Our school system has many policies and procedures in place to help educators support students with varied needs and challenges. But as a new teacher, you are bound to encounter situations with students that are difficult to navigate. Hopefully, you have a trusted colleague or administrator to whom you can turn for support. If you ­find yourself in one of the following situations, here is some guidance for making a plan of action.

If you have reason to suspect that a student is being neglected, maltreated or abused, remember that you are a mandated reporter and are legally required to call the New York State Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment at 1-800-635-1522. Once a report is accepted, the local department of social services will conduct an investigation. Your call is confidential, but it cannot be made anonymously. You must provide the State Central Register with the name and contact information for any other staff members who have direct knowledge of the allegations and provide them with any requested records. Child protective services officials are prohibited from disclosing the reporter’s name to the parent. The State Central Register will provide you with a call ID number, which you must share with your principal no later than the end of the school day.

If a student’s behavior is significantly disruptive or a student poses a danger to himself or others, you have the right to have the student removed from the classroom. Your school should have a procedure in place for student removal and a special location (known as a SAVE room) where students can be sent if they are removed from the classroom. Your school should also have a crisis intervention team whose members are trained to help students in crisis. Ask your chapter leader to walk you through your school’s plan.

If you believe one of your students is in need of special education services, you can submit a Request for Initial Referral to your principal. You must explain your reasons for your request, any interventions or strategies that have been tried, and your communications with the student’s parents or guardian. If your principal agrees with your request, the parent will be notified, and the consent process will begin. If your principal does not agree, the parent must be sent a copy of your request, informed of their right to request an evaluation and offered an opportunity to discuss the concerns raised in your request.  If a meeting is held, you should be invited. If general education support and interventions are offered at the meeting, and the parent agrees, the services and their duration must be documented in a written agreement.

If you believe one of your students is not receiving the services they are entitled to for special education or English language learners, the UFT can work with you to help resolve the issue. File a confidential special education complaint or an English language learner complaint. You can also find resources and support in the Teaching section of the UFT website.