Using AI to Communicate with Schools

Many parents are now using ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence tools to help communicate with their child’s school, especially during disciplinary situations or disagreements about special education services. While AI can be a useful tool, there are also important limitations parents should consider before relying on it too heavily.

One benefit of using AI is that it can help parents organize their thoughts and communicate more clearly. Parents are often writing emails when they are frustrated, overwhelmed or emotional. AI can help turn those thoughts into a more professional-sounding message. This can feel particularly helpful when communicating about suspensions, behavioral incidents, evaluation requests, IEP disagreements or concerns about implementation of services.

However, one issue is that AI-generated communication can sometimes sound overly formal, generic or even adversarial. It can also take an email that a parent would be able to write in a couple paragraphs and turn it into an unnecessarily long missive. School relationships are important, particularly when parents and educators will continue working together over a long period of time. An email that sounds excessively legalistic or confrontational may increase tension instead of helping resolve the issue.

AI can also help parents understand terminology and procedures that may be unfamiliar. Parents may use it to better understand timelines, procedural safeguards, evaluation processes or discipline protections for students with disabilities. In some situations, this can help parents feel more prepared for meetings or conversations with school staff.

However, there are also significant drawbacks to relying on AI in these situations. One concern is that AI may provide inaccurate or overly broad legal information. Special education laws, regulations and disciplinary procedures can vary depending on the state, the facts of the situation and the specific disability involved. Parents should be cautious about treating information generated by AI as legal advice or assuming that a suggested strategy is appropriate for their child’s case. Often AI tends to lean towards ‘your side’ of the situation, so parents can easily get the impression that they have a much stronger case than a lawyer might advise them they do.

Parents should also remember that AI does not know their child. It cannot assess credibility, interpret school culture or understand the history of the relationship between the family and the district. A response that looks strong on paper may not actually be the most effective approach in practice because often there are statements that are partially true or the severity of the situation is exaggerated. Some AI models are very good at using the writing style of a typical lawyer, but when a parent is communicating with their school, they do not need to sound like a lawyer to be successful.

For many families, the best use of AI is as a drafting and organizational tool rather than a replacement for professional guidance or personal judgment. It can help parents prepare questions, summarize concerns or edit communications for clarity. However, parents should still carefully review anything generated by AI and consider whether it accurately reflects both the facts and the tone they want to convey.

What to do if your child is being bullied at school

When your child is being bullied, the instinct is to call the school and expect it to be handled. Sometimes it is. Often, it is not handled the way parents expect.

Massachusetts law is actually very specific about what schools must do once bullying is reported. Understanding those obligations can help you advocate more effectively and recognize when a school is falling short.

Step 1: Report the Bullying (and Put It in Writing)

The first step is making a report to the school. This can be to a teacher, principal, or another staff member, but you should always follow up in writing. Send an email that clearly says you are reporting bullying and briefly describe what happened, including dates, witnesses, and any prior incidents.

Under Massachusetts law, schools are required to have formal procedures for receiving and responding to bullying reports. (603 CMR 49.00: M.G.L. 71, §37O)

That means once you report it, the school cannot ignore it or treat it informally.

Step 2: The School Must Investigate Promptly

Once a report is made, the school has an obligation to promptly respond and investigate.

The regulations require schools to:

• Receive reports of bullying

• Promptly investigate those reports

• Determine whether bullying or retaliation occurred (603 CMR 49.03)

This is not optional. A school cannot delay indefinitely or decide not to investigate because the situation seems minor.

What this should look like in practice:

• Interviews with your child and other students

• Review of any written or electronic evidence

• Communication from the school during the process

Step 3: The School Must Take Action If Bullying Is Found

If the school determines that bullying occurred, it must take steps to stop it and prevent it from happening again.

Massachusetts law requires schools to have procedures for responding to incidents of bullying or retaliation. (603 CMR 49.03)

This can include:

• Safety planning for your child

• Disciplinary action for the aggressor

• Changes to schedules, supervision, or placement

Importantly, the law is not satisfied by simply “talking to the students.” The response must be meaningful enough to address the problem.

Step 4: Parents Must Be Notified

Once the school makes a determination, the principal is required to notify parents.

Specifically:

• Parents of both the target and the aggressor must be notified

• The school must explain the outcome and its response

• The school must inform the target’s parent of steps being taken to prevent further bullying (603 CMR 49.04)

Notice must also be provided in the family’s primary language. (603 CMR 49.04)

Step 5: In Some Cases, Police Must Be Notified

If the bullying could involve criminal conduct, the school may also be required to notify law enforcement.

The regulations specifically include notification to law enforcement when criminal charges may be pursued. (603 CMR 49.05)

This often comes up in cases involving:

• Physical assault

• Threats of violence

• Harassment involving protected classes

Location

Many parents are told, “This didn’t happen at school, so we can’t do anything.”

That is not always correct.

Massachusetts law requires schools to address bullying even outside of school if it:

• Creates a hostile environment at school

• Infringes on the student’s rights at school, or

• Disrupts the school environment (603 CMR 49.03)

This includes online bullying in many situations.

What If the School Is Not Doing These Things?

If the school is not responding appropriately, you have options:

• Follow up in writing and document everything

• Request a copy of the school’s bullying prevention and intervention plan

• Escalate concerns to the superintendent

• Consider filing a complaint or seeking legal advice

If your child has a disability, bullying can also trigger additional obligations under special education law, including the need to revisit the IEP.

