High School IEP

[JJJ]

Kanga starts 7th grade in the fall and I'm looking ahead to HS already. Based on her current progress, she will be reading at about a late 3rd grade level when she graduates from 8th grade. I know she is entitled to a FAPE until she is 21 (she turns 21 in October, does that include that entire school year?).

Can I "create" a curriculum plan that covers all 8 years that she will be eligible? Or do we have to make an attempt to push her through in 4 years? While I don't really want her to spend 8 years in high school, I'd like to have her spend at least 5 and then do a post-grad year or 2 at a prep school with a strong Learning Disability (LD) program.

 

[Sheila]

The "age" is until the 22nd birthday.

From: http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C1%2C

Section 612(a)(1) of IDEA requires that States make FAPE available to eligible children with disabilities aged three through twenty-one in the State’s mandated age range (34 CFR §300.101).

You can't push too hard or that will create a problem. On the other hand, after a certain point a 21 yr old student sometimes feel out of place going to school with a bunch of "kids."

 

[Martie]

Very few kids who are not severely disabled actually stay in school until their 22nd birthdays.

However, when your difficult child gets to h.s., you should strongly resist that she is "in the class of 2013" or whatever. SD work on Learning Disability (LD) kids to make them want to graduate with their entry class. MANY Learning Disability (LD) studetns could benefit from 5 years in h.s., but if SDs can get these kids to "want" to graduate or get them to drop out, their financial responsibility ends.

easy child has a close friend who was in her class and is now two years behind her original class--due to 5 years in high school and one year p.g. The friend is doing well in college with some supports. I have known this person since she was 6 and her progress is remarkable. There is no stigma in graduating at 23 or 24---Time magazine warns us all that 4 year degrees take 6! :rolleyes:

On another topic, I, however, brainwashed mine that 4 years means four years--and with the first one, it worked :smile:

Martie

 

[JJJ]

Thanks Shelia & Martie!

Kanga very much wants to go to college -- she wants to be a teacher. I figure we "plan" HS to go 5 years plus every summer, then if she still isn't ready then we decided how close she is and use the last 2 years of eligibility to either push her over the line to be ready for college or complete one of the vocational programs at the HS.

My sister thinks I'm nuts for planning for HS already, but she has all straight-A PCs who test in the 99% percentile.

 

[Martie]

One more thing!!!!!

Rights to decide about her education will transfer to Kanga when she is 18. WE can't cope with SD tactics, so how can an 18 y.o. with a disability???? I think this feature was put into the law for nefarious reasons.

What you will need to continue to advocate for her is for Kanga to transfer her rights to make educational decisions back to you (through a limited power of attorney) the day she turns 18. If the SD cries, "foul," then they reveal their true intentions in my opinion.

Legally, the SD cannot have it both ways: if an 18 year old is "competent" to make educational decisions, then the same 18 year old is competent to give power of attorney to anyone. This alone is a scary thought. In reality, the problems is that uncooperative difficult children with behavior problems do not operate in their own interest in regard to school, and WON'T give POA to the parent. How many of us could have negotiated with a SD at 18?

The only other alternative is to seek limited guardianship, and that is not appropriate for almost all of the kids of parents on this board.

It's a tough situation but forewarned is forearmed. I lucked out bec. by the time ex-difficult child got back from EGBS, he really saw the SD for what it was--trying to hurt him, push him out, all the perjury at due process, etc. and this stuff really offended him. Also, his b'day helped make it a non-problem because he turned 18 in May of his senior year, and it was appropriate for him to graduate with his original class. I THINK he would have given me POA if a 5th year had been a good plan, but I am not sure of that----giving up rights just "attained" is a hard thing to get any 18 year old to do.

Martie