IEP Meeting- Have ??'s

[AmyH]

My son has had a 504 all year and after trying and trying they finally tested him. His IEP meeting is Friday.

He spent most of the year in a class where the teachers weren't in tune on how to teach him. We are throwing around several issues right now. He exibits all signs of an aspie, great amount of anxiety and some depression. Generally acts about 8 or 9 he is actually 12. In school he was failing everything. He was forced to move to a new class 4 weeks ago because of something the teacher did. In the new class they do Hands-on math and science with no work out of the book just worksheets and they use all kinds of stuff to solve the problems. He went from making 20's on math papers to making 100's he even won 1st place in the science fair.

Question is, In the IEP can I make them offer hands-on learning to him? And if so what do I ask for.

 

[klmno]

I'm not sure- but if he's had neuropsychological testing done and the experts say he needs it, then yes -I believe you can, but they might have to change his placement. If you don't have backing from experts saying that he needs this, then I think you will be lucky if he gets it. That's my opinion- not legal fact.

 

[Martie]

What is in an IEP is a TEAM decision and you are a full participating member of the team.

The BEST way to get what you want is ask for it via the SMART IEP format (see www.wrightslaw.com) If they will not do what you think is appropriate, then build in a VERY strong, OBJECTIVE evaluative component. The law supports the inclusion of this. Give it 4 weeks; if they cannot PROVE progress to MEASURABLE goals in that time, ask for another meeting and say, "This did not work according to the data you collected. There needs to be more effective instruction." If you do this consistently AND complain all the way to the State Board of Ed if they will not modify an INeffective IEP, eventually, you will get what you want.

This is the biggest mistake I made with my ex-difficult child. However, the law was a bit different when he was in middle school AND I was not savvy enough to get his problems into measurable goals. I accepted their "clinical judgment" of his improvement even while he obviously got worse. That was a big mistake.

It is easier to write measurable academic objectives, but not impossible for ANYTHING.

Martie

 

[AmyH]

He has been tested by the school psy and had another set of tests done by his psychiatrist. The ones from the psychiatrist show severe anxiety, attention distraction, and comprension dificulity. The school showes an IQ of 80 which blowes my mind because he is very intectually intelligent. He can pick up a guitar and play by ear and tune by ear. He only got the guitar in Jan. His reading is 1 year behind and math is 1 1/2 to 2 years behind. But because of the IQ test they will do the IEP based on OHI. Which is fine with me. All I know is that he was failing and they switched him to two new teachers that do only Hands-on learning in their classes and now he is making 100's and even won 1st place in the science fair.

I personally feel schools expect everyone to learn the same way and when they aren't programed to learn that way then there is something wrong with the child.

I looked at all the teachers and not one is listed as Special Education. And I was also told that at this middle school they put all kids in general ed and have an aid to help the kids with an IEP. We will be moving to another school before the year begins but I am not sure which school yet.

I just think that if he learns better doing things hands on then it is a no brainer, teach the kid using those techniques. in my opinion!!!

 

[klmno]

You might have posted this in another thread before, but my strong recommendation would be to get private, complete neuropsychological testing done by a psychiatric PhD.

 

[smallworld]

You should also be aware that for many kids with subtest "scatter" (discrepanicies among the four subtests that make up the full-scale IQ score), the full-scale score should not be used to determine "intelligence." It's just not an accurate measure. Furthermore, kids on the Autism Spectrum (if he is) sometimes test below their cognitive abilities in spite of intelligence in certain areas.