Record Keeping When Your Child Has Autism

It’s the end of the school year and if you’re like us you are already out of school. The end of the year means memories, traditions and lots and lots of paper…especially when your child has autism. Record keeping can be overwhelming for any parent but when your child’s life includes therapists and IEP meetings, it is especially daunting.

Over the years, I’ve divided our record keeping up into four categories: The Memory Box, Grades & Attendance, Work Examples, and The Autism Paper Trail.

1.  The Memory Box: a file box divided by grade/year
   Each file includes a yearly photo, favorite drawings/papers (3-5…think mini-portfolio), and a birthday interview (there are MANY out there but here’s my favorite).
2. Grades & Attendance Folder
   In a duo-tang folder, keep copies of report cards/grades, attendance, specialized tests (not autism-type testing), proof of withdrawal and yearly cover school registration.
3. Work Examples
   Any completed workbooks, weekly task sheets in a folder, nature books and note booking go in a plastic bin. Most of this will be tossed upon graduation but it’s important to keep it around throughout their education if needed for reference…or in case we ever get “audited” for homeschool.
   
4.  The Autism Paper Trail
   Here’s where we keep all that paperwork…well, not all of it.
   In a 2 inch binder…
   Save: IEPs, evaluations, progress reports, list of biomedical therapies. Three-hole punch these papers and put them in order by DATE so you can read your child’s journey like a book.
   In a folder…
   Save (until the end of the year ONLY): Daily notes from teacher & weekly OT/PT/Speech reports, Special Education Rights (You will get a copy at every IEP meeting and they are quite long. Saving one for the whole binder is plenty.)

Ready for some easy storage? The Autism Paper Trail and the Grade & Attendance folders fit nicely inside the Memory Box :). Find a shelf to stick it on next to the work example bin and you’re good to go.

What are your tricks for Record Keeping?