Returning to school after a concussion in Arizona: a parent coordination guide

Find the person coordinating school support

Contact the school office or nurse and explain that your child has received care for a concussion. Ask who will coordinate communication with your family. The CDC’s school-return guidance recommends a plan with a primary contact, attention to missed work and consistent information for teachers.

Get that person’s name and preferred contact method. Ask who covers the role when they are absent. A parent should not have to guess whether the attendance office, classroom teacher or counselor has the latest recommendations.

Tell the contact if your child already has a Section 504 plan or an individualized education program (IEP). Ask how the existing team should be involved. If your child changes classrooms, confirm how each teacher will receive the current plan, including teachers who see the student only once a week.

Use the school’s verified channel for documents. Ask what information is needed and who will receive it before attaching medical information to a group message.

Keep medical recommendations and school decisions clear

Ask the treating clinician what school-related guidance they can provide in writing. The CDC HEADS UP school letter is one tool a healthcare provider can use. Its clinical recommendations and signature belong to the provider. The letter does not itself establish a 504 plan or IEP.

School staff can use that information to discuss support for the school day. A formal evaluation addresses eligibility and educational needs through the school’s process. Keep the latest medical recommendations and the school’s written response together, with a date on each.

The CDC’s school-professional handout describes a coordinated team. These are roles to clarify with your school, not a promise that every school has the same staffing.

Send a specific school-contact request

You can adapt this example for a school message or use it during a call. It is an organizational aid, not an official form. Fill in only what you know. You can raise the evaluation question even if a medical letter is not yet available.

I am contacting you about [student name], in [grade/class], after a concussion. Please tell me who will coordinate school support with our family and the teachers.

We have noticed [specific difficulty with school tasks]. My child reports [their own description]. We have [provider recommendations dated ___ / asked the provider for school-related guidance]. Please tell me how to share relevant information through the school’s approved channel.

Could we discuss missed assignments, upcoming tests and the current school-day plan? [Student] already has [a 504 plan / an IEP / neither]. Please explain whom to contact about evaluation or review if needed. I would also like to agree on a follow-up date and receive a written summary of the next steps. You can reach me at [contact information].

Describe observations accurately. “The reading assignment took longer than usual” identifies something to discuss. Leave medical conclusions to the treating clinician, and keep the child’s description separate from your own observation.

Discuss the work waiting in each class

Ask the coordinator how to bring teachers’ assignments into one manageable discussion. The CDC recommends addressing missed schoolwork and making the plan available across the student’s classes. Questions for that meeting include:

• Which assignments should we discuss first, and who can clarify each teacher’s expectations?
• How will upcoming tests and due dates be handled under the agreed plan?
• Who should my child tell if a classroom task becomes difficult?
• How will the family learn about difficulties staff observe at school?
• When will we review the plan, and who can update it?

Ask the clinician and school team which supports fit your child’s needs. A list of possible adjustments is not a prescription for a shorter day, reduced work or any other particular change. Confirm the decisions in writing so a later message about an assignment does not leave the family guessing.

Ask about evaluation when support needs remain unclear

A concussion diagnosis alone does not establish eligibility for Section 504 services. The U.S. Department of Education’s Section 504 guidance describes an individual evaluation drawing on several sources of information. Ask the school about that process if you believe your child needs disability-related support.

A temporary injury can qualify depending on its severity, duration and effect on a major life activity, as explained in OCR’s parent and educator guide. This guide cannot determine your child’s eligibility.

You can share existing medical recommendations, but a public school cannot require parent-supplied medical documentation as a condition of conducting a Section 504 evaluation. That distinction appears in OCR’s disability-discrimination FAQ. An unanswered request to the clinician does not prevent you from asking the school about evaluation.

The Arizona Department of Education’s Section 504 resources provide further parent information. Ask the school how its process works, whom to contact and when to expect a response about your child’s circumstances.

Keep the next conversation tied to dated information

Save a copy of each recommendation and the school’s response. When new guidance arrives, ask which earlier instructions it changes. Ask the school contact to confirm that the relevant teachers received the update.

Use these fields for a brief private follow-up record:

Date and contact

[Date/time, staff member, office and contact method]

Question and current document

[Question raised, provider recommendation date and school plan version]

Response and agreed action

[What was decided, who will act and what remains unanswered]

Next check-in

[Agreed follow-up date, person responsible and how to report a change sooner]

This record helps you continue the school conversation. If a collision caused the injury and you also have questions about a claim, the Wood Injury Law brain-injury consultation concerns the incident and its documented effects. Medical guidance and school eligibility decisions remain with the appropriate professionals.

Common parent questions

Does a clinician’s school letter create a 504 plan?

No. The letter provides medical input. The school follows its evaluation and planning process to determine educational needs and eligibility. The CDC letter expressly distinguishes its recommendations from a 504 plan or IEP.

Can I ask about evaluation before a provider sends a letter?

Yes. Public schools cannot make parent-supplied medical documentation a prerequisite to conducting a Section 504 evaluation. Explain the difficulties you have observed and ask the school about its process. A request does not guarantee a particular eligibility decision.

Should I wait until a scheduled meeting to report a problem?

Tell the school contact when the agreed approach is not working. Ask how to share the concern with the relevant staff. Direct medical concerns to the treating clinician rather than waiting for a school-planning meeting.

Does returning to class mean my child can return to sports?

Do not treat a classroom plan as sports clearance. Ask the treating clinician for activity-specific instructions and confirm the school’s process for physical education and athletics.