Thinking of Public school next year???

totoro

Mom? What's a difficult child?
Hi-
I am trying to get my head and act together... We are still unsure if we are placing difficult child in public school for Kindergarten next year or not, I think we are leaning towareds yes... so I have been trying to get the paperwork in place.

I am coming up on registration!!! In about a month... and I am wondering about the IEP/504, should I send a certified letter for a Special Education evaluation, prior to this. Or do I enroll her first? Should I just send all of the paperwork together? Certified... I am wondering how to word that letter? The example I saw was one concerning academic/behavior problems at school, she has not experienced that yet.

My other concern is that she has been at a pre-school but has had no problems, it is a very unstructured loose environment... A Waldorf Program. Could this make it harder forus to obtain a fair IEP/504? Also when does the IEP/504 usually get done?

We have had a Nuero-psychiatric evaluation and a psychiatrist evaluation. among others.


Thanks sorry this is all very new... I read back in the archives and could not find an answer, I did find lots of answers to the BiPolar (BP) questions... sounds like it is going to be a struggle!!!
Thanks
 

Sheila

Moderator
Via the Child Find requirements of IDEA, the school district is obligated to "find" and evaluate children suspected of having a disability. You'd be wise in my opinion to go ahead and refer her via letter for an evaluation. If nothing else, you'll have a base line for the coming years.

I don't really know anything about the Waldorf program, but I do know that transitions of any kind can be difficult for our kids.

The sd has 60 days to perform evaluations. After the evaluation is done and the report written, an IEP eligibility meeting is held. If she is deemed "eligible" for an IEP, the IEP is written at that time.
 

Martie

Moderator
I agree with Sheila. Your difficult child has all these diagnosis's and those alone justify the "suspicion" of a disability. Most SDs screen 3 and 4 year olds to help parents decide about holding back kids with late birthdays or not and to fulfill their CHILD FIND legal obligations.

Do NOT say difficult child is having no problems--indicate only that you have conerns about learning and social development that they will be evaluating her in a medicated state--that alone will get their attention. They cannot require medications for school attendance, and in my experience, tend to pay attention to kids who enter school on three medications, especially when Early Onset Bi-Polar (EOBP) is a concern.

It is better to be prepared than to have a mess next fall. Send the letter CERTIFIED--the 60 day timeline will start.

Martie
 

totoro

Mom? What's a difficult child?
Thanks that answers a lot... we are still deciding if we are staying or moving... ugh. But this helps.
 

SRL

Active Member
totoro, I think the advice to move forward with the evaluation is sound. We've seen families here whose public school situation has drastically changed in one year's time (teacher change, philosophical change, new less supportive principal, finances, etc). An evaluation already in place gives the parent much more leeway to move quickly should the need arise.
 

Martie

Moderator
What SRL said is especially true if you are moving within state. Changes to the 2004 law obligate an in-state SD to follow the prior district's IEP. OUT of state districts are not so obligated, but time-lines apply.

The rationale is that states set standards, so they should apply to all SD in the state. Out of state, there might be different standards, so a new evaluation. MAY be completed or the receiving out of state SD can accept the prior evaluation. as their own.

Martie
 
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