New IEP

K

Kjs

Guest
Recieved new IEP today in the mail. this is from our meeting last Thursday. My meeting on Thursday was only with the Program Director. She is in charge of the Special Education programs at three schools. Due to the time frame and my work schedule this was the only option. It was ok with me. Both principal and VP will not be back next year. Don't know if that is a good thing or not. She is very nice and willing to get things done. Also very realistic.
This Program director use to teach Special Education in a self contained classroom for 10 years. She told me when she see's some of her kids in the office, she usually goes and checks on what the issue is. She said she will talk to the VP and just look at him and say, "that's it? That is ALL that happened?"
She made a good point, infront of me in the Vice Principal's office...She said, "If you are with a smoker and they smoke, are you surprised?...Then when you have a child with ODD and they are defiant..WHY are you surprised?"
She Also told the VP he goes about the referral issue all wrong. What VP does is look at the referral and say, "difficult child YOU DID this, and this, and this" difficult child then immediately becomes defensive and yells. That is when I usually get the call to come get him because he was yelling. She told VP that he needs to NOT look at the referral, Ask the student what's going on. Allow student to make statement. She said 90% of the time the truth is NOT what the teacher has written on the referral, and it is NOT what the student says. She says the truth is most of the time somewhere in between.
Back to IEP. She changed all that was incorrect. Added everything I asked for. He has use of computer for any free form writting assignments. He has access to AlphaSmart. He WILL have access to internet to email his unfinished work home.
difficult child will write statement on ALL referrals. (this is on the unified website as a standard procedure. Out of the many, many referrals he has in his folder, he only had statements on two)So, I made sure this was added to IEP.
VP said he refuses to write statements, difficult child says he isn't given the opportunity to.
Also added to IEP is that we (husband or me)are notifed and it be documented the time spent out of class.
The only way we ever knew if he was removed from class and sitting in the office is if difficult child tells us. We are not even notified when he gets a referral. But they DO call us when, he forgets his supplies, laughs at something funny, refuses to do classwork.
He works on anger/behavior management and social skills each day with social worker.
It is on IEP that he have a second set of books at home.
Written on IEP that Special Education teacher communicate with all regular ed and elective teachers daily.
I am pleased on what was written. This past year has been rough as far as teachers go, always yelling at him. This director told me that she saw difficult child one time last year so irrate (being blamed for something). She said she KNEW he didn't do it by how irrate he was. She also said she could tell that he knew the VP, Principal and the DEAN did not believe him. This director went to the liason's office and INSISTED that the films be reviewed(from lunch room). GUESS WHAT??? HE did NOT do it.
I knew this had happened because we were called that he did it. Even though in the background he was yelling he did not. They threatened to call the police. They had us come pick him up. Only to find out he did NOT do it. I was aware they reviewed the films, I was NOT aware that the director insisted on it. Thank goodness she was there.
The class he is placed in next year is with a Special Education teacher for 8th grade that ASKED for him.(nobody asks for him). I met him and he said he first met difficult child when he was in 6th grade and having a hard time. He said they bonded and really enjoyed difficult child. Unfortunately he was interviewing for a position outside of this school that day. I have not heard if he has accepted a new position or not.
sorry so long. hope I have covered all in this IEP, I do not want to go through all this again for a while. (3x's this year)
Not happy with psychological testing. not happy with her comments and do not agree with them. Academically he was very good, it is the other comments she made saying how he is "maladjusted when comparing with other students in his grade"
This was under Behavior. I did ask if she took into consideration that he was 1 - 2 years younger than others in his grade. She said she will not change her report. Name on that is still incorrect.
 
:smile: :smile: :whew:


That sounds fantastic. You have been through a lot over this IEP, and I am so glad that it is working out in the best interest of difficult child. It really sounds like the program director has her head screwed on right and has your son's needs in mind. What a weight this must be off your chest! I sense so much relief in your post. Seems like you finally connected with someone who will listen to you and who understands your son's needs.

Hopefully, this can be the beginning of a restful summer. See what you can do to take care of yourself, honey.

:kisses:
 

slsh

member since 1999
Kjs - sounds like it turned out extremely well. It has been a long road for you and difficult child this year. I'm glad it came to a good conclusion.

I would document your disagreements and points about the evaluation in writing, document the conversation you had with evaluator and her response to your concerns, send it to sped dir certified mail (cc: to evaluator) requesting that your letter be retained in difficult child's permanent sped file, and let it go. I'd make the letter strictly factual - difficult child's name is XX not YY. Advanced a grade in 200X not 200Y. May be "maladjusted compared to other students in grade" but consideration of skipping a grade not factored into this observation. Etc. No emotion, just facts.

Ideally results of evaluations should help drive IEP; you now have an appropriate IEP so the evaluation really means zip in practical terms but you do want your concerns documented because if he's still in sped in 3 years, the *next* evaluator will be reviewing this report again at next evaluation.

Hopefully with the change in administration, the new IEP, and the enthusiastic teacher, next year will be much more smooth for you both. But keep a copy of the IEP handy, just in case. :wink:

Again - congratulations. I really admire how well you were able to handle this in the midst of all the junk they were putting difficult child thru. You are truly a warrior mom!
 
K

Kjs

Guest
Thank you. I was about ready to quit and give up at one time. Heck I was going to move away several times.
When I was ready to quit, difficult child would do something amazing and I knew I could not quit.
With the Program Director..she believes in him. She likes him. It has been a long, long time since I had anyone believe in him.
With his teacher/class he will have next year.(at this point. The teacher did interview for a position outside the school) This teacher ASKED for him. That has NEVER happened. Just the opposite. I was TOLD "nobody wants him". I am excited for the year to be done. And I am excited as to what the coming years will be.
Don't know if I would of made it without everyone's support.
 

Sheila

Moderator
I'm so happy for you and difficult child that it turned out well!

It shouldn't be this hard, but sometimes it is.

A tenacious Warrior Mom! :warrior: :smile:
 
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