Most schools want to get this right, but compliance varies widely in practice. Parents who understand the legal framework are in a much stronger position to push for real action when their child needs it most.

Eligibility Meeting

What Is an Eligibility Meeting?

If your child is struggling in school, you may have heard the term “eligibility meeting.” This is a key step in the special education process in Massachusetts, but for many families, it is not always clear what actually happens at this meeting or why it matters.

The Purpose of an Eligibility Meeting

An eligibility meeting is held after a student has been evaluated by the school district. The purpose of the meeting is to decide whether the student qualifies for special education services.

It is not a planning meeting yet. The team is not deciding what services your child will receive. Instead, the team is answering a threshold question: Does this student meet the legal criteria for special education?

Sometimes, if the team decides that your child does meet the criteria for an IEP, the team will begin planning your child’s IEP during this meeting.

Who Attends the Meeting?

The eligibility meeting is conducted by the student’s IEP Team. This typically includes:

• Parents or guardians

• A general education teacher

• A special education teacher or provider

• A school district representative

• Individuals who conducted the evaluations (such as a psychologist, speech therapist, or other specialists)

Parents are equal members of the team, and their input is an important part of the process. Parents also have a right to bring someone with them, usually an advocate or an attorney, to help them in this process.

What Happens at the Meeting?

The meeting generally follows three main steps:

1. Review of Evaluation Results

The team reviews all of the assessments that were completed. This may include:

• Academic testing

• Psychological evaluations

• Speech and language assessments

• Occupational therapy evaluations

• Classroom observations

Each evaluator explains their findings in plain terms. This is your opportunity to ask questions if anything is unclear.

2. Determining Disability

The team then decides whether the student has a disability recognized under special education law. Examples include:

• Specific learning disability

• Autism

• Communication impairment

• Emotional impairment

A diagnosis alone does not automatically qualify a student for services.

3. Determining Need for Special Education

Even if a student has a disability, the team must also decide whether the student needs specialized instruction or related services to make effective progress in school.

This is often the most important and most contested part of the discussion.

To be found eligible, the team must agree that:

• The student has a disability, and

• The disability affects the student’s ability to make effective progress, and

• The student requires specially designed instruction or related services

If all three criteria are met, the student is found eligible.

What Happens After the Decision?

• If the student is found eligible:
  The team will either immediately begin developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or schedule a follow-up meeting to do so.

• If the student is not found eligible:
  The school may still propose other supports, such as accommodations under a Section 504 Plan or general education interventions.

Parents have the right to disagree with the decision in general and with specific evaluation results provided, and can request an independent educational evaluation or pursue other dispute resolution options.

Why This Meeting Matters

The eligibility determination is the gateway to special education services. If a student is not found eligible, they will not receive an IEP.

Because of that, it is important for families to:

• Review evaluation reports in advance if possible

• Ask questions during the meeting

• Share observations from home

• Speak up if they disagree with the school’s conclusions

An eligibility meeting can feel technical, but at its core, it is about understanding your child’s needs and whether they require specialized support to succeed in school.

Approaching the meeting with a clear understanding of the process can make it easier to participate confidently and advocate effectively for your child.

If you have questions about an upcoming eligibility meeting or disagree with a school’s determination, consulting with an attorney or advocate experienced in Massachusetts special education law can help you understand your options.

Initial Evaluations

The school may recommend, or you may request, for your child to be evaluated to see if they are eligible for any special education services. If you are requesting an initial evaluation for your child, you should do so in writing. The school will then send you a consent form listing the evaluations your child will have within 5 days of receiving your written request. Once the school receives your consent to begin the evaluation process, they must provide or arrange for the evaluations within 30 school days and arrange for a Team meeting within 45 days.

There are several assessments that are required for the school to complete. These include assessments in all areas related to the suspected disability and an educational assessment, which includes a history of your child’s progress in the general curriculum, attention skills, participation, communication, memory, social relationships and educational and developmental potential.

As the parent requesting the initial evaluation, you can request other assessments that are relevant to your child’s situation. These can include health assessments, psychological assessments or a home assessment. However, home assessments often require the assessor to visit your home and spend time observing your family. These are generally not necessary to conduct in the context of an initial evaluation and you should carefully consider whether a different type of evaluation can provide similar information.

Any summaries of assessments or evaluations should be sent to you at least 2 days before the Team meeting. The Team meeting is to review the evaluation data and determine if your child is eligible for special education services. If your child is found eligible, the Team needs to develop an IEP an propose a placement. If your child is not found eligible, the school must send you a notice of ineligibility.

Requesting an Independent Evaluation

Requesting an Independent Evaluation

Sometimes districts will complete evaluations and you may disagree with the results. When this happens, you have the right to request an Independent Evaluation.

Of course, you can choose to have an independent evaluation of your child at any time at your own expense. When you request public funding for an independent evaluation, there is a sliding scale that districts use to determine the amount you are responsible for. If your child is eligible for free or reduced school lunch, then the independent evaluation will be fully covered. If not, the district will need to collect financial information from you to determine the amount they have to cover. The funding guidelines remain in place until 16 months from the date of the original evaluation. The guidelines are as follows:

The evaluation should be completed by 30 days after your request to the district for an independent evaluation. Once the report is delivered to your district, they have 10 days to reconvene for a Team Meeting to consider the new report and if it will impact your child’s IEP.