Questions to ask the school
These are questions you can read straight off the page at a school meeting, a tour or a phone call. They cover the vision teacher and assessments, the classroom, getting around the building, lunch and recess, tests and reading, and staff training. Pick five or six that matter most for your child and write the answers down.
You don’t need to ask all of these. Circle five or six. Write the answer, and who gave it, next to each one.
The vision teacher and assessments
- Who is the teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) for this school?
- How much training in CVI does the TVI have?
- When will the TVI do a functional vision assessment, and will it cover CVI?
- Will there be a learning media assessment, and who does it?
- How many minutes a week will the TVI work with my child, and how many with the teacher?
- Will the orientation and mobility specialist evaluate my child?
- How will you share assessment results with me before the meeting?
- What happens if the TVI is out or the position is empty?
The classroom
- Where will my child sit, and what will they be facing?
- How much is on the walls near their seat?
- Can my child’s desk hold only what they need for the current task?
- Who will adapt worksheets, and how far ahead?
- How will directions be given: one at a time, out loud, or written on the board?
- Is there a quiet spot my child can use for focused work or a break?
- How will you tell me when my child is struggling, and how often?
Getting around the building
- Can my child see the building and their classroom before the first day?
- Can my child leave class a few minutes early to avoid crowded halls?
- Are stair edges and ramps marked in a bright color?
- Who will teach my child the routes they use every day?
- Where will their locker or cubby be, and will it stay in the same place?
- What’s the plan for fire drills and other emergencies?
- How will my child get on and off the bus, and who meets them?
Lunch, recess and PE
- Who helps my child find a seat and their lunch in the cafeteria?
- Can my child go to lunch before the room fills, or eat somewhere quieter?
- Who watches my child at recess, and do they know about CVI?
- How will the PE teacher adapt games, balls and boundaries?
- Will adults describe where things are instead of pointing?
Tests and reading
- What print size and font will my child’s materials use, and who decided?
- Will tests be reformatted with fewer items per page?
- Can my child take tests in a quiet room with extra time and breaks?
- Which of these supports are allowed on state tests?
- Are audio versions of books and texts available?
- How will screens and slides be made easier to see?
Staff training
- Has anyone at this school worked with a child with CVI before?
- Who will train the classroom teacher, the aides and the substitutes about my child’s CVI?
- When will that training happen, and who leads it?
- Will the lunch, recess, bus and specials staff get the information too?
- Can I share a one-page summary about my child with every adult who works with them?
- Who is my main contact, and what’s the best way to reach them?
Next step
Bring this list with the “Before the school meeting” checklist (cviexplained.com/iep-meeting-prep/). For classroom setup ideas to hand the teacher, see cviexplained.com/classroom-checklist/.
Sources
From cviexplained.com/questions-for-the-school/. General information for families and school staff. Not medical or legal advice. CVI is different for every child.