Re: Autism supplement in IEP paperwork

[Guest guest]

Well, if it's in his IEP since 1st grade he's been eligible for it

since then. Of course they won't explain it to you b/c they would

like to avoid spending the extra money on him. BUT he is totally

eligible for ALL of it, you just need to push very hard to get it.

I would urge you to IMMEDIATELY contact the ARC or some other

special needs advocacy group in your area and call an ARD right away

to address all of the services your son should be getting.

In home training, ESY, additional programming, behavioral

objectives, ect ect...all of things are things my son already has

addressed and guaranteed in his IEP and he's only 3 1/2 now. He

became eligible for all of it once he was diagnosed as ASD by the

district.

Remember you ARE eligible for all of these services, but they will

try to tell you you don't need them, so you will need to push them--

sometimes ALOT to get it. They certainly don't offer it to you on a

platter, hoping you won't notice that part of his IEP.

Hope that's helpful.

>

> How exactly does this come into play? It has been part of our IEP

> since 1st grade --- but no one has ever explained it to me.

(we're

> in 4th grade now)

>

> I was told yesterday that the school should be going through each

of

> the 7 items and explaining them fully at the annual review meeting.

>

> No one has ever done this. I had no idea what in-home training

was

> until a psych told us we were eligible for it and asked why we

> weren't receiving it. When I went to the school and asked, they

> said it was designed for more " severely handicapped " kids. It

would

> teach them how to brush their teeth and dress independently. I

have

> since found out it is much more than that, and we are now having

it

> implemented.

>

> I had no idea that ESY existed or what it was - until ds's teacher

> last year went to bat for him and got him in social skills for 1/2

> days all summer.

>

> Now, since it is an autism supplement, if ds is dx and is

receiving

> services under autism -- are these things we should be

automatically

> receiving if we request it? Or, do you still have to go through

an

> evaluation process and they can turn down the need for the service?

>

[Guest guest]

the more I read about all these things the school districts should do and do not

do - the more I am furious as I go through our ARD. We keep telling each other

that we need to be informed ourselves, and I agree with this, but how do we get

the information we need?? For example, beyond s law - how do we find out

that In-home training can mean so much more than learning to dress??? Or, that

if the circumstances are right, we should ask for a playground companion (adult

and trained of course) to help make inclusion time meaningful??? There are

sooooo many wonderful and creative options out there --- but how do we know -

specifically - what to ask for?? I just learned of a family that are getting

drum lessons paid for??? How do you make things like this happen?? I do not

want to take advantage of the system, ask for things my child does not need and,

I mean to no way imply that any of the above would be doing that, but I do want

to know how to best make use of the

system. I have gone to lecture after lecture, but I guess I need a list of

creative things to ask for - does anyone have that??? Someone mentioned

" additional programming " - what does that really mean???

I am sorry if I sound angry and anxious, I guess I am - but this is in no way

directed at anyone here - just the schools who should be making our lives and

the lives of our children easier, not more difficult....

hardyh wrote:

Well, if it's in his IEP since 1st grade he's been eligible for it

since then. Of course they won't explain it to you b/c they would

like to avoid spending the extra money on him. BUT he is totally

eligible for ALL of it, you just need to push very hard to get it.

I would urge you to IMMEDIATELY contact the ARC or some other

special needs advocacy group in your area and call an ARD right away

to address all of the services your son should be getting.

In home training, ESY, additional programming, behavioral

objectives, ect ect...all of things are things my son already has

addressed and guaranteed in his IEP and he's only 3 1/2 now. He

became eligible for all of it once he was diagnosed as ASD by the

district.

Remember you ARE eligible for all of these services, but they will

try to tell you you don't need them, so you will need to push them--

sometimes ALOT to get it. They certainly don't offer it to you on a

platter, hoping you won't notice that part of his IEP.

Hope that's helpful.

>

> How exactly does this come into play? It has been part of our IEP

> since 1st grade --- but no one has ever explained it to me.

(we're

> in 4th grade now)

>

> I was told yesterday that the school should be going through each

of

> the 7 items and explaining them fully at the annual review meeting.

>

> No one has ever done this. I had no idea what in-home training

was

> until a psych told us we were eligible for it and asked why we

> weren't receiving it. When I went to the school and asked, they

> said it was designed for more " severely handicapped " kids. It

would

> teach them how to brush their teeth and dress independently. I

have

> since found out it is much more than that, and we are now having

it

> implemented.

>

> I had no idea that ESY existed or what it was - until ds's teacher

> last year went to bat for him and got him in social skills for 1/2

> days all summer.

