Open Letter to Parents/Guardians

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to Bates, on behalf of the Office of Accessible Education and

Student Support! The transition to college can be a time of uncertainty about what
lies ahead, even though this is undoubtedly an exciting time for you and your
student. There is frequently an additional layer of anxiety for families and students
with disabilities regarding accommodations in college. This letter is written to
acknowledge that fact, provide information, and offer advice on how to help your
student throughout the process.

You may already be aware that the legal requirements for disability services at the
high school and college levels differ significantly. I'd like to recommend a U.S.
resource. I have found the publication Students with Disabilities Preparing for
Postsecondary Education by the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of
Education to be especially useful in highlighting some of these differences. The
necessity for the student to request services and act as their own advocate is one of
the major changes in college. Many students gain the self-awareness,
independence, and practice of advocating for their needs during this transition—
skills they will need throughout their time at Bates and beyond! We are aware that
both parents and children may find this change unsettling. There is a chance that,
up to

The information we can share with parents has been constrained by educational
privacy laws since your student entered college. Beyond this, your student will
deal with accommodations and any associated problems directly with us. In order
to put any approved accommodations into practice, they will also need to speak
directly with their professors. We encourage students to share information with
their families, if they choose, as we are aware that parents and guardians can be a
great source of support. The general rule is that students should be included in this
conversation if you do feel the need to speak with our office so that we can all
collaborate and stay on the same page.
Your student may or may not have never used self-advocacy before. Some students
might have no trouble explaining how their disability affects them and what they'll
need in college, while others might struggle. In order to help students prepare for
their initial meeting with me, we have provided some Tips for Self-Advocacy
when Requesting Services. We do not decide whether to grant an accommodation
request based only on medical documentation, and the information provided by the
student is an equally important part of the process. When we first meet, which is a
requirement of the formal request process, I can address any inquiries your child
may have regarding accessible education, the distinctions between high school and
college, etc.

When students are getting ready to transition to disability services at the college
level, parents and guardians can be a huge help. We advise you to discuss this
procedure and what details your student wants to share with us with them. Our
resources page might be useful to you in this situation. We value parents as
partners and are grateful that you have read and will take into account the
information in this letter. We are eager to get to know your student and extend a
warm welcome to them into the Bates community.

Sincerely,

Carson Dockum

Director of Accessible Education