Should I really be as upset about this as I am?

Chaosuncontained

New Member
I really feel...put off.

Carson's evaluations for IEP are supposed to be done by 11/11. They haven't done anything. He hasn't been pulled from class. No one has sat in on his classes for observation.

I filled out paperwork with the lady from Special Education for my county on 9/11. She gave me a card that had the date 11/11 as the "due date" to have the testing done. Two weeks ago I emailed her and let her know about several incidents in school that were aggressive and resulted in OCS days. She emailed me back thanking me for the info and telling me she was forwarding the info to the Psycologist that would be evaluating Carson as well. She also told me that her part of the testing would be done the following week. Umm, didn't happen.

Last week I emailed both the Diagnostician and the Psycologist regarding his Progress Report grades. Haven't heard anything.

I have worksheets and other papers with grades on them... but when will I get an opportunity to show them? His teachers used to email me almost daily--now they aren't at all. Maybe they have been told not to? No big deal. I have every other one printed off.

Why do I feel like the County Special Education people are dragging their heels? And that the school isn't helping with gathering info to help him? I would think they would WANT him to get what he needs, to be in class, making good grades. The only time I hear about things happening at school are when the Principal calls me and lets me know he is being given OCS days again. Or when Carson TELLS me he got in trouble and what it was for. Oh, in the month of October, Carson spent 7 days in OCS.

All of this is so stressful.
 

buddy

New Member
Do you think that if the principal (can't remember your relationship with him...) would make a call on difficult child's behalf? If not him, the special education coordinator for the district should have some pull. doesn't look good for employment reviews to have people calling and complaining from that high up.... Just a thought. I'm sorry, they should be in the final phases, typing up stuff etc. Sad thing is the beginning of the year is usually a lower time for evaluations, they probably could easily have found time. I'm guessing since I dont know them, but that is the trend.
 

Chaosuncontained

New Member
The Principal and I despise each other. He despises me because Carson causes so much trouble for the school (he's had to have several conversations with the parents of other children that Carson has been aggressive with) and the Principal thinks that all Carson needs is a belt applied to his butt. And I am a bad parent. You know the type. I despise him because he can't or won't even entertain the idea that Carson is not well. That a lot of his behavior isn't his fault.

Another thing that really bothers me is the lady from Special Education (who does the IQ and Achievment part of the evaluations) ASSURED me that there would be "no problem meeting that 11/11 due date". Uh huh. Riiiight!
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Sadly it doesn't seem unusual for most of this stuff to get done at practically the last minute. Which is silly since it leaves less time for everyone to come up with ideas to help.
 
T

TeDo

Guest
Why is the county SpEd doing the IEP assessments and not the school dostrict? Guess I am a little confused there. Under IDEA, the school district has only so much time to do the evaluations or they are in violation of Federal Law. Not sure how that works when they aren't the ones doing the evaluations. I, personally, would be upset and wait patiently for the 11th while secretly arming myself with every piece of paper I can find/get from every professional that has ever worked with him outside the school that justifies his need for SpEd services, what kind of help he needs, and explanations that his actions/behaviors are caused by his disability. I had to deal with an admin like that and that is exactly what I did. I went in with binders full of reports and recommendations from every professional stating what I knew so no matter what their reports said, I had paper from people who KNEW difficult child 1 to throw back at them. Eventually, I got everything I wanted.

When Buddy is done with my spare armor, I'll have her send it on to you!! LOL
 

buddy

New Member
Why is the county SpEd doing the IEP assessments and not the school dostrict? Guess I am a little confused there. Under IDEA, the school district has only so much time to do the evaluations or they are in violation of Federal Law. Not sure how that works when they aren't the ones doing the evaluations. I, personally, would be upset and wait patiently for the 11th while secretly arming myself with every piece of paper I can find/get from every professional that has ever worked with him outside the school that justifies his need for SpEd services, what kind of help he needs, and explanations that his actions/behaviors are caused by his disability. I had to deal with an admin like that and that is exactly what I did. I went in with binders full of reports and recommendations from every professional stating what I knew so no matter what their reports said, I had paper from people who KNEW difficult child 1 to throw back at them. Eventually, I got everything I wanted.

When Buddy is done with my spare armor, I'll have her send it on to you!! LOL

Around here we have county co-ops that do assessment especially in lower incidence or remote areas. Not in our big districts, but I remember interviewing for one of them many years ago. Same rules, regs. etc.
 

seriously

New Member
Their failure to meet the deadline is what is called a procedural violation at this point. That is a different kind of violation than a due process one.

You could consider contacting your State Department of Education and ask them about filing a procedural violation complaint against the agency involved.

