Summary for Educators: A One-Page Chart to Support Every Student Every Day

In “A One-Page Chart to Support Every Student Every Day,” Cathleen Beachboard and Carolyn Shaw describe a deceptively simple but powerful tool: a teacher-created accommodations chart (a one-page spreadsheet) that tracks supports, strengths, and strategies for every student. This chart helps teachers, co-teachers, substitutes, and support staff deliver responsive instruction consistently—without having to dig through piles of paperwork or inwardly guess what each student needs. 

Why a Single Chart Matters

The authors open with a real scenario: when both co-teachers were absent, two substitutes covered their classes. Because the accommodations chart was left clearly visible and annotated, substitutes quickly understood which students needed verbal + written cues, which preferred front seating, who benefited from peer buddies, or who thrived when given a role. Students noticed: “They knew what worked for us.” That moment affirmed that the chart does more than logistics—it supports relationships, trust, and continuity. 

The chart bridges the gap between knowing in theory that relationships and accommodations matter and enacting them reliably in daily instruction, especially when managing 80+ students or when teachers are absent. 

Structure & Categories of the Chart

Beachboard and Shaw break down how they organize the chart. For each class roster, each student is listed by name, with columns for supports and strengths organized into six categories:

1. Environment & Behavior Supports – preferential seating, movement breaks, calm corners

2. Instruction & Participation Supports – scaffolds, visual cues, letting students verbalize thinking first

3. Assessment & Testing Accommodations – extended time, read-alouds, small group settings

4. Transitions & Routines – reminders for schedule shifts, time to pack up, check-ins

5. Tools & Communication – assistive technology, signal systems, written directions

6. Strengths & Motivators – student interests, what energizes or engages them

They highlight using color coding to make supports quickly visible, and emphasize that strengths/motivators should not be an afterthought—they anchor all of the supports with what the student brings to the table. 

Why It Works

The chart works because it:

• Eliminates guesswork. No more flipping through IEPs or scattered notes in the moment.

• Builds consistency. Supports don’t slip through the cracks because they’re at your fingertips.

• Guides grouping. With filters or sorts, you can quickly cluster students with overlapping needs or provide scaffolding in small groups.

• Normalizes support. Every student appears on the chart—not just those with official documents—helping reduce stigma.

Over time, behavior issues diminish as students' individual needs are more predictably met.

Strategy: Using the Chart with Students

The chart isn’t just for teachers behind the scenes—they invite students to reflect on their supports and to share feedback. At quarter’s end, teachers might say:

“I’ve seen that having printed directions helps you mark off steps and stay anchored. Let’s keep that.” “When you had a choice, you were more motivated. Let’s build choice options into upcoming tasks.”
“You worked best when given a defined role in group work; here’s how you can request or structure that role yourself.”

This practice helps students internalize awareness of how they learn and builds self-advocacy—and often leads to transfer of these strategies to other classes. 

Practical Considerations & Impact

While it might feel like extra work to build the chart initially, Beachboard and Shaw emphasize the time and stress saved later—especially when planning, substituting, or managing test days. The chart also provides confidence that accommodations (including legally mandated ones) will be honored even in one’s absence. 

Furthermore, when we “notice how students learn best and make that visible,” we do more than support academics—we build trust, resilience, and identity. Students better understand themselves; they see that teachers see them.

In short: this one-page chart is a low-barrier, high-impact tool. It doesn’t require new systems or heavy software—it simply makes what teachers already know about their students transparent and actionable, day by day.

Original Article

Source: Cathleen Beachboard & Carolyn Shaw, “A One-Page Chart to Support Every Student Every Day,” Edutopia, Oct 3, 2025. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-track-student-accommodations-s... Edutopia

------------------------------

Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com