IEP Time Again ... GRR

[StepTo2]

Jett's triennial IEP evaluation is coming up. While looking at the draft they mailed to us - I got a sick feeling in my stomach.

He's getting assistance in reading, plus extra time.

And math, though he scores at 9th grade level there. Because of the reading.

He has OT in writing, but it's not on the IEP?

AND - science, social studies and history - NO HELP. Umm, hello? He's READING stuff there. No wonder his grades have not improved there.

I was going to let DH handle this one, but suddenly - I don't think so.

[JJJ]

How can they send a draft yet? Have you already met and decided in which areas you need to collect data???

[StepTo2]

Well, actually no. This is THEIR draft. It's the 3-year renewal.

I told DH this morning that they're not going to want more services than they already have listed. We're going to PUSH.

Jett has some emotional issues, plus LDs, plus the FAS and PDD-NOS (IMO, anyway). Add in a little bit of ADHD and OMG. (Wow, that was a paragraph full of acronyms... I must work for the government...)

When you add all this together, their "draft" is U.S.E.L.E.S.S.

I'm gonna advocate hard for more help. And I'm gonna drag DH down to the SSA office and see what they can tell us. THAT could take a bit though...

[StepTo2]

And, no. We haven't met since last year. Jett was in elementary then - is in middle school now.

[JJJ]

Maybe you should point out to them that they can't possibly have meant to send you a draft of services and goals when you haven't even met to discuss what evaluations need to be done. How can they know what he needs without the --legally required--reevaluation???

Make a list of any and all issues in the following areas that you think will interfere with Jett's education:

Gross Motor
Fine Motor
Social/Emotional
Sensory
Cognitive (IQ)
Achievement (actual levels in reading and writing)
Health
Vision/Hearing

Unless you and the school agree on an area both in relation to his needs and the services provided, then they need to assess for concrete, current data.

[StepTo2]

It went quite well, I thought.

They were all willing to listen to what DH and I wanted to say...

We got rid of the speech therapy - if Jett talks normally instead of so fast his words blur, it's unnecessary.

Same thing with his writing, though we are keeping his final period of the day as study hall/tutoring - with the OT for writing.

He's getting help with reading material in ALL subjects now.

Dropped the math help - except for story problems and directions.

And - at the teacher's discretion or upon request from DH or me, he will receive extra time for written assignments and projects. It's actually written in - and we have a copy.

We've been asked to get them a copy of the FAS dx, b/c they think that may help them AND Jett with funding issues - they were right up front about that.

I like honest people...

The head person also happened to have been there when we got Onyxx's IEP set up, remembers BM, and is thrilled about Onyxx's progress. Wanted to know how she was doing.

More soon - when I have a chance to settle after getting back to work!