difficult child's revised iep

[klmno]

I'm supposed to get this iep signed and delivered to school this morning. We had a meeting a couple of weeks ago, but there were a couple of things that the CM said she needed to think about how to word correctly and the meeting was getting long so she sent a copy home with difficult child last Wed for me to look over and sign. I should have looked at it over the weekend, but I didn't.

Anyway, this is the start of preparing for his transition to high school. We will have a meeting in the spring, when I think the high school counselors will be involved, to actually write the transitional portion and his re-evaluation will take place then, too. Since they will be looking at this iep as a place to start, I want to make sure this is "sending the right message".

I'm still hoping that difficult child can go to college after high school, and difficult child says he wants to. Now, he still needs supports at this point and will definitely need an iep when starting high school. Here are my questions/concerns.

1) On his "secondary transition" page of this iep sent home, it indiciates that desired post-school outcome is an Advanced Standard Diploma. Ok, then below "Iep Goal", it says "no". Does that mean they don't plan on him needing iep help to get this diploma? (there's actually no such thing as an advanced standard diploma here- it is either advanced or standard or special or modified)

2) At the "post secondary education/training outcome" line, it says: "None- student expresses no interest or desire. 10/31/2008-04/30/2009: no additional services or activities chosen at this time"

3) for all three lines on this sheet (employment outcome, independent living outcome, and post secondary education outcome), it lists the agency responsible as "high school counselor". Does this mean they think he'll only need the typical guidance counselor involved to meet his post-school goals?

4) on the page for "summary of performance" (academic achievement, functional performance, and recommendatioons to assist in meeting postsecondary goals): NOTHING is listed under either category.

5) All his objectives/benchmarks are written as behavior- the same as last year- and are listed out (keeping hands to self, seek adult assistance when overwhelmed, etc). We had all agreed that these need to change since these were not his issues so much this year. We did kind of put it off, but in this iep, the objectives are still written out (all written as behavior)- 8 of them (even "difficult child working on identifying triggers" is written as behavior). But, no criteria or evaluation method is written under it

6) no progress or lack of progress is noted (at the end of last school year, these were noted as meeting benchmarks and an iep was signed to be in effect at the start of this school year).

7) Under placement decision (public day school)- the placement decision says "difficult child exhibits strong academic skills but needs adult support to monitor behavior". I'm just curious- when it is clearly written at the beginning of the iep that he has a diagnosis of depression, adjustment disorder, and Bipolar, and the teachers complaints are lack of organization skills, lack of motivation, trouble staying on task sometimes, but difficult child is not disrupting class and cooperates when redirected, does this sound like it's written correctly to you? (They have his neuropsychologist test results that prove he has problems in these areas)

Furthermore, all year there has been reference to an existing BIP- but I don't think there is one. Last spring, we had an Functional assessment meeting and said that we'd develop a bip this year. This years' ieps have all referred to a bip put in effect last spring. I asked for a copy of it and the cm seems to have forgotten- I'm going to ask her again.

I don't want to tic them off- the principal has been great since last spring, however this cm that started working with difficult child this school year has me a little worried. She has told me that if I don't hurry and sign the new iep, difficult child's old one expires and he won't have a legitimate one in place. I don't like feeling pressured like that and people here have said that the old one stays in effect.

Suggestions?

 

[Jena]

Wow, i just read that and thought hmm i'm going to be a parent advocate?? lol. are they sure they know what they are doing??? i guess that'll come with-the training.

I have no clue, and i'm not afraid to admit it! I just wanted to offer my support to you. Your doing a great job.

 

[klmno]

I had already told the cm that I would have a signed copy to her today. Then, I looked at it. I'm starting an email to her now saying that we need to have another iep meeting to review this again.

Does anyone know if I should or should not sign this iep that I have in hand? Doens't the previous signed one stay active, even if it says that it will be reviewed by a certain date and that date has past? (We did review it- this unsigned copy I have is the result).

I have been looking over sample ieps and see how things should be worded so that others who aren't on the iep team don't get the impression that all these issues difficult child has are intentional mis-behavior- they are symptoms and real areas of difficulty. Plus, they took out his extended time for testing. Also, they have marked half his absences this year as unexcused in his record; we discussed this aat the iep meeting but nothing was written in there to accommodate it.

 

[jal]

klmno,

I found this on Wright's Law:

"I wrote an e-mail to my child's teacher saying that I will not sign the next IEP if they do not give my child extra services.

IDEA does not require parents to "sign" an IEP. Threatening to not sign an IEP does not really mean much. Also, if you do not sign the IEP, others may think you agree to it.

You have an absolute right to disagree with the IEP. Do not sit on that right. If you disagree with the IEP, go ahead and sign it, but put a note below or to the side of your name saying that your signature does not mean that you agree with the IEP."

I would definately note your hesitations and request a face to face review as it seems to me they are not providing your child with additional services for educational success. Also, why did they do a Functional Assessment and not implement a BIP immediatley? I know my difficult child had an assessment done towards the end of last school year and they implementated the plan immediately and we all agreed it would carry into the next school year.

 

[JJJ]

I would not sign it. His current IEP does not "expire". When you send the letter refusing to sign it "because the document does not reflect the decisions of the IEP team as reached at the meeting on 11/XX/2008 therefore I give permission for his current IEP to be extended until 02/01/2009 so that the IEP team can reconvene and correct this draft".

It doesn't sound right; it sound like she was hoping you wouldn't read it.

 

[klmno]

Thank you! I'm emailing her now. I can also add in that his psychologist appeared to have some thoughts about this yesterday when we spoke on the phone and I'd like some time to review it with him.

 

[Ropefree]

I would attach a letter stating that you recieved this IEP and that you are concerned that it is incomplete and the revisions for the IEP continue to need work to be agreeable to you IEP Team Parent. and you have unaswered questions.
And do call another meeting and maybe meet with the team memebers separately befor then so that you are very clear on what is to be changed.
I met with the high school during the summer break and then right when high school started. And then at the end of quarter one when the fact the provisions were not being utilized was obvious. If I were to do it again I would
met with the Special Education teacher weekly and ask for a written accounting of what iep services were employed each week. They had 200 hours in one year that were in a class with a teacher with 6 students. When I learned my son was getting a very low grade in a class and assigned work had not been turned in I called her. She had no idea. She said she had to many students.
When I asked her if she had a solution she said "I don't know".
It may take effort on your part but the teachers benefit, and ultimately the involvement of parents is valued by them and it does get results.
It is work.
Go Mom...!!!

I think you are on the right track. The part you have no referance to is academics: I would want more specific direction for teachers as to what to do to meet the students needs for support.
Bnechmark: where is the evidenced testing for this learner?

Definately do not miss having an IEP. You could sign it and then call another meeting and point out the revisions that are obvious to you. And always ask the teachers what they have used that works in thier classroom with your learner, and to bring any ideas they want to try to your next meeting.

The FAPE IDEA IEP services are for the early schooling education needs and after high school the 504 carries to the college, trade school, and work place.
So when your learner does have plans that sort of thing will be checked on the form.