IEP Meeting

[Shari]

I'll ask ya'lls opinion.

They have a well defined plan. He'd start the day at 8am in the mainstream room for group time, followed by math, his strong subject, with para support. At 9, he would go to SpEd room, with the SpEd teacher he is with now. At 10, he would go to specials, again, with para support. At 10:45, he would go to SpEd Group with one of the other SpEd teachers in the building (group of 3-4 kids). At 11:30, he'd go to lunch, followed by recess, and dismiss at noon.

Everyone agrees he's about at a kindergarten level developmentally. He is able to read 40 site words now (compared to 5 a year ago), he's about on level with math. He is doing very little reversal in his writing, etc.

The goals they have for him for next year are:
1. Read 80 site words by May 2011
2. Maintain reading comprehension levels as reading levels increase
3. Increase written expression skills by independantly kid writing 2 sentences with 90% acccuracy on capitalization, punctuation, and spelling of known site words.
4. Meet the following math objectives by 2011:
4a. add a mixture of coins to $1
4b. identify and write fractions
4c. Time to the minute
4d. add double digit sums involving regrouping
4e. multiply 0-5 and 10
5. Recognize times of escalating behavior and reduce number of behavior related incidences which require removal from the classroom to less than 2 times per week as measure by SWIS data by May 2011 with trimester reports

Occupational Therapist (OT) goals
6. Improve written communication by writing a 10 word passage with correct formation, line adherence, spacing, etc.
7. Participate in sensory motor activities with no behavioral over-reaction and then participate in classroom activity appropriately for 10 minutes by may 2011
8. Use keyboard to type 10 word passage with no more than 2 errors in 4 minutes

As of late February this year, he was moved to entirely self contained classroom with SpEd. As of appx April 21, his magic switch "flipped" and we've no issues at school to speak of since then. At least that is what they are reporting.

So, what ya'll think?

 

[SRL]

The math objectives are incomplete as there's no target levels for the goals.

It sounds like way too many transitions to me if he's entirely self-contained right now. If his switch flipped on and you've had no issues at school in self-contained I'm wondering why they're wanting to make so many changes all at once. It seems like it might be better for him to start the year in self-contained with maybe one addition, then add on one at a time.

 

[confuzzled]

well, why is he being dismissed at noon?

he may be on a kindy level, but he's not IN kindy, is he?

i think the rest sounds ok, (i might think the fraction goal seems like a teeny bit tougher of a goal based on the other goals)....and i think there is still a lot of transition. i think i'd really speak to the Occupational Therapist (OT) about working some kind of schedule with him, something he can keep with him, so that he knows where he's going when.

does wee have problems with staying on the lines for writing? they make a raised line paper that might help, but the easiest thing i've found for that is to use wiki sticks (craft store)---it gives a tactile cue as to where the lines should be.

but it sounds like a calm iep meeting, so i'm so happy for you

 

[smallworld]

I agree that there are too many transitions and that he shouldn't be dismissing at noon. That's not FAPE.

 

[SRL]

Shari, just so you know how out of the ordinary the noon dismissal is, our district counts every minute a struggling student like this isn't attending 5 hours of academic instruction as unexcused absence, unless arrangements are made for homebound.

I could see starting with a noon dismissal to help him transition into the school year, but with a flexible plan to gradually increase to full days written into the IEP.

 

[slsh]

Shari - I also feel very strongly that the noon dismissal is incredibly inappropriate. He is entering 2nd grade, and I cannot begin to tell you how quickly the time flies and how extraordinarily difficult it is to make up for lost time, not only academically but socially. Forget about free and appropriate - they are flat out denying him education, period.

I also agree there are way too many transitions in there for a kid who doesn't transition well. That Occupational Therapist (OT) goal of participating in class appropriately for 10 minutes is another 2 hidden transitions, if I'm reading that right.

