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Thanks! Pam & Pete
28 responses so far ↓
UNACCEPTABLE NON-PUBLIC PLACEMENT
My child (PDD-NOS, ADHD) attends a public school and is being considered for a non-public placement. The process must be taking too long for the school, because it is trying to force me to accept a non-public placement that I do not find acceptable under the threat of due process (my child has behavioral issues, and the school is doing a horrid job of meeting her needs. Any ideas on what I can do stop this, legally or otherwise, so I can make sure she is placed in the right setting? Thanks.
TEACHER CERTIFICATION - ACCESS TO GEN ED
One of the teachers assigned to be my sons special education teacher does not hold a special education license or a provisional license as a special education teacher. The teacher is only endorsed in an elementary education prek-6. Is the school in violation of IDEIA?
Additionally at a parent-teacher conference she told me that the 2nd grade curriculum is too hard and they will only be focusing on his IEP goals. Aren’t the teachers denying him access to the general curriculum?
I think the teachers are not modifying their presentation of the material or providing additional means for him to access or demonstrate knowledge. I have already sent an email to the Assistant Principal and am at a loss on how to proceed.
RIGHT TO AN AIDE
My son is physically paralyzed from the waist down and is mobile by using a wheelchair. as usual after his IEP.the next morning they met his aide at the door and told her she was no longer his helper he was on his own, that it was not in the IEP. It was and we never discussed changing this issue. They constantly play games and do this stuff. They toture my child emotional. They tell him this stuff when he goes to school and then he has to come home and tell me.Instead of being up front at the IEP to what their plans were to me they waited and did it to my son at school. Why cant we be adults and work give my son a good life that he deserves why must they continue to behave in this manor. I am tired of the games. What are his rights about having an aide. He will not be able to access the other children without an aide. They help him in gym
DENIED ACCESS TO SCHOOL
I went to visit my son’s new school and was denied access to the building. He has recently been moved to a new school because of his special needs. My ex-husband and I are going to court over custody. My attorney has been in contact with the school and they have documentation stating that I have access to records but still continue to not comply with the court order. I have also found out that the teacher he has is not a special education teacher nor certified in esl for which he qualifies. My ex-husband availed himself of the opportunity to visit with the school administration before I had the opportunity. What can I do?
PTSDADHD=JUVENILEDELINQUENT?
Our son was recently suspended from school for choking another student. He is being eval’d for an IEP. School’s ONLY offer on the table is EXPULSION if the IEP fails. In an incident in July, he shot someone w/ a paintball gun - they pressed chgs. The JCO went for Aggr Misd (asslt w/ bod inj). Has been on house arrest for a month. Sweet boy, abandonment issues, we adopted at age 9.5. What is the IDEA and cld it apply 2 him? Schl closed lunch acct & access to grades via internet - he’s not expelled! Suspension was only 10 days! Currently attending schl in diff town @ alt schl.
CHANGE OF PLACEMENT LOOMS
My child attends the districts only magnet school. All others are neighborhood schools. She has been diagnosed with LD and has an IEP. To possibly save money I have learned that they are thinking of sending the IEP students at the magnet school back to their home schools. The resource teacher’s position may be cut at the magnet school -the decision to be made in April.
It appears my child’s disability will keep her from receiving a quality education and she will receive inferior placement.
So this comes down to a staffing issue and not “what is the best placement for my child.” Anything I can do?
STUDENT INTERROGATION
The district psychologist talked to my son today. I did sign a form that he could talk along time ago. The psychologist interrogated my son about many different items including whether or not he has been hurt or not. They asked the question 5 different times and proceeded to let my son know that if he were ever hurt by his parents that we would go to jail and that him and his brother would go to foster parents and that his grandparents or aunt and uncle would not be able to take him. Is this kind of interrogation legal? I thought they would talk to him about his behaviors and issues at school. My son tried to talk about his issues at school with another kid and the psychologist told him not to talk to the other kid anymore and that she didn’t want to discuss it. Do I have a right to know what was discussed and why?
ATTENTION SC PARENTS
The amendments for our state special education regulations are up for public comment. http://www.ed.sc.gov/agency/Standards-and-Learning/Exceptional-Children/documents/43-243togotoSBEwamendments.doc
Comments are due to the director of the Office of Exceptional Children by Nov 30th.
Attend a hearing - submit a comment: http://ed.sc.gov/news/more.cfm?articleID=1360
Please make your voice heard. We cannot complain about what is happening is SC if we do not, at the very least make our voices heard!
