Ready... Or Not? Supporting Students with School Refusal Toolkit

Turn School Refusal into Student Success When a student refuses to participate in school activities, the behavior is often misunderstood as defiance or lack of motivation. In reality, school refusal frequently reflects overwhelm, anxiety, communication challenges, or difficulty regulating emotions. The Ready… Or Not? Supporting Students with School Refusal Toolkit provides educators with practical strategies and ready-to-use tools to respond with understanding, structure, and effective supports. This digital toolkit helps teachers, interventionists, counselors, and support staff shift their perspective from punishment to problem-solving while equipping students with safe and functional ways to communicate when they are not yet ready to engage. Grounded in evidence-based practices such as Functional Communication Training (FCT), visual supports, and proactive behavioral strategies, the toolkit walks educators through practical approaches to reduce escalation and increase student success. Instead of relying on reactive discipline, this toolkit empowers schools to teach lagging skills so that students can safely and appropriately identify and communicate ways to say “not yet,” “I need a break,” or “I need more time,” supporting both student regulation and a more predictable classroom environment. What’s Included in the Toolkit The download includes practical resources and ready-to-use templates, including: Evidence-Based Strategies Mindset shifts for responding to refusal with support rather than punishment Functional Communication Training (FCT) guidance Social narratives to teach refusal and self-advocacy skills Visual schedule strategies to reduce anxiety and increase predictability “Later Folder” systems that allow students to safely postpone tasks Ready-to-Use Tools and Templates Social narrative scripts (text and visual versions) Ready / Getting Ready / Not Ready visual supports Break and regulation visual tools Later Folder strategy templates and signage Sample adapted visual schedule with reinforcement system Implementation checklist to support consistent use across staff Format: Digital Download PDF (19 pages) and links to editable Google templates. Single Use License: By purchasing this digital toolkit, you are granted a single-user license for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, resale, or sharing of this material with others, whether in printed or digital format, is strictly prohibited.