I also very strongly take except to this goal:

5. Recognize times of escalating behavior and reduce number of behavior related incidences which require removal from the classroom to less than 2 times per week as measure by SWIS data by May 2011 with trimester reports

On the one hand, they're stating he's at K level developmentally. on the other hand, they're expecting him to meet a goal that some of our kids *never* meet in school. How will he recognize times of escalating behavior? What are the markers (subparts) of that goal? What tools/supports are they going to provide him to help him meet it? Quite frankly, I think it's an absurd goal at this stage, especially for a 7- or 8-year-old, in my humble opinion. In the interest of fair disclosure, thank you had a goal like that from 3rd grade on. For a kid who was perpetually in a state of fight or flee, it wasn't one he ever came close to meeting, even when they greatly lowered the measurements (1 time a week all the way to twice a month).

Did they address what arrangements will be made when sped teacher is out for the day?

What did they say about taking the statewide tests? Will accommodations be made, given his long and continuing history of absences from the classroom at district request? They cannot possibly expect him to tolerate taking the same test that his peers, who are and have been in school for full days, take.

I know you have been thru heck, several times over, in the last year plus. I know it's hard to accurately predict where our kids will be in 1, 5, or 10 years, but .... My concern here is that this is an IEP for a kiddo with a severe disability, an IEP that does not give me the sense that a transition back to full reg ed is on the SD's mind. Again, in the opinion of this extremely battle-weary, almost-retired warrior mom, the time he has missed thus far, to say nothing of the prospect of another full year of partial days, is time that cannot be made up. It will become yet another handicap for him.

Was the advocate there? If so, what was her take? And more importantly, what is your take on this?

 

[DaisyFace]

Shari--

If I recall, one of the problems Wee has been having was caused by not having the same para all day long...

And this sounds like the school wants to go back to the same arrangement of continually switching para and teachers.

Is it at all possible, that the magic switch "flipped" because he was finally moved to a self-contained classroom with lots of consistency and that the "switch" was not just a coincidence? (Much the same way a kid with poor eyesight will begin to do better in school after he gets his glasses....you wouldn't conclude that since he's doing better he no longer needs the glasses.) Maybe Wee is doing exponentially better because he is finally in an environment that "works" for him.

Why change what is working?

 

[SRL]

I know you have been thru heck, several times over, in the last year plus. I know it's hard to accurately predict where our kids will be in 1, 5, or 10 years, but .... My concern here is that this is an IEP for a kiddo with a severe disability, an IEP that does not give me the sense that a transition back to full reg ed is on the SD's mind.

I agree that this is an IEP for a student with a severe disability, however, in our district, even the severe and profound kids are expected to have five full hours of instructional time (not including lunch and recess).

Shari, in my opinion, an appropriate IEP for him might start with partial days for the first few weeks to help ease into the school year, starting with the arrangment that he's been successful with this year, plus maybe adding in one new thing. Once he's transisitioned into a full day in self-contained well, then adding from there always with the same para.

I'd make transitions and full day the priority here first, with the various options secondary. This IEP is written with the various options as a priority, and addressing transitions and achieving full day doesn't even look to be on the radar. If it's agreed upon by the team and his doctors that he seriously can't handle a full day, then they need to provide homebound so he doesn't continue to fall behind academically.

 

[nvts]

Occupational Therapist (OT) goals
6. Improve written communication by writing a 10 word passage with correct formation, line adherence, spacing, etc.
7. Participate in sensory motor activities with no behavioral over-reaction and then participate in classroom activity appropriately for 10 minutes by may 2011
8. Use keyboard to type 10 word passage with no more than 2 errors in 4 minutes


I'm also a little concerned with number 7. When they're trying to make adjustments to sensory motor reactions, if it is somewhat painful it may SEEM like a "behaioral over-reaction" but in fact it's their only way to contend with whatever they're doing to him. Wee's been through enough!

Glad that they're at least appearing to be cooperative.

