Update-Out of District Placement

[jal]

Well, we visited the new school. I do believe it has a lot of what difficult child needs. He would be the youngest there which just kills me. But they do have positive reinforcement programs. They earn rewards and points and get to shop at the class store. They do student of the day and the month. They will test him academically to gauge where he is and begin working on his curriculm. They are not just behavioral based, but also academics is high priority. They use time-out at your desk or a time out room. They are all taught the proper restraint techniques if needed. They are using the Boystown method (which I need to research). They also receive group and individual therapy. This program is in a wing of a regular elem school so once they are safe they start to receive inclusion into the regular classes, lunch, etc. They also do music therapy.

My husband and I know that this really is our only hope, although we are just so sick about having to make this decision. husband feels the SD jumped too soon. He was pulled from his reg class on the 3rd day of school, in a way I do too, but yet what he did scared the kids, hurt a teacher and a para and was just not safe. I mean even as of yesterday he kicked his teacher and its just him an her in her office! I just feel that if we don't do this now we will lose him and then what will we have on our hands when he is a few years older, not to mention a teenager. I mean the attitude I get now at times is like that of a teenager. I am just sick to have to pull him from the kids and school he knows and pop him in a room with some kids that may be slightly worse off than he is, but I am not seeing any other choice.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

I'm sorry that I am not familiar with the history of your situation. Is this your son's first year at this school? If not, did he have issues like this last year? Why is your home school not able to offer him behaviorial services? Seems to me, and I don't know the offense, that pulling him out after three days and not offering any "local" solutions is a little quick. What are the Special Education resources offered/available at this home school?

In regards to the new school - is this a school that is part of the public school system or a private facility? Is the SD offering tuition reimbursement (if private) and transportation to the out of district school? I imagine you already had the hearing regarding his change of placement? Seems like things are moving a little quickly. But, having said all that, if you feel in your gut that this new school will be helpful to your son, the decision is made as long as the home district is providing transportation and such. Also, there needs to be a plan for his future needs, i.e., what happens if, in six months, he is without behavior incident and making academic progress? Can he return to his home school? Stuff like that.

Sorry I've added more questions. It's not easy, I know.

Sharon

 

[Sheila]

I am just sick to have to pull him from the kids and school he knows and pop him in a room with some kids that may be slightly worse off than he is, but I am not seeing any other choice.

Parenting shouldn't be so hard.

Give the program a chance. As he is stabilized and learns new skills, he can be transitioned back to mainstream.

 

[jal]

Hi Sharon,

My son has had issues since the age of 2. In a nut shell, he’s been through 4 daycares, on various medications, does not respond well to stims and was in the psychiatric hospital this past summer for 3 weeks. This is his second year at this school. He is in 1st grade. He had an IEP and a para last year. He currently has an IEP and a para. He is diagnosis’d with severe adhd and a mood disorder and they cannot rule out bipolar. Hehad issues last year and they are aware of his behavior, but on the 3rd day of school he flipped and bit and scratched his teacher and hit his para in the face. He scared the other kids so much 2 called their mom’s and didn’t want to go to after school daycare if he was going to be there.

Our school does not have self contained classrooms so there really is no Special Education for him. The only Special Education is helping kids who need extra help. The new school is part of the public school system. The program rents a wing in a main stream elementary school. Our school district is picking up the tuition and the transportation costs. The way that it works is if a child is safe and doing well in this program they begin to start inclusion in that mainstream elementary. If the child has a history of doing well, they recommend, based on the documentation that the child returns to his original school.

Sheila – you’re right, it should not be this hard!

 

[Sheila]

Our school does not have self contained classrooms

Just so you know, it doesn't matter what a sd has or doesn't have as a matter of practice.

IDEA says the IEP shall be designed to meet the unique needs of the child. It doesn't say pull the child from one pre-designed curriculum and place the child in another because it happens to be convenient.

IDEA says that if the sd cannot meet the unique needs of the child, they must contract with an entity that can, etc.

 

[jal]

They cannot meet his needs. They have tried extensively. They have admitted they cannot meet them and that is why we have all chosen to go this route. They have worked extremely well with us and have given us everything I believe they can. They even gave us a para to accompany him to summer daycare when he began acting out. I can honestly say I do not feel that they are "just getting rid of him" because everyone seems to love him there, but he does need more than they can really give him.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

jal,

I mentioned the "gut" factor in my previous post and you seem to have answered that question. Your feeling that the school is actually trying to help your son, and likes him as well, is great. The fact that they have accomodated the para needs is a good sign as well.

I say give this new program a try. It could be really good for your boy to get both his academic needs met, but the all important social and behavioral stuff as well. You may see an improvement in his behavior in an atmosphere that specializes in these issues. Giving our kids the tools for future success is the best we can do!

Good luck and keep us posted over on general as to how things are going.

Sharon