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Special Ed 101
RAS evaluation is finally done and ???
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<blockquote data-quote="rlsnights" data-source="post: 409432" data-attributes="member: 7948"><p>Well, it sounds like you know what you think would be good. And you have a myriad of diagnoses to choose from to justify it. The classification/designation on the IEP is (at least in my experience) only important if a bureaucrat at the SD says it's important because they have LEA or Board of Ed rules that say you can't get X service unless you have Y classification. Which is, frankly, a bus full of pre-teen boys - i.e. full of gas.</p><p></p><p>According to IDEA the IEP team can decide anything it darn well pleases and call it anything it wants to - as long as the team explains it's justification in the IEP document.</p><p></p><p>Regarding the SMI designation -</p><p></p><p>IDEA 2004 Part 300 / A / 300.8 / c / 7 says</p><p></p><p>(7) Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness or mental retardation-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness.</p><p></p><p>If the SD says they will only provide certain services if he has a certain classification and those are the services you want then make that the primary classification and choose a secondary classification if it seems helpful. However, the SMI classification would seem to supersede such artificial distinctions since it clearly says that such children cannot be accommodated in a program that is designed to address only one area of disability. So placing that child in an EBD classroom is not appropriate - according to IDEA.</p><p></p><p>Has anyone done a FBA on your kiddo? </p><p></p><p>Anyway, I think that if you don't have an FBA then you are shooting in the dark. You need an FBA so that the problem behaviors can be identified clearly, etc.</p><p></p><p>If you already have an FBA and the school says they have implemented all of the interventions that came out of the most recent FBA perhaps there needs to be a new FBA done that addresses your child's reactions to these "new" interventions that the school says aren't working.</p><p></p><p>I am wondering if getting an aide who can do the job you want done will be all that easy. It's one thing for you to know how to do what you do - it's another thing to find someone else with the common sense and skill to do it at school for a child they don't know well.</p><p></p><p>Do you network with other parent's of autistic children in your area? What are they doing about schooling their older children?</p><p></p><p>Are there any NPS (non-public school) in your area that are dedicated to teaching autistic children? Here in our large metropolitan area there are a number of them and many of the autistic kids who have more difficult social behaviors or challenges attend those schools - at least for a while. Of course, we have the MIND Institute here so there has been a huge growth in services geared toward autistic children since it was created.</p><p></p><p>I have talked to a couple parents here whose children go to these schools. Because the whole school is geared to the special learning styles and challenges of typical autistic children, they offer an environment that a public school classroom may have trouble providing. Many visual cues, lots of explicit instruction in social cues and skills, sensory interventions that help teach the children to manage their own energy/reactions - campus wide. This is not something you will get on a public school campus.</p><p></p><p>While I have generally had a negative experience with schools/classrooms that are dedicated to teaching children with similar disabilities, the experiences of these parents seem very positive. They all felt it was a very good move and one had been able to return her child successfully to a regular campus mainstreamed for part of the day and in a dedicated classroom for autistic children part of the day.</p><p></p><p>Remember that the point of an IEP is supposedly to identify the child's needs and those needs dictate services/placement. It's not the other way around - which is the way most SD's prefer to do things. So your job is to help identify the needs and it's the SD's job to figure out how to meet those needs in the LRE.</p><p></p><p>Personally I would stop re-teaching him the info at home. It makes him look more functional than he really is in the current placement. Or you need to carefully document the amount of time you are spending tutoring him at home. E-mails or other written notes to teachers are good. Having a communication journal that moves between school and home would be an excellent way to accomplish this since it would be clear that the teachers were receiving the info and could not claim ignorance on this topic. If you don't have one already, you might find it a useful tool for other reasons too.</p><p></p><p>Another option is to hire an outside tutor so you can prove to the SD (and in due process should you go there) that he is not receiving FAPE under the current IEP. If you go to due process you would likely get reimbursed for these expenses if you are able to prove your case. Your word is worthless at a due process hearing unless you can back it up with documentation. Expect school personnel to flat out lie and for the SD to do everything in it's power to show it was doing a good job. If he is learning because you are teaching him then it will appear that they are in fact providing FAPE - when in fact they are not.</p><p></p><p>If you aren't familiar with the Wright's Law website, I suggest you check it out. It has some terrific articles about IEP meetings, how to prepare, what to do in particular situations.</p><p></p><p>That's all I can offer in the way of info/advice. You may want/need to ask for the IEP meeting to be continued so that the SD can do a new FBA and/or give you info on alternative classrooms/NPS's so you can go look at their programs.