Real, systemic change will come by the way of PARENTS advocating for their children. Get involved and advocate for your student in any way that you can. Commenting on these amendments is just one step in that direction. We CAN create better outcomes for students with disabilities….together!
LET THE ADVOCACY BEGIN!
IEP OK, DISAGREE WITH DISABILITY LABEL
Still uneasy about part of the document from our ARD to admit our 5th grade son into special ed, even though I signed the report. The IEP is fine. I disagree with their reason that he needs it.
After testing, staff listed “severe” autism and speech impairment as primary disabilities, followed by ADHD, because of “pragmatic language” and “social” problems. I believe his social weaknesses — not severe — are directly related to his ADHD, not autism.
The IEP provides good support for the ADHD. It also includes socialization sessions that can’t hurt.
It seemed like the specialized staff decided ahead of time that he would be autistic . We don’t think he is. Should we do anything?
IMPLEMENT IEP WHILE RESERVING RIGHT TO MEDIATION?
Is there a letter, form, or official document that one can sign or draw up to have a disputed IEP implemented while still hashing out the disputed parts? If yes, can someone direct me to an outline of the letter. We would like to have the IEP implemented, but we are not going to sign it “as is”. It has some very good and necessary accomodations and modifications that we want the school to put into use, while we work out the disputed parts of the IEP. I need specific instructions on how to do this. Thanks!
PARENT OBSERVATION
Several concerns have been brought to my attention of my child exhibiting disturbing behaviors. I have requested to come in to make an observation, but have been denied access to make a direct observation of my child in a self contained classroom for appropriate placement. What rights as a parent do I have to make this happen??
Desperately seeking help for my 11yr old daughter, diagnosed with an PDD and Seizure disorder.
READING EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT
My daughter is nine years old, autism, non-verbal. She can match words to pictures and our last school used a reading program designed to teach sight reading (Edmark). Our Reading goals in her IEP address her learning to read simple sentences by the end of this year.
Current school does not have sight reading program. Our daughter is working on a group program designed for remediation at a 1st grade level. The material is presented in paragraphs and there is no way to test her. It is inappropriate.
I want to discuss this with the school as her skills in this area are fading.
Can I ask for a Reading Evaluation or Assessment? Who does this type of evaluation? Because she is non-verbal, this is a difficult area to find help.
CROSS-CATEGORICAL SELF-CONTAINED.
I would like to know the definition of a cross-categorical self-contained classroom in a middle school setting. Does it include students who are significantly below grade level in reading, math, and/or writing (academic needs) and students who have emotional problem who are academically on level OR is it one or the other?
I am a special education teacher that is serving 13 students that have both academic and emotional needs in a self-contained class. I do have an assistant, but she is assigned mainly to an autistic student. She goes with him to his general ed. Science and Soc. St. classes. This leaves me alone with 12 students (ED, LD, OHI, EMD, PDD, HI) who have reading levels that range from Kindergarten to 9th grade. Trying to serve these students according to their IEP’s is impossible!
FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND BEHAVIOR PLAN. I have a student who had a functional assessment and behavior plan that was for hitting and stabbing. One month later, both were changed to gaining attention in appropriate ways in all academic settings. There is no documentation of the first BIP being resulted/reviewed and being replaced with the second one. I know that the BIP is to be reviewed as needed throughout the year, but I have never heard of it being totally changed as stated above without any documentation and in one month! We had a manifestation meeting on this student for bringing 2 weapons to school. Myself or administration had no knowledge of the earlier BIP until after the meeting. The student transferred into our school 7 weeks after being in a separate school setting. It appears it was changed/covered up prior to coming to us.
NEED CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY NEAR NASHVILLE TENNESSEE.
son denied to play sports because we changed schools due to bullying and harassment. District approved the change.
DO IEP ACCOMMODATIONS APPLY TO DISCIPLINE?
My daughter has dysgraphia and ADHD. Recently she received a detention for goofing off and failing to do any work in class. During the detention, her consequence was to copy (by hand) a sentence or paragraph over and over that the teacher had prepared. She has accommodations for typing instead of handwriting lengthy assignments. I objected to this consequence because of her dysgraphia and asked for an alternate assignment in the future. The principal told me that her accommodations do not apply to discipline since she doesn’t have a behavior implementation plan. This doesn’t sound right. Help!
