Success Happened for a Reason. Now Let’s Protect the Progress.
One of the most rewarding parts of being an educator is getting to the end of the school year and realizing just how far a student has come.
Maybe it's a student who struggled academically, behaviorally, socially, or emotionally. A student who started the year overwhelmed, disengaged, or constantly in trouble. But now they're successful. They're participating, learning, building relationships, and making progress.
When that happens, it's easy to assume the student finally "got it," matured, became more motivated, or simply connected with the right teacher. Too often, we assume that because the student is doing well now, they no longer need the supports that helped them get there. Or, if the student has an IEP, that the next teacher will know everything they need to know.
In reality, that success is often built on dozens of adjustments that were made throughout the year. Some are obvious, but may have become so routine that staff no longer notice them. Some may have even gone completely under the radar as they were just a natural part of how a particular teacher interacts with a student. Either way, there were countless small decisions that made school more accessible for that particular learner.
How do we make sure the efforts are sustainable and the progress continues into the next school year, instead of the student starting over from scratch in an inaccessible classroom?
Protecting Student Success During Transitions
If we want students to continue growing, we have to treat transitions as part of the support plan, not as an afterthought. All too often, this gets overlooked in the hustle and bustle of the end of the school year, and we forget just how much was intentionally put into place to help a student succeed until we get that email in October from their new teacher asking, “We’re struggling. What worked last year?”
One of the best things teams can do is take time at the end of the year to reflect on what actually worked. Not just what the student achieved, but how they achieved it.
What barriers were removed? What structures increased regulation, engagement, or independence? What changes to the environment made school accessible?
Then write it down. Explicitly.
Document the things that may seem small now because they became routine over time:
Environmental supports that helped the student focus and regulate
Flexible seating, movement, or break options that were effective
Visuals, routines, and transition supports that increased predictability
Language, communication, and regulation strategies that helped the student succeed
The more specific the information, the easier it is for the next team to create consistency from day one, from there they can adjust to meet the student’s current needs that may have shifted over the summer.
The IEP May Need Updating
If the student has an IEP, this is also the time to ask whether the accommodations that made the year successful are actually documented.
A common mistake is assuming a student no longer needs an accommodation because they are now successful. But often the student is successful because those supports are in place.
A new teacher, classroom, or school changes the environment entirely. Students should not have to struggle first before supports are reintroduced.
Documentation Matters, But So Does Context
Whether or not a student has an IEP, consider creating a brief “Tips and Scripts” document or transition support guide. The IEP may include accommodations and services, but it often misses the countless small adjustments that made the environment work for that particular learner. The specifics of the visual schedule, intentional movement breaks, and the predictable routines. The language adults use (and sometimes more importantly, not use). The flexibility around seating, work completion, or transitions.
A Tips and Scripts can help future staff quickly understand:
What helps
What doesn’t
How to support regulation to prevent dysregulation
Effective communication strategies
What success looks like for that student
A Tips and Scripts document is not only helpful during transitions. It can also be a powerful tool throughout the school year. When all adults working with a student have access to the same information, it creates consistency across classrooms, specialists, substitutes, recess staff, transportation staff, and support personnel.
Consistency matters. When students don’t have to navigate completely different expectations, language, and responses depending on which adult is supporting them that day, the potential for success increases drastically. A shared document helps ensure everyone understands what works, what does not, and how to respond in ways that support the student successfully.
It may feel like one more thing to document at the end of a busy school year, but when you think about how much the team has learned, how far the student has grown, and how hard everyone worked to get there, it becomes about far more than paperwork. It’s about preserving student success, honoring how far the student has come, and valuing the work that went into getting them there.
And don’t wait until problems begin to share it.
Send transition information to next year’s administrator, case manager, specialists, and classroom staff as soon as they are known. If the student uses specific visuals, schedules, work systems, or supports, include those too so the next team doesn’t have to recreate them from scratch.
Consider a “Smart Start”
For students who thrive on predictability and structure, teams may also want to consider recommending a “Smart Start.”
A Smart Start is when a student is introduced to their classroom or school environment before other students are present. This allows them to learn routines, practice using supports, meet staff, and build familiarity in a quieter and more regulated environment.
Depending on the support needs of the student, this may look like one hour on a single day or shorter visits spread across 2–3 days. It also gives the new teacher an opportunity to determine whether any of the current systems or supports need adjustment before the student is expected to use them during a full school day.
For many students, this can dramatically reduce anxiety and improve the transition into a new school year.
Student Success Shouldn’t Reset Every August
When a student finally experiences success, we should not treat that success as accidental or temporary, or assume it will naturally continue.
If we’ve spent a year learning how to make school accessible for a student, that knowledge matters. Passing it on intentionally helps preserve momentum, reduce unnecessary struggle, and create smoother transitions for everyone involved.
Check out our free resources here, including a Tips and Scripts template along with guidance on how and why to use one.
