Re: Help with IEP please (long I think)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/26/2002 1:36:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

Michdock@... writes:

> What we were told here was that the school doesn't

> have to provide inclusion. The school has to provide the Least Restrictive

> Environment..... LRE.

Exactly right. Inclusion is not in the law. We all need to learn the right

lingo when we are dealing with the professionals.

Cheryl in VA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/26/2002 9:36:13 AM Central Standard Time,

jls1995@... writes:

> es, she was in reg ed gym, music and library last year. They called it

> inclusion, but when I went and observed on several occasions, it definitely

> was NOT inclusion. It was more like, " lets keep the " special " kids away

> from the " typical " kids when we break them into smaller groups. "

> I addressed this at August's meeting as well. I got no response (as usual)

> when I asked the princepal what the policies and proceedures were

> regarding inclusion.

> Judi

>

> You will hear this over and over now lol its the law to have a General

> Ed

> teacher at your IEP meetings.

>

>

> If there is classtime or access to the regular curriculum.

> Cheryl in VA

HI

You know when I was reading the notes made during the last reauth, their

meaning of access to curriculum was not meant to be exclusive to the Reg Ed

room, it's the age appropriate curriculum (decided by each state) and not the

place. I found this interesting since I've never heard it defined this way

before but it does make sense. Think of how many preschool skills and tools

are used in Sped for 10 yr. olds.

Kathy mom to Sara 10

Kathy mom to Sara 10

[Guest guest]

Are you saying that they have a team which develops IEPs and they never interact

with your child? The law requires that they child's actual teacher and anyone

who attends the IEP be providing DIRECT services to the child. You can ask

anyone else to leave.

Elaine

Help with IEP please (long I think)

Okay.... here it is... I need help with Jordan's IEP meeting that's coming up

in about a month. I've been putting off asking because I thought I could do this

myself. But I have discovered certain things that have upset me deeply and

when I requested (and got) a meeting in August, I addressed those issues. I

have been ignored for the most part and put off by the school system. Here in

PA, we have what is called an I.U. or Intermediate Unit that oversees the

development of an IEP. They are part of the school system, but they are an

entirely different entity that they have their own teachers, therapists, etc.

to run.

My problem is that I've run into several issues over the summer having to do

with Jordan's IEP. The majority of the goals listed in the IEP are too broad.

The 4th quarter report also states that Jordan has mastered each and every one

of those so called goals. I don't see this and here's why; For one, every

aspect of methods of evaluation was done Subjectively, NOT objectively. When I

addressed this issue, I was put off and told that the way it was done, was " most

appropriate " for the learning environment in which Jordan was placed. " This

kind of evaluation was teacher biased in that the testing was teacher-made and

used the method of Charting and observation. The teacher did not spend a whole

lot of 1-on-1 time with Jordan last year so how do they know that she isn't just

guessing or getting lucky when she picks the correct choice? There were no

standard achievement tests done to figure out what the real progress was.

Another issue: Jordan missed over 70 days of school last year. If you break

it down, that's more than 3 months (out of 9) of instruction that she didn't

get. So once again, how is it that she's " mastered " all these " goals " when

she's missed out on therapies, 1-on-1, classroom instruction etc? This issue

seemed to lead into all the other issues that I had.

I also asked last year, for a PA for Jordan since the teacher could not give

enough one on one. I was denied this.

According to the IU, the children are placed into classes which reflect what

their abilities are. They are not supposed to be placed in classrooms where the

differences in each child with special needs are so varied that the special

education teacher cannot teach proper classroom instruction. Last year, Jordan

was put in a life skills class (the same one she's in this year). In that

class, there were three students that required TSS's One required a PA. That's

not what I have a problem with. What I have a problem with is that you could

definitely tell which kids did not need to be in that particular classroom.

However, they stuck them in there anyway. How is this geared towards an IEP and

a LRE? I need to know exactly what kind of questions I should be asking to

ensure that Jordan's IEP stays INDIVIDUALIZED and that her LRE won't be

jeopardized.

If I pushed for full inclusion, would this hurt or help Jordan? IF I got the

full inclusion, what steps are next, IOW what do we need to set in place to

insure that Jordan gets the PA, adaptations etc that she would need to be able

to learn in this class.

I need to push for more speech, and as always, when requested, it's been

denied that she get more. I am frustrated by this and don't know what to do

next. The ST insists on doing group activities, but if each child in the class

is not at or even close to the same level as other students the what does this

accomplish for MY child? She's not getting enough one on one in this area and I

strongly think she needs it but no one hears my requests for it.

I have mentioned these and other issues in the meeting held in August and I

don't think anyone is taking me seriously. I feel that a year of Jordan's

education has been wasted because no one is addressing the underlying issues. I

also think that because of the methods of evaluation that were used, the teacher

has a personal interest and is not working on behalf of Jordan's best interests

here. I think she just pushed Jordan along and doctored up her quarterly

reports to make it look like Jordan was indeed learning more than she actually

was. I'm really desperate to get an advocate here because I don't want any more

time wasted with this. Any help any one can give would be appreciated.

Jordan has a 15 page IEP and missed over 70 days of school last year. Over

the summer, the majority of the goals listed in the IEP, she could not perform

at home, so what was accomplished last year besides the school acting as a baby

sitter for my child during the day?

Judi