plan. The student occasionally struggled with anxiety and self-advocacy due to autism spectrum disorder, but his academic and social-emotional data supported full mainstreaming. I took the time to listen to their concerns, provide consistent updates, and share a vision for continued support. By the second quarter, we held a special review meeting and made the transition. Today, the student is thriving in all of his classes.
Final Thoughts
These experiences, and many more like them, have shown me what is possible when educators and families work together. Whether we are helping a parent feel confident about a transition or checking in weekly to ease a student’s adjustment, communication remains the foundation of everything we do.
My research (Wydra, 2024) reinforces what I have come to understand through real-world practice. Teachers who commit to intentional and sustained parental communication build lasting trust. They also see meaningful improvements in student achievement and social-emotional well-being. Families feel empowered. Students feel supported. Schools become more inclusive and connected as a result.
