While I have not seen any scientific or statistical studies, in my personal experience the period from mid-April to the end of the year can be among the most problematic periods for serious behaviors in school. I do not think that it is an accident or happenstance that some of the worst violence in schools has occurred during this period of time. Bad things can happen in school at any time but during this period the odds seem higher.
Among the factors that in my view contribute to the higher prevalence of serious behaviors are the following:
- behaviors and dysregulation have been unaddressed or poorly addressed all year and the cumulative effect of these omissions takes its toll over time;
- teachers who have been under stress all year reach a breaking point with "that kid" contributing to the probability of serious behaviors;
- often parents are able to provide significant interventions (e.g. ABA, sensory integration) during long vacation periods which can have a lasting effect for a number of months following. These effects seem to wind down as the year draws to a close. I had one child who began to take a decided turn for the worse in March and culminating in May. My reading of the data sheets over a period of years showed a discernible trend. The school staff had never taken a historical view of the records so they could not pick out this trend; each year was a unique and separate period without reference to other periods.
- work demands increase during this period, as unfinished parts of the curriculum create pressure throughout the school, which can translate into stressed students, staff and finally serious behaviors;
- the end of the school year represents transitions between grades and between schools. For many students transitions within the day are difficult and contemplating more momentous changes can trigger anxiety and behaviors;
- the most obvious factor is the weather. Warm weather can raise student’s boiling points. Also there tend to be more field trips and outdoor activities; for students with elopement behaviors this period of time can be especially problematic.
Some proactive solutions are as follows:
- examine past data to see if there are any trends indicating problems during this period of time;
- children with a history of elopement need to be watched more closely during this period;
- use the nicer weather as an opportunity to build in more sensory activities like playground swings;
- consider spreading work out into the summer school period if "finishing" now means creating intolerable stress for all concerned;
- parents should ask for the behavioral plan data to see the degree to which interventions have been taking place and have been working. If the child does not have an FBA/BIP this might be prime time to ask for the school to undertake this data gathering and planning;
- develop social stories, picture schedules or other means to ease transitions between grades and especially between schools. School staff need to be mindful that this period may be stressful for some students as the school year winds down.
- as a last resort, on especially hot days or when there have a string of problematic days, consider taking a "floating holiday" if possible. While I am not suggesting skipping a day of school is the best or even legal answer, it may be the most practical. Better to skip a day and stay home in the air-conditioning or at the park, rather than risk a major blow up with long lasting ramifications that could take years to unravel. A well chosen day off may the ticket to getting to the end of the year without a serious episode.
- if the teacher or other staff have been working especially hard and have stayed the course through tough behavioral episodes all year, acknowledge this hard work with a note or other expression of support. Such support may be just what is needed to give staff the boost they need to get to the end of the year. Idle praise, however, is worthless and can come back to bite you if things go poorly.
Parents need to be proactive and especially aware this time of year. As always document your concerns and suggestions, so if all else fails the school can not later claim that they had no idea of the risk to your child. Using certified mail to authenticate your documentation may be necessary. Some of the most hard fought due process cases either directly or indirectly pertain to behaviors. Avoiding and heading off serious behaviors is obviously best, but if the school violates the behavioral provisions of IDEA it should be held responsible.