Connecticut has passed a zero suspension policy except for severe danger to self or others. I work in a ED program and we went from 27 suspensions first half of last year to 1 for the first half of this year (a severe bite to staff). We just discussed this at team meeting. The behaviors didn't change whether we suspended or not. We were getting to the point last year where we were sometimes using suspensions to get a break from our most challanging students. This obviously was not an acceptable reason, although they did break the code of conduct. This year we are doing a one-on one "in-school suspension". Although this rewards the behavior with a huge amount of attention, the kids are in school and learning.
I understand, as a parent, that teachers spend a lot of their time in the classroom dealing with my difficult child's disruptions and I understand the need for a break (LOL - I need one too!). In our case, this school does not have an ED program (only Inclusion and Intervention), and my difficult child would have to go to another school (not close by). If this program will help him, that's great, but I don't like it that he's been in this school for almost the entire year and then they want to move him to a different environment mid-year. My difficult child bangs his head and has stabbed himself with a pencil, and this is the main reason that the school thinks he needs to go. He just started doing this mid-year. I'm in a job where right now, layoffs are a HUGE possibility and missing a lot of work is NOT an option for me.
An FBA has been done apparently and that is what we are meeting about this Weds. Our counselor thinks they should try a one-on-one aide first, but I know the school is going to frown on that. Oh, and the IEP updates are just progress notes on things that are already in the IEP.
We just took difficult child off of Zyprexa and put him on Abilify. We also lowered his Vyvanse dose from 70mg twice a day to 30mg twice a day. He is still very hyper and sometimes downright obnoxious, but hasn't
seemed as agitated and moody.