Starting school may be an adopted person's first encounter with people outside their family and friends. Questions from peers or teachers may be uncomfortable for children, and some classroom assignments may be challenging. For example, a child who joined the family when he or she was older may not have baby pictures, and the common family tree assignment may be difficult for an adopted person. Find resources in this section to help adoptive families and teachers better understand school-related adoption issues.
Adoption and School
Adoptive Families Magazine (2003)
Provides a compilation of articles about adoption and school issues.
Back to School: A Guide to Making Schools and School Assignments More Adoption-Friendly (PDF - 663 KB)
National Council for Adoption (2010)
Presents ways to help foster and adoptive parents advocate for their children and to help educators be more aware of and sensitive to the needs of foster and adopted children.
Children Left Behind: International Adoption in Our Schools
Gindis
Adoption Today, 11(4), 2009
View Abstract
Discusses the academic challenges of children raised in out of country orphanages who have been adopted by American families. The article reviews causes of learning problems in adopted children as well as barriers due to misconceptions among school personnel regarding international adopted people.
The Great Back-to-School Kit: 17 Simple and Effective Ways to Bring Adoption Into the Classroom
Adoptive Families (2008)
Describes 17 ways to bring the topic of adoption into the classroom.
| Series Title | Factsheets for Families |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 446KB) |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Series Title | Factsheets for Families |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway. |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 325KB) |
| Year Published | 2009 |
School and Education
Families Adopting Children in Response (FAIR)
Provides short, relevant writings on iissues and concerns about how adoption is handled at school and the troubles that adopted children may have, from the archives of Families Adopting Children in Response (FAIR).
Telling the Teachers: Adoption and School
Ashe
Presents considerations for parents who are weighing whether to tell their child's teacher that the child is adopted.
What About Educational and School Issues? What Are IEPs, and Does My Child Need One?
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Defines Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs), explains the process for developing one, and provides tips for parents about how to be an effective advocate for their child.