help! i'm puzzled..504? iep? Occupational Therapist (OT)/BiPolar (BP)/adhd....

[dirtmama]

i'll try to explain this as clearly as possible... so ds was diagnosed 2 1/2 yrs ago adhd. went on stims. iep rejected but supposedly "left open". more recent diagnosis BiPolar (BP) and adhd...no stims...told school being treated for mood disorder.(haven't mentioned BiPolar (BP)) ds has outdated 504....had to have major accomadations to complete end of year assesments. really stuggling. psychiatrist ordered school to do Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation. i mentioned to principle...revisiting iep options (her response "no iep not failing" **crock***my response " at this rate he will be") Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation results in....major issues visual focus,tracking etc.etc alot of issues. principle wants to make an appointment with- me to go over his results with- the whole group and at the same time revise his 504 (conveniently) push that 504! i believe she's trying to trick me into commiting to a 504 with-out reassessing his need for an iep. i really want an accomadation commitment from the school. should i hold off on signing anything and get that iep request in the mail?? please ask me anything if i haven't been clear...
ps his current teacher won't be there next year///is the principle trying to hold me off ?

 

[vja4Him]

i'll try to explain this as clearly as possible... so ds was diagnosed 2 1/2 yrs ago adhd. went on stims. iep rejected but supposedly "left open". more recent diagnosis BiPolar (BP) and adhd...no stims...told school being treated for mood disorder.(haven't mentioned BiPolar (BP)) ds has outdated 504....had to have major accomadations to complete end of year assesments. really stuggling. psychiatrist ordered school to do Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation. i mentioned to principle...revisiting iep options (her response "no iep not failing" **crock***my response " at this rate he will be") Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation results in....major issues visual focus,tracking etc.etc alot of issues. principle wants to make an appointment with- me to go over his results with- the whole group and at the same time revise his 504 (conveniently) push that 504! i believe she's trying to trick me into commiting to a 504 with-out reassessing his need for an iep. i really want an accomadation commitment from the school. should i hold off on signing anything and get that iep request in the mail?? please ask me anything if i haven't been clear...
ps his current teacher won't be there next year///is the principle trying to hold me off ?

I'm new at this process of getting an IEP .... I requested in writing an evaluation for my son. We had a meeting the day before the last day of school, June 2nd, 2010. The Resource Specialist and another professional at the meeting tried to talk me out of having my son evaluated.

The Resource Specialist's final words are that my son just needs to get his act together, pull himself up by his bootstraps and figure out how to help himself deal with his issues (serious problems with organization, focusing, attention span, paying attention, daydreaming, frustration, memory, staying on task, finishing tasks, following through with directions, losing and misplacing stuff, forgetting things).

My son has also suffered from severe trauma and has numerous medical issues, together with his ADHD, make learning and succeeding in school difficult ...

I feel that my son's school is trying to get me to settle for a watered-down 504 Plan. The Resource Specialist removed 12 items from my son's 504 Plan, claiming that the 504 Plan is a very powerful tool, and that our 504 Plan looks very good! He wants to experiment with my son and see what works.

My son was very upset when he found out that they removed 12 items from his 504 Plan! He wants all those items back!!!

The school never told me that my son should be at the meeting! Another example of the school's negligence .....

 

[vja4Him]

We have a meeting scheduled for August 19th, to begin the evaluation process ....

 

[Sheila]

A student doesn't have to be failing to be eligible for an IEP.

A diagnosis of any type does not automatically qualify a student for an IEP.

Has the school district ever evaluated your son for IEP eligibility? If so, when?

 

[dirtmama]

he was evaluated a year and a half ago. i just recieved a folder of his work from this quarter. some of it was done in teachers handwritting..the work in his writting was so sloppy it's unreadable and/or incomplete. his last "testing" was done just after he started stims (he was doing quite well) but he is not on them now and honestly i don't know if he'll ever be able to take adhd drugs again due to his BiPolar (BP). of course in the event that he is stabilized...we will certainly attempt to treat the adhd symptoms left over. he is definetly in need Occupational Therapist (OT) services according to the Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation results. i'm supposed to have a meeting tomarrow...with-staff and Occupational Therapist (OT) to discuss 504 accom. i've decided to tell them his official diagnosis and ask for re-evaluation for iep purposes. i also want to ask about a behavior analysis...??

 

[Sheila]

If your child can't take ADHD medications, his symptoms would likely qualify him for an IEP.

They do need to know about any dxs. I'd include it in the letter requesting evaluation under IDEA guidelines for an IEP. That way they are "on notice" that the student has a disability recognized by IDEA. Of course, the problem(s) have to impact school performance for a child to qulaify.

Put your request in writing and send it certified mail. I'm not real big on just "talking." Unless your request is in writing and you have proof of delivery, too many times the evaluations never get done.

There's a sample letter in the SP ED Archives if you need one.

 

[JJJ]

Your instincts are correct in going after an IEP rather then settling for a 504.

 

[earthprowler]

i'll try to explain this as clearly as possible... so ds was diagnosed 2 1/2 yrs ago adhd. went on stims. iep rejected but supposedly "left open". more recent diagnosis BiPolar (BP) and adhd...no stims...told school being treated for mood disorder.(haven't mentioned BiPolar (BP)) ds has outdated 504....had to have major accomadations to complete end of year assesments. really stuggling. psychiatrist ordered school to do Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation. i mentioned to principle...revisiting iep options (her response "no iep not failing" **crock***my response " at this rate he will be") Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation results in....major issues visual focus,tracking etc.etc alot of issues. principle wants to make an appointment with- me to go over his results with- the whole group and at the same time revise his 504 (conveniently) push that 504! i believe she's trying to trick me into commiting to a 504 with-out reassessing his need for an iep. i really want an accomadation commitment from the school. should i hold off on signing anything and get that iep request in the mail?? please ask me anything if i haven't been clear...
ps his current teacher won't be there next year///is the principle trying to hold me off ?