Re:CROSS-CATEGORICAL SELF-CONTAINED.
Lynette-
I don’t know what the regulations are in your state, but in NY, there cannot be more than a three year range of academic levels in the same class.
Sharon
ATTENDANCE AT IEP MEETINGS
Are their any laws reguarding warning for a teacher before a meeting? I was warned two hours before a meeting that I had to go to during a school day. If a parent calls an emergency IEP meeting and can not attend it due to transportation issues does it have to take place the same day of the call?
ACCOMMODATIONS ON TESTS
Can the superintendent dictate to the CSE that a particular testing accommodation (modified tests) not be provided on any IEP?
READING INSTRUCTION
I am a second grade teacher. My learning support students are taught the Wilson Reading method. I have been trained in the Orton Gillingham method. Are they similiar? Will I confuse my LD students by asking them to learn how to spell 6 spelling words and reading a small book with me that is written with specific strategies, CVC,, CVCe, or simple vowel patterns that they learned last year? They really seem to enjoy them and they are proud of their accomplishments at the end of each week? I don’t want to interfer with the instruction they are receiving in the LS classroom.
Re:ACCOMMODATIONS ON TESTS
Lori-
This sounds like a loaded issue. I would check the Accommodations manual: http://www.ccsso.org/ and see what it says regarding the accommodation that you are requesting.
If it is listed in the manual, then the superintendent should permit it. I once had a CSE tell me that they wouldn’t allow frequent breaks to be placed on the IEP as a testing accommodation. I showed it to them in the manual, they asked me for a copy of the manual, and I got the accommodation.
Sharon
Re:READING INSTRUCTION
Cinda-
It is so refreshing to see that a teacher is concerned about confusing her students. I suggest that you speak with the support teacher they are seeing and ask her for advice. You can make these decisions jointly.
Good luck.
Sharon
ASPERGERS IEP
my 18 year old son was after 8 years with an iep finally diagnosed with aspergers. We are going to a transition meeting. Now what?
Susan
GENERAL EDUCATOR AS PRIMARY SERVICE PROVIDER
I am currently teaching K-2 pull out/co-teaching. I have a new 2nd gr student with severe multiple disabilities (autism/Down’s primarily). We are having difficulty meeting his pull out hours and are requesting a new paraeducator at our school. Instead, the county wants us to rewrite the IEP with the general educator as the PRIMARY service provider and the inclusion helper as the secondary. (only required to have hs diploma/used to work one-on-one or w/ small groups). This would mean that the special educator would not be working with the child. Is this even legal??? I have tried researching but have not found anything to explain legalities of services. I am a strong spec ed law advocate but this is beyond my knowledge… THANKS!
A student’s IEP states that they are to have a one on one aide. However this PA school district is not following the IEP. Currently there are 3 students who have IEPs that state student needs a one on one aide. Is this illegal? Who in PA needs to know this?
CHILD HAS READING PROBLEMS - BUT IT CAN’T BE AN IEP GOAL??
Because of specific reading problems, my child is taking a reading course at school with a certified reading specialist, although it is not the special education teacher, nor is the class, strictly speaking, considered special ed. At our IEP meeting, I requested that we create a reading goal on the IEP, but was told by the sp ed teacher that she could not do it because she was not the one providing the service. This somehow does not seem right to me. Can anyone comment?
IEP - GENERAL ED TEACHER’S SIGNATURE and NOREP
During a recent IEP meeting there was no regular education teacher in attendance. After the meeting the students’ special education teacher was told that she must pick up the IEP from the central office and have a regular education teacher sign the IEP. She is refusing to do this on the grounds that no regular education teacher was present during the IEP meeting and she feels it is wrong to ask someone to falsify information on a legal document.. Is she correct or should she follow the supervisors directive? Also, who is responsible for writing a students NOREP? The teacher who the student is assigned or the LEA?
Re: GENERAL EDUCATOR AS PRIMARY SERVICE PROVIDER
Laura-
I’m happy to see that a teacher isn’t afraid to get in the mix and stand up for the right’s of her students.
Let’s see….if a child is mandated for special education that would imply that there must be a special education teaching providing the services. Autism and Down’s Syndrome are two disabilities specifically mentioned in IDEIA. If the school is attempting to re-write the IEP in order to get around giving the services the child is mandated for, then the parent needs to get involved and start advocating. As the teacher, you need to demonstrate that the child requires special education methods in order to provide him with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
Good luck.
Sharon