</p><p></p><p>Best wishes,</p><p></p><p>Patricia</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rlsnights, post: 409432, member: 7948"] Well, it sounds like you know what you think would be good. And you have a myriad of diagnoses to choose from to justify it. The classification/designation on the IEP is (at least in my experience) only important if a bureaucrat at the SD says it's important because they have LEA or Board of Ed rules that say you can't get X service unless you have Y classification. Which is, frankly, a bus full of pre-teen boys - i.e. full of gas. According to IDEA the IEP team can decide anything it darn well pleases and call it anything it wants to - as long as the team explains it's justification in the IEP document. Regarding the SMI designation - IDEA 2004 Part 300 / A / 300.8 / c / 7 says (7) Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness or mental retardation-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness. If the SD says they will only provide certain services if he has a certain classification and those are the services you want then make that the primary classification and choose a secondary classification if it seems helpful. However, the SMI classification would seem to supersede such artificial distinctions since it clearly says that such children cannot be accommodated in a program that is designed to address only one area of disability. So placing that child in an EBD classroom is not appropriate - according to IDEA. Has anyone done a FBA on your kiddo? Anyway, I think that if you don't have an FBA then you are shooting in the dark. You need an FBA so that the problem behaviors can be identified clearly, etc. If you already have an FBA and the school says they have implemented all of the interventions that came out of the most recent FBA perhaps there needs to be a new FBA done that addresses your child's reactions to these "new" interventions that the school says aren't working. I am wondering if getting an aide who can do the job you want done will be all that easy. It's one thing for you to know how to do what you do - it's another thing to find someone else with the common sense and skill to do it at school for a child they don't know well. Do you network with other parent's of autistic children in your area? What are they doing about schooling their older children? Are there any NPS (non-public school) in your area that are dedicated to teaching autistic children? Here in our large metropolitan area there are a number of them and many of the autistic kids who have more difficult social behaviors or challenges attend those schools - at least for a while. Of course, we have the MIND Institute here so there has been a huge growth in services geared toward autistic children since it was created. I have talked to a couple parents here whose children go to these schools. Because the whole school is geared to the special learning styles and challenges of typical autistic children, they offer an environment that a public school classroom may have trouble providing. Many visual cues, lots of explicit instruction in social cues and skills, sensory interventions that help teach the children to manage their own energy/reactions - campus wide. This is not something you will get on a public school campus. While I have generally had a negative experience with schools/classrooms that are dedicated to teaching children with similar disabilities, the experiences of these parents seem very positive. They all felt it was a very good move and one had been able to return her child successfully to a regular campus mainstreamed for part of the day and in a dedicated classroom for autistic children part of the day. Remember that the point of an IEP is supposedly to identify the child's needs and those needs dictate services/placement. It's not the other way around - which is the way most SD's prefer to do things. So your job is to help identify the needs and it's the SD's job to figure out how to meet those needs in the LRE. Personally I would stop re-teaching him the info at home. It makes him look more functional than he really is in the current placement. Or you need to carefully document the amount of time you are spending tutoring him at home. E-mails or other written notes to teachers are good. Having a communication journal that moves between school and home would be an excellent way to accomplish this since it would be clear that the teachers were receiving the info and could not claim ignorance on this topic. If you don't have one already, you might find it a useful tool for other reasons too. Another option is to hire an outside tutor so you can prove to the SD (and in due process should you go there) that he is not receiving FAPE under the current IEP. If you go to due process you would likely get reimbursed for these expenses if you are able to prove your case. Your word is worthless at a due process hearing unless you can back it up with documentation. Expect school personnel to flat out lie and for the SD to do everything in it's power to show it was doing a good job. If he is learning because you are teaching him then it will appear that they are in fact providing FAPE - when in fact they are not. If you aren't familiar with the Wright's Law website, I suggest you check it out. It has some terrific articles about IEP meetings, how to prepare, what to do in particular situations. That's all I can offer in the way of info/advice. You may want/need to ask for the IEP meeting to be continued so that the SD can do a new FBA and/or give you info on alternative classrooms/NPS's so you can go look at their programs. Best wishes, Patricia [/QUOTE]
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RAS evaluation is finally done and ???
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