Question about IEP-middle school transition...

[Tiapet]

but it's not really about that. I was told today at middle difficult child's annual IEP meeting that we "had" to do the transition piece of the IEP even though she is being retained. Now I say this because I, as well as her treatment team (psychiatrist, therapist, para-professional) all agree she is not ready socially or emotionally to move on. Not only that but she is not capable of doing the math portion and struggles with the NC state writing skills requirement. She failed the state test last year (yet they promoted her then too). They said they can't really say if she will be retained or not yet until the EOG tests scores come back (testing begins next week on them). I said what does it matter what the scores are? We are not agreeing that she can go forward. They are making it seem like (to me) like they are going to try and push her forward and perhaps if the EOG scores actually (by a miracle) are ok, they will try to use them to justify pushing her. I also asked them what the writing test score was (she had to retake the test this year). "Oh, we haven't gotten them back yet!"

Are they correct? Did I "have" to do the transition piece for middle school anyway? Some how I think I was bamboozled.

Oh yeah, and.....I gave the school therapist a copy of her total evaluation on Monday (at end of little dude's 504 meeting) to give out to the meeting members for today's meeting as per their request. She NEVER gave any one a copy of it and when we went in there today we didn't know it so 3/4's of the way through the meeting we learn this because things weren't making sense as we didn't understand why they couldn't understand where we were coming from on many different areas of new needs. A big "aha" moment happened.
They said they (the principal) will track it down and we will reconvene and do and addendum if necessary to the IEP we had created. Over all I am satisfied with the one we did create so I don't think it impacted it much other then us feeling like perhaps they though we were a little nuts and "maybe, just maybe" they may also understand even more so why we want her retained. She should have been last year. Definitely this year as she can not enter middle school as she is now.

 

[nvts]

Hi! I'm not sure I get the whole situation. Did you end up doing the transitions piece?

Did you sign the IEP?

Sorry, my brain is like a piece of swiss cheese (been up since 3:30 am and havn't gotten a big chance to relax).

Remember: you don't have to sign the IEP just because they say to.

Was the evaluation you provided mental health or health related? Without signed waivers, most school administrators have to be careful about who they provide information to due to the HIPPA Laws.

Beth

 

[Tiapet]

Yes, the evaulation was a psychiatric evaluation with the same testing they would have done at school but more indepth and more mental health information. No health information. The school did their Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation previously and there was health information already in so we aren't talking about any of that.

There is a HIPPA release signed at the mental health agency to allow information to go to school and vice versa (although of course school only gets limited information).

The transition piece was done. It was only a tiny, one page checklist sort of thing (you put x's in places). Was there suppose to be more to it?

Yes I signed the IEP because I agreed with everything in it and only desented to the fact of her moving forward to middle school which was noted at the minimum in minutes (which are part of record). I think there is also something noted on IEP to by me (I'd have to look at it again because I am also fried at this moment).

I'm not so concerned that I signed the IEP unless I find out that I was bamboozled about the middle school piece having to be done period. If it had to be done "in case" then I'm fine with it. If not, then it's a really really bigger heads up to me of what's in store for the fight I am predicting on them resisting her retention. I guess that's where it's really at.

 

[Martie]

It is and IEP team decision whether or not a child should remain in a particular placement or go to another one. There is a "presumption" that a child will move to the next level, but this is an INDIVIDUAL decision, just like everything else. If the decision is based on maturity and social/emotional needs then academic test scores are not the appropriate evaluative tool if "objective" measurement is needed.

I would strongly suggest you not sign an IEP you have questions about. You can always take it home and review in...IEP teams are not selling used cars, there are no "deals" that are only good until the close of business.

Martie

 

[Tiapet]

Thanks. I know I can look over it. I saw the IEP there and read it. I just had that one question in my mind after the fact because I could not remember from so many years ago with Ms Emo's IEP (we're talking 8 years ago now since having to deal with this). It's weird how I can recall most all IEP information but that one thing but then again I never had to deal with middle school issues because she was out of an IEP by 2nd grade too.

The other thing is I was just happy that we went the route we did. In the evaluation (which they didn't ultimately see - wondering now will this come back to haunt me with their wanting to possibly reconvene in the future?) is that the recommended placement was day treatment, partial placement. While her psychiatrist and therapist, para professional and myself DON'T think she needs that at all, irregardless it was in the evaluation. The evaluation was done by another doctor at the agency based on her evaluation and testing so she hasn't worked or seen her all these months. A big difference if you ask me. But you know how schools can be, they might see that and jump on it. Unfortunately this area doesn't really have partials or day that we're aware of anyway and the other option is a school for severe behavioral/emotional issues which she clearly would not fit in (at least the teacher and principal months ago agreed with me on that, then).

If they do try to pull this off and promote her I'd like to see how they justify placing her in Special Education category now (as opposed to mainstream with help previously) and resource room. We went from least restrictive to a more restrictive environment. If that is not just one reason more to prove why she needs to stay behind I don't know what is (besides the social and emotional we've been talking about and the math issues). I have saved all my email correspondence with teacher discussing her retention and our conversations, as well as one that went with principal for months dating back to November so if I need them I have them. They can not say they didn't know either that there wasn't a problem!