You could also contact the County's head of the branch responsible for doing the assessment - might be Mental Health or Dept of Ed - with a letter hand-delivered, mailed or faxed (or all three) providing a copy of the document you have showing you were given an 11/11 date for completion of testing along with copies of your e-mail correspondence to show you have done due diligence. Then ask him/her - when is the assessment actually going to be done?

I would include the information that your son has now received X number of suspension days our of X number of school days for aggression toward other children. This behavior is due to the manifestation of his disability and you are very concerned that there may be a safety issue with his continuing in his current placement (if you believe that this is the case). You should probably say what you mean by that - for example, you believe that, due to his multiple psychiatric diagnoses, he is very likely to continue to be aggressive toward other children, putting everyone at risk for serious injury.

The use of the word manifestation is important because, if he is determined eligible for Special Education, then further suspensions at that level should trigger a manifestation hearing to determine whether there should be a reconsideration of his placement or not.

And stating that you feel it is a safety issue *should* get you an immediate response, possibly even a threat assessment by the psychologist depending on the nature of the safety issue. Schools here are much more sensitive to that kind of assertion than they were before the big school shootings. Since it's hard to say what they will do if you allege a safety concern you may want to be careful how you phrase that unless you truly are concerned about a serious injury happening.

You should probably cc your contact at the county and the principal or anyone else you think needs to know.
 

JJJ

Active Member
The testing really can be done in just a couple of days.

Have they started yet? They could get it all done this week. Maybe a gentler reminder (eg. "I know that difficult child's testing will be done by Friday. May I please get a copy of the results as soon as you have them available so that I can read them and get my questions organized for our meeting.)
 

buddy

New Member
Why is the county SpEd doing the IEP assessments and not the school dostrict? Guess I am a little confused there. Under IDEA, the school district has only so much time to do the evaluations or they are in violation of Federal Law. Not sure how that works when they aren't the ones doing the evaluations. I, personally, would be upset and wait patiently for the 11th while secretly arming myself with every piece of paper I can find/get from every professional that has ever worked with him outside the school that justifies his need for SpEd services, what kind of help he needs, and explanations that his actions/behaviors are caused by his disability. I had to deal with an admin like that and that is exactly what I did. I went in with binders full of reports and recommendations from every professional stating what I knew so no matter what their reports said, I had paper from people who KNEW difficult child 1 to throw back at them. Eventually, I got everything I wanted.

When Buddy is done with my spare armor, I'll have her send it on to you!! LOL

It is getting a little worn out... may I pls still use it to see how this school thing plays out? (that was the original issue, sigh feels like a million years ago and miles from what is important now!)
 

Chaosuncontained

New Member
On Friday, Carson told me that he had to leave class and talk to "two ladies". He could not remember any of the questions he was asked. He also brought home a booklet titled "Psycological Assesment". It had over 80+ questions You know, just like the other 2 "Never, Sometimes, Often" questionaires I've done. So SOMETHING is going on...

Today he brought home a little toy "gone fishing" game. I asked him where he got it. He said "the lady who talked to me today did. I got it because I answered all the questions on the test she gave me".

I live in a town with a number on the population sign of about 400. We actually share a school with another small, tiny, bass ackwards town. Actually PreK thru 12th grade are ALL on the same plot of land, share the same parking lot. These two towns ARE the school district. Carson was in another school district in 2nd grade. He burned sooo many bridges at that school that my ex husband (who I share custody with), asked me to take him FULL time (his 2 siblings are still 50/50). We were happy here. The school is small, the class numbers small, a more "family oriented school".

The teachers are great for the most part. The school is not. They (per my two step daughters) do not even HAVE a Special Education classroom/teacher. Can't wait to see who comes to the IEP meeting. The Principal is living in 1969. The counselor is under his spell. Remember, they did NOT want me even asking for an IEP--they BARELY followed the 504 plan.


In Texas, we like to say that these people are "ate up with the dumb a**". I can't wait to see how this plays out.
 

JJJ

Active Member
In small rural towns, they often are part of a county cooperative. It is the co-op staff that usually does the testing and determination for IEP services. This could be a good thing as it pushes principal out of the mix. Good luck!
 

Chaosuncontained

New Member
JJJ,

All of the testing here is done by our "**** County Special Education". I have only spoken with the Educational Diagnostician. She said she would do the IQ and Achievement tests and that the Psycologist would do the others. I was under the impression that the Dr would be observing him in class, also.

Yesterday the Diagnostician did one of her tests--I know only because Carson brought home a toy she gave him. And she has a weird name and he remembered that the ladies name was "weird". hahaha
 
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