Been there done all that. Meeting with the group of teachers is a night mare, they make you feel like they know way more than you about your child. In my personal opinion an IEP is not worth the paper it's printed on and my son's (ADHD/BiPolar (BP)/ODD/CD/Emotional Disorder) teacher agreed. Get a BIP (behavioral intervention Plan). There's also an FBA and if that doesn't work, get an EEE where you either have your own psychiatrist come in and watch to evaluate or the school pays for one. Get an advocate, read everything you can on juvinile bipolar, it's not an easy walk in the park finding the right medications, some days are better than others and some days you want to run away. Go to Wright's Law . com, they are a wealth of knowledge on everything. It's an up hill battle but it can be won. I also took my son to a neurologist for testing.

 

[jal]

In my personal opinion an IEP is not worth the paper it's printed on and my son's (ADHD/BiPolar (BP)/ODD/CD/Emotional Disorder) teacher agreed. Get a BIP (behavioral intervention Plan). There's also an FBA and if that doesn't work, get an EEE where you either have your own psychiatrist come in and watch to evaluate or the school pays for one.

An IEP has to be followed once it is written as it is a legal contract between you and the school and if it is not followed you have grounds to take the matter to court. A 504 plan on the other hand does not have to be followed (legally) and therefore most schools push for this as an alternative so they do not have to spend money enforcing and following the IEP accomodations.

A FBA (functional behavioral analysis) won't be done unless the school has agreed to your request for testing. Out of the FBA comes the BIP (behavior intervention plan). The BIP won't be followed if written on a 504 plan as it will be up to you as the parent to police every teacher to make sure its being followed, it will be followed when written on an IEP.

I would submit a request for re-evaluation. Your child does not have to be failing in order to get an IEP. As long as your son has a diagnosis/behavior that inhibits his ability to LEARN or his behavior effects those around him (his peers) with learning an IEP is in order.

 

[JJJ]

Exactly Jal.

There really is no downside to having an IEP. It is a contract between the school and the student/family. It provides a large number of protections not available to the general student population.

Earthprowler, if your son's teacher doesn't feel that the IEP is worth anything than she either needs to call for a new IEP meeting to rewrite it so that it is worth something or she needs more training on your son's legal rights.

 

[mama]

Absolutely be persistent in getting an IEP. My difficult child had a 504 in 8th grade for ADD and then had an IEP at the end of 9th grade for ADD and Emotional Disturbance which is quite a broad classification. You will never regret getting an IEP. We received so much more help once we had an IEP and you have many rights associated with an IEP. Search google and seek help from any knowledgeable source for examples of IEPs so you will be informed of what you can request. Hang in there. I never thought in a million years my difficult child would need an IEP (my difficult child tested as a gifted child in 4th grade) to survive high school. I resisted special education and help for years and now I realize that some of his special day classes have been the best thing for him and our family.

 

[AnnieO]

I have to agree here... We have had an IEP of come sort in place for Jett since first grade (the school he was at INSISTED on it, which is odd I know but that's one of the few things they did for him). It's been much improved since. But... We never realized that Onyxx, incredibly bright as she is, might need one too. husband tried verbal agreements with her middle school, which when crunch time came they flat refused to follow, escalating the situation to the point where she spent one night in juvie for assault. The fact of the matter is, emotional issues can and do cause extreme circumstances.

Now we have an IEP for Onyxx as well. Hers is mostly a what-if BIP. She says she actually feels better about problems popping up now because she knows what is supposed to happen.

In some cases, having the child there for the IEP meeting is pointless, and can be more of a distraction than anything else (as in Jett's case). However, if the child is older/more mature/aware of issues, it can be extremely helpful - Onyxx was able to identify some potential problem spots that we didn't think of.

And... Whatever you do... Do NOT let the school talk you out of it. YOU know your child better than they do. It's most likely NOT just a problem with the teacher! (And it also helps in a case where the teacher doesn't know what to do - because then they have at least a guide!)

 

[Sheila]

Just to clear up any confusion, a 504 Plan legally does have to be followed -- it's a Federal law just like IDEA. It takes a lot to get it enforced, however. Many sd personnel have little respect for it.

The primary drawback is that parents are not legally required to be part of the 504 Committee, they are typically written much more loosely than an IEP, and it costs a fortune to litigate the matter in court.

 

[stillfighting]

I am new to these forums, however I have been struggling with a small school and Special Education and 504 for the past 3 yrs. Last year I even hired an attorney, paid my son's therapist to come down and still was rejected the ARD. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. My child is 7 and recently diagnosis with AS. We have had ADHD, Conduct Disorder, ODD, and emotional anxiety since he was 3. We attend Rehab, therapy and medicate on our part, but the school just won't budge. The Special Education teacher actually showed up at my job today with a pamplet for MHMR services and told me to contact them. Her words were, "they can help you more than the school Co-Op can"! I asked about the request for evaluation. (we had one done on our own) and she said, "No, we will just see how he floats this year." Help Please!!