As the school year comes to a close, many of our patients’ parents are already thinking about preparing their child for the transition to the next school year. Moving from one school level to another represents a significant milestone in your child’s educational journey. Whether it’s transitioning from preschool to elementary school, elementary to middle school, or middle to high school, these changes bring new environments, expectations, and challenges – especially for children with special needs or developmental differences.

At Therapy & Wellness Connection, we understand that these transitions can be overwhelming for both children and parents. Our multidisciplinary team of speech therapists, occupational therapists, and ABA therapists is dedicated to providing comprehensive support during these critical periods of change.

Why School Transitions Matter

School transitions are more than just moving to a new building. They represent significant shifts in:

• Academic demands. Each level brings increased expectations for independence and performance.
• Social dynamics. New peer groups, different social rules, and changing relationships.
• Environmental factors. Larger buildings, changing classrooms, locker management, varied schedules.
• Executive functioning requirements. Greater demands on organization, time management, and planning.

Research published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry shows that difficulty with school transitions can negatively impact academic performance, social relationships, and emotional well-being if not properly supported. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students with disabilities are particularly vulnerable during these transition periods, with data showing potential regression in progress if appropriate supports aren’t in place.

How Private Therapy Services Can Help

Speech Therapy Support

Our speech-language pathologists help prepare children for school transitions by:

• Developing communication strategies for self-advocacy in new environments.
• Improving social communication skills for building relationships with new peers and teachers.
• Addressing academic language demands that increase with each school level.
• Creating customized communication tools (scripts, visual supports, etc.) specific to the new school setting.

Occupational Therapy Interventions

Our occupational therapists focus on building essential skills for successful transitions:

• Fine motor skills for increasingly complex writing and classroom tasks.
• Sensory regulation techniques for managing new, potentially overwhelming environments.
• Executive functioning support for organization, time management, and planning.
• Self-care and independence skills that match new expectations.

According to a study in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, targeted OT interventions before major school transitions can significantly reduce anxiety and improve adaptation to new educational settings.

ABA Therapy Approaches

Our ABA specialists provide comprehensive behavioral support:

• Conducting environmental assessments of the new school setting to identify potential challenges.
• Developing positive behavior support plans specific to new environments.
• Teaching and reinforcing appropriate classroom behaviors for different educational settings.
• Creating systematic desensitization plans for anxiety-provoking aspects of the transition.

Advocating For Your Child: Working With New Educational Teams

Essential Information to Share With New Teachers

When your child transitions to a new school level, it’s vital to proactively communicate with their new educational team. Consider sharing:

1. Learning profile. Your child’s strengths, challenges, and specific learning needs.
2. Successful strategies. Approaches that have worked well previously.
3. Potential triggers. Situations that might cause anxiety, frustration, or behavioral challenges.
4. Communication preferences. How your child best receives and processes information.
5. Accommodations history. What has been formally implemented and what has worked.

Key Questions for New Teachers and Intervention Specialists

• “How will my child’s IEP/504 accommodations be implemented in your classroom?”
• “What is your preferred method and frequency for parent-teacher communication?”
• “How is the daily/weekly schedule structured, and how can we prepare my child for transitions within the school day?”
• “What social opportunities exist that might be appropriate for my child?”
• “How will you help my child navigate [specific challenge relevant to your child]?”

When to Request Meetings Outside Regular IEP Updates

You don’t need to wait for scheduled IEP meetings to address concerns. Consider requesting additional meetings when:

• Your child shows signs of significant anxiety or regression after starting the new school level.
• Academic performance unexpectedly declines.
• New behavioral challenges emerge in the school setting.
• You observe that accommodations aren’t being properly implemented.
• Your child reports consistent difficulties with specific aspects of the new environment.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) supports your right to request IEP meetings at any time you have concerns about your child’s educational program. According to the U.S. Department of Education, parents can and should request meetings whenever necessary to ensure appropriate educational support.

Timing Your Therapeutic Support: A Timeline for Transitions

4-6 Months Before Transition

• Begin discussions with your therapy team about the upcoming change.
• Request assessments to identify potential challenge areas.
• Start building specific skills needed for the next school level.

2-3 Months Before Transition

• Arrange for therapists to communicate with new teachers/staff.
• Consider school visits or environmental assessments.
• Develop transition-specific strategies and tools.

1 Month Before Transition

• Practice new routines and skills intensively.
• Review and refine accommodation recommendations.
• Create visual supports specific to the new environment.

First Month of New School Level

• Maintain close communication between therapists, parents, and teachers.
• Adjust strategies based on initial experiences.
• Schedule follow-up therapy sessions to address emerging concerns.

Ongoing Support

• Regular therapy sessions to refine skills.
• Periodic check-ins with the educational team.
• Adjustments to therapeutic goals based on school performance.

Real Impact: What Research Shows

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, students with disabilities who receive specialized transition support are significantly more likely to:

• Maintain academic progress during transition years.
• Report positive social experiences in new school settings.
• Experience fewer behavioral incidents requiring intervention.
• Demonstrate greater independence in learning activities.

Research shows that kids who receive outside therapy services during school transitions tend to show greater maintenance of IEP goal progress compared to those without such support.

How Therapy & Wellness Connection Can Help

Our multidisciplinary approach ensures that all aspects of your child’s transition needs are addressed. We offer:

• Comprehensive transition assessments. Identifying potential challenges before they become problems.
• Collaborative planning. Working directly with schools and families to develop consistent strategies.
• Parent coaching. Empowering you with specific advocacy tools and approaches.
• School consultations. Direct support to educational teams to implement effective accommodations.
• Ongoing therapeutic support. Adjusting interventions as new challenges emerge.

Moving Forward Together

School transitions represent both challenges and opportunities for growth. With proper therapeutic support and advocacy, your child can navigate these changes successfully and build valuable skills for future transitions.

At Therapy & Wellness Connection, we’re committed to walking alongside your family during these important milestones. Our team of speech therapists, occupational therapists, and ABA specialists brings expertise, compassion, and personalized approaches to supporting your child’s unique journey.

Therapy & Wellness Connection – your connection to a life without limitations – provides speech therapy, occupational therapy, ABA therapy, education services and social skills support to children in Akron, Cleveland, Brecksville-Broadview Heights and surrounding communities. We also offer summer camp, day programs, education services, vocational counseling and more. Call us at (330) 748-4807 or send us an email.

Additional Resources:

Individualized Education Programs and Transition Planning for Adolescents With Autism, July 1, 2023, By Hughes et al, Pediatrics

More Blog Entries:

Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: The Benefits of Alternative Education Approaches for Neurodivergent Children