Interesting conversation with county school...

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
Based primarily on my gut (which hasn't led me astray in the last 16.5 years as mom) and partly on difficult child's opinions, we have decided to stay in the city school system and not take the tuition spot in the county school that I've worked so hard to get.

Suffice to say that it has been a tough decision, but one I feel is the best for my difficult child. Today marked the deadline on letting the county know if we were going to accept the out of district tuition spot, but I had not heard whether difficult child was accepted in the out of zone city school yet. I received a call from the county's Director of Instructional Support yesterday and let it go to voice mail. She wanted me to give her a call regarding difficult child's enrollment.

This morning I called our principal and asked him what he thought difficult child's chances were of being accepted at the city school for a out of zone spot since I had to let the county know today or send in a $500 non-refundable deposit. He said he had one thing to do then he would call the principle of the middle school and get back to me right away. Within 30 minutes I got a call from the middle school principal letting me know that he was marking difficult child's application "accepted" and that I would get a formal letter in early April when he had finished the entire process. Needless to say, I was very happy.

So, I called the county and decided to let her speak first since she called me. She said that she spoke wiht the principal of the middle school and they had gotten a copy of difficult child's IEP (based on my meeting with the school counselor last Friday). She said that since difficult child had a 1:1 in his IEP, he couldn't attend the school since county FAPT money paid for 1:1's and only children within the county were available for FAPT funds (we had to go to a FAPT meeting to get his current 1:1 in the city).

She said that all other IEP issues could be met but that one.

Even though this is a nonissue (the county school), I still wanted to get your opinions on this issue. She indicated that if difficult child needed self-contained, even as a tuition student, he could be placed at another middle school in the county since they didn't have one at that school. If he needed resource or just collabertive they could meet those issues as well. The only stinkler was the 1:1. If I felt difficult child could make the transition without the 1:1, then it was a go. At the end of our conversation, I told her I was calling to let her know that we had decided to stay in the city and I appreciated their considertion.

Thoughts?

Sharon
 

Hanging-On

New Member
I don't know anything about FAPT funds, and what's allowed. But it just seems to me like another excuse. I just have that gut feeling. I'm happy for you that you did get the school you wanted. Someone was smiling on you. :smile:
 

Martie

Moderator
Sharon,

It shows to me that you made the right decision. The county school says, "no problem" BEFORE looking at the IEP--afterwards, they have a problem. Also, if consultative services are so great, why would difficult child have to go to another school if he needs any separate education, i.e., resource room. As I said, RTI may offer benefits to certain kids but not if the kid has a 1:1. Further, as I said earlier, I would NEVER sign away a right to an IEP--even if it were legal to do so, and I am not sure it is.

I think you did the right thing to go with your gut.

Martie
 

Sheila

Moderator
I think your instincts are good.

Several thoughts:

They would not have admitted difficult child to the new school without you conceding the 1:1.

It would have been interesting for me to see the receiving district's written reason/terminology for denying the transfer. The denial would have been purely disability based, therefore, discrimination. Such actions are prohibited by Federal, State, SEA disability rules and regulation and written sd policy, but it would have been done nonetheless.

FAPE is to be provided by the sd at no cost to the parent and in conformity with the student's IEP.
 
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