Overwhelmed Already? How Special Education Teachers Can Start the Year Strong

🌟 Welcome to a New School Year

The first few weeks of school can come crashing in like a tidal wave, with tasks that feel like they needed to be done yesterday, especially for Special Education teachers. I ran into a teacher friend this week who told me he’s going in a few days early because he doesn’t feel ready yet. If you’re a teacher, I’m sure you can relate. It’s not quite time to be back, but as the first day approaches, you feel the urge to head in early and set up your classroom.

You’re not just putting up visuals, arranging chairs and desks for the most supportive environment, and planning activities to connect with students during those crucial first days. You’re also reading IEPs, building schedules, double-checking that students are receiving their SDI, prepping data sheets, communicating with general education teachers, and so much more.

It can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to.

As James Clear explains in Atomic Habits, starting with one small, manageable habit when you feel overwhelmed can make a big difference. In this case, I’d swap “habit” for “task.” Clear emphasizes that focusing on a single, simple action, even if it feels insignificant, can prevent you from being defeated by the enormity of the work. This builds momentum, helping you move through tasks and reduce stress.

If you know me, you also know I love making “to-do” lists just so I can cross things off. Sometimes I even make multiple lists, so I get the satisfaction of crossing off the same task more than once! It makes me feel productive and less overwhelmed.

With that in mind, I’ve created a guide to help you start the year with intention, reduce chaos, and reclaim a sense of control. Because as we know, the only person you can truly control is yourself.

Welcome to the Paperwork Reset Guide: 4 Days to Start the Year Strong. Over these four days, we’ll focus on efficiently working through required documents, setting up classroom systems, and kicking off the year ahead of the game.

Ready to get started? Read on.

Day 1: It’s All About the IEPs

When I think back on my early teaching years, I remember how critical those first few days were for settling into a routine and feeling ready for students to arrive. In my first years, I’d spend two or three full days just completing “paperwork” before my required time to be on campus. But by year five or six, I could finish the same work in just a few hours. Working smarter, becoming more efficient, and simply gaining practice made all the difference.

Let’s dive in. Maybe some of your caseload carries over from last year, and you even wrote their IEPs. It’s still a good idea to skim through all of the IEPs on your caseload as part of your prep. Here’s a checklist to guide you:

Checklist: Skimming IEPs Efficiently

1. Download and print all active IEPs

   • Use your district’s IEP management system to pull every current IEP for your caseload.
   • Print a hard copy for quick reference; bookmark digital copies for later.

2. Skim for critical sections

   • Highlight or sticky-note:

     • Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)
     • Annual goals and objectives
     • Services and supports (who provides them, how often, and where)
     • Accommodations, modifications, and behavior plans
     • Secondary transition goals (for students age 13–16, depending on your state)

3. Make quick reflections

   • On a separate sheet, jot down immediate questions or concerns (e.g., “Do speech services overlap with math?” or “Is transportation needed?”).
   • Identify students whose plans will require coordination with multiple general education teachers or specialists.

⚡ Stay focused. Today is about orientation, not re-writing. If you’re missing an IEP, follow up with your administrator or district office immediately.

😀 Give yourself permission to feel frustrated. Maybe some IEPs aren’t written well or have missing information. That’s normal. But don’t dwell on it, it won’t help you move forward. Instead, remember the 90-second rule: the physiological response to an emotion lasts about 90 seconds. After that, you can choose to let it go and keep moving.

Thank you for taking the time to read Day 1 of the Paperwork Reset Guide: 4 Days to Start the Year Strong. Today is all about grounding yourself in your students’ needs. Stay tuned for Day 2, tomorrow, which will tackle scheduling, one of the most important systems to get right early!