Beth

 

[slsh]

SRL - I absolutely agree with- you. Didn't mean to give the impression that I thought it was okay to do partial (you should know me better than that, LOL ). What I meant was that ... gosh, how to put this in written words. It seems like it is heading down a one-way street, like there's no anticipation difficult child will be able to return to reg ed (especially with- all the transitions which are just setting him up to fail, in my humble opinion), at least on the SD's part. I think that's a huge assumption given his very young age and his ability to learn in spite of the garbage he's been through the past year or so. For him to be on level in math despite his huge amount of time spent *out* of school... well, that's pretty doggone impressive.

I guess my gut concern (based on my own experiences, so I am very biased) is that this IEP is laying groundwork for less "learning", and I think that's doing a huge disservice to Shari's son, especially at this young age. I hope that makes sense - having a hard time expressing myself I think.

 

[SRL]

Occupational Therapist (OT) goals
6. Improve written communication by writing a 10 word passage with correct formation, line adherence, spacing, etc.
7. Participate in sensory motor activities with no behavioral over-reaction and then participate in classroom activity appropriately for 10 minutes by may 2011
8. Use keyboard to type 10 word passage with no more than 2 errors in 4 minutes


I'm also a little concerned with number 7. When they're trying to make adjustments to sensory motor reactions, if it is somewhat painful it may SEEM like a "behaioral over-reaction" but in fact it's their only way to contend with whatever they're doing to him. Wee's been through enough!

Glad that they're at least appearing to be cooperative.

Beth

Also in regards to number 7 if they mean sensory activities always preceding classroom in order for him to make a smooth transition, it's okay as written. If they mean 1) partipate in sensory activities for ten minutes without overreaction (as preparation for classroom) plus 2) (seperately) at any time participate in classroom activities for 10 minutes then it needs to be written as two different goals. If the intent is to be seperate, it's not measurable as written because the two are written together, meaning failing in one area means failing the entire goal.

 

[Shari]

Thanks for you input. You are much where I am.
***
County case worker thinks goal 5 is the magic goal. She thinks, based on the wording that is straight out of text, and is also the enrollment data used by the alternative school, that they are doing this to gather data to support a change in placement involving the alternative school in the next district. If so, I'm fine with that. In fact, exMIL asked if this meeting was about data collection or educating a child, and they actually said data collection.
***
But 2 months ago, they wanted to cut him down to two hours a day as a solution, so I am sorry, but I'm not about to trust them.
***
They want him back in mainstream because he's doing well and he's bored. I can go for some of it. In fact, as long as he's "on", like he is now, I think he can do the schedule they've proposed. I think he could do it now. Its when he's off that I'm concerned about. She wants all the varied people and switches because she thinks it will keep him stimulated and he's going to have to learn to deal with others. She thinks he will be on task more when its shaken up a little.
***
If he fails, they will pull things back in to more restrictive (they didn't indicate where - which tells me they aren't thinking about back in her classroom...) They claim they will not cut hours (again, I don't believe it). They claim they are looking at altering environment and not duration.
***
It wasn't the worst meeting I've been to, but it had its moments. The principal told me there's no data to support his "cycle". She told me that maybe this is the year he won't have a problem in November. And she told me that maybe I just need to buck up and trust them to know what's best for my kid (to which I threw my head back and outright laughed and told her to forgive me, but I've trusted others for 5 years now, and THIS is where its gotten me). When I argued for a minimum of the same hours as he is currently at, the SpEd Director told me this was what the school was offering (so, essentially, no.)
***
The meeting is continued to next Tuesday because I refused to agree to their plan. If they won't budge, I will require the notice of action refused be written up, etc.
***
I was also lecture about the importance to get his seizures under control. They could be causing mental impairments as we speak.

 

[Shari]

Today, I asked the SpEd teacher to schedule his ESY minutes in the AM 2 or 3 times a week. She had offered to compound them on a couple days as opposed to doing 45 minutes every day.

She's scheduling him from 8-9 every day, I can bring him when I want.