Re: Need some upcoming ARD advice

[Guest guest]

Well at least they TOLD me they were bringing one!

Only thing I can think of why they did this is because we HAD come up with

evidence that the school district HAD NOT been doing the right thing for my son!

He had been in special ed for 5 YEARS and had never had an evaluation by the

school district - they were still going on the evaluation I had paid for 5 years

earlier! You can believe it they did EVERY evaluation out there on him! One of

the things I had asked for was a calculator - didn't get it UNTIL their

evaluation showed them exactly why I was requesting one (part of his learning

disability!) - and guess what? Now that he has a calculator he is really

blossoming in math!!

I was not intimidated by their lawyer being there - she really didn't say much

except when she felt she needed to - their lawyer and my advocate had a

'history' so they were not the friendliest to each other! I already had their

attention regarding my son - the special ed director had already said he was due

compensatory services based on what SHE saw (before she resigned and went back

to her old district) Plus another administrator had earlier in the year gone to

my son's school to set them straight on some things - She had told me what to

expect from her visit - I showed her what my son ended up with - not close to

what it was supposed to be!

I learned a lot from my advocate - and my son is getting what he needed and is

having a very good year!!

>

> Thanks, Hilda. This is good to know. I just know I would have mine there

> too if they ever did that. You are right. It really would escalate

> things.

>

> When I was in school we studied the meaning of freedom and what " right "

> means. We came up with, " Freedom means we are free only to do what is

> right. "

>

> I can see no other reason for a district to bring an attorney to an ARD

> other than that they:

>

> 1. Wish to intimidate parents

> 2. Have a great deal to hide

> 3. Wish to put their own needs above those of a child.

> 4. As a means of manipulation whereby hiring the attorney to acquire a less

> than appropriate IEP. They would have to believe paying the attorney is

> more cost effective (will save money) over not bringing one and having to

> provide an appropriate program.

>

> I can't see one spending money on an attorney for this purpose unless they

> believe it is cost effective in the long run.

>

> I was told that according to the law, if a parent does not wish to bring an

> attorney that a district could not bring one. Can you point me to the law

> that states they can do this so long as they inform a parent?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Haven

>

[Guest guest]

Really glad it worked out.  I'm curious as to the desire for use of  a calculator.  We had the opposite problem.  I didn't want my son to use one.  You might consider a soroban.  A soroban is visual, tactile, and will foster the development of critical thought processing.  If not now, then perhaps in the future, as you know your child best.  Sorobans have been used even with very small children.

With a calculator, my son could of course do the work but then when tested still ranked below the first percentile in actual, retained skills.A soroban can be purchased at Amazon if you wish to consider it.  though I realize at school, they tend to be in a hurry through lessons, so for that a calculator may be best.