Rachel: We live in CA, my son’s enrolled in a charter school–not brick&mortar–I teach him at home; he receives special ed services, and instructional funds–from which we purchase all school/instructional needs. PE for typical children must come from his/her instructional funds. Currently, APE is a part of the IEP, but school is now claiming OT can cover these goals, therefore providing APE is not necessary, and I must use his instructional funds instead. Can I stop this? Thanks!
Rachel –
I can’t speak to the funding issue. Regarding the APE itself, what is the school basing their decision on? Has your son met his goals that relate to the service? What need is the APE serving (coordination, gross motor development, plain ol’ physical fitness, etc.)? Have they evaluated that area recently?
I suggest that you ask the school to evaluate his need for the APE before they propose to eliminate it or replace it with another service.
Whether you can stop them from making the change depends on how strong parent consent is in your state, and your willingness to pursue dispute resolution options. I encourage you to contact your local parent center regarding this. Whatever your next move, evaluation is a good place to start.