>

> Now, since it is an autism supplement, if ds is dx and is

receiving

> services under autism -- are these things we should be

automatically

> receiving if we request it? Or, do you still have to go through

an

> evaluation process and they can turn down the need for the service?

>

[Guest guest]

Mara - don't apologize for how you might be coming across - anger can be

a good emotion if it drives us all to seek better for our kids. I know

we don't want to release that anger on the people who are working with

our children though.

I find myself in a curious predicament - because of personal

circumstances, I am now working in the special ed department. I'm a TA

in a high school. There are times that I feel like a spy. I was a

substitute TA most of last year - I went where others were afraid to go.

I was in all the schools - elementary, jr high and high school. What I

observed was NOT encouraging. I will say, that the teachers are as a

whole, very dedicated to their jobs and children. But they can only do

what the administration will let them do. My ASD daughter was totally

homeschooled and she would not be where she is now if I had depended on

the public school! BUT I have two ASD boys in public school. One in

elementary and one in jr high. I really grieve over some of the kids I

see in high school and KNOW that some of these kids would be further

along if the correct teaching techniques had been used along the way.

I know there are ways that would reach these kids, and they aren't hard

or expensive. But we have to get the administration to stop playing

" The Emperor's New Clothes " - that's what I have come to call it - let's

ALL pretend that this is all working and that we don't have anything

better to offer. And if we all have smiles on our faces and go along

with the charade, we can convince ourselves that we are doing the best -

it's just that we are dealing with kids who just can't learn!! They can

say that the kids are getting speech therapy, but can anyone really

believe that 30 minutes every two weeks - and this is 30 minutes spent

with the WHOLE class of 8-10 - is really benefiting anyone? I had

started methyl-B-12 injections last year - didn't tell anyone - I was at

a parent meeting/seminar and was talking to my son's speech therapist

and asked her if she noticed a difference - she said yes!! and then I

told her what I was doing - silence!! One of my son's IEP goals was to

speak in complete 5-7 word sentences - in ONE six weeks (when I started

the B-12) he jumped 25% going from 75% to 100% of the time. But the

school doesn't want to acknowledge it could be what I'M doing - it has

to be what THEY are doing.

I don't know how long I can last and still pretend that this all works.

I've had teachers tell me that I have so much to offer but where? If no

one listens to what has worked for my kids, who benefits?

> >

> > How exactly does this come into play? It has been part of our IEP

> > since 1st grade --- but no one has ever explained it to me.

> (we're

> > in 4th grade now)

> >

> > I was told yesterday that the school should be going through each

> of

> > the 7 items and explaining them fully at the annual review meeting.

> >

> > No one has ever done this. I had no idea what in-home training

> was

> > until a psych told us we were eligible for it and asked why we

> > weren't receiving it. When I went to the school and asked, they

> > said it was designed for more " severely handicapped " kids. It

> would

> > teach them how to brush their teeth and dress independently. I

> have

> > since found out it is much more than that, and we are now having

> it

> > implemented.

> >

> > I had no idea that ESY existed or what it was - until ds's teacher

> > last year went to bat for him and got him in social skills for 1/2

> > days all summer.

> >

> > Now, since it is an autism supplement, if ds is dx and is

> receiving

> > services under autism -- are these things we should be

> automatically

> > receiving if we request it? Or, do you still have to go through

> an

> > evaluation process and they can turn down the need for the service?

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm really getting fired up right now --- the problem is that fire

is staying in my " head " , and I'm still coming across as very timid

and unsure of what we're doing. Make sense?

I have sat back way too long in all of this. I kept reassuring

myself that the school knows what they're doing and what will or

will not benefit my son. I have had so much difficulty navigating

not just the school, but the medical side of things too. We've

gotten no support from anyone!

I have spent so much time this summer second guessing everything

where it concerns my ds. If I propose that he needs this at school -

- am I going overboard? Am I missing something else that will help

him?

My son has pdd-nos, xyy syndrome, SID, and kidney disease. To date,

he has been in a co-teach classroom, and is pulled out for speech

therapy twice a week. That is all we have received for the most

part. He did receive ESY this summer for the first time.

I am in the middle of a huge battle getting my son's sensory needs

addressed. I broke down in tears at our ARD meeting the other day

and felt like a complete fool.

Last year was great. I felt like we had an awesome team. This

year, we're reverting to a different administrative and speech

team. One I had quite a bit of difficulty with in first grade.

I was told a lot of things at our ARD meeting that I have found out

in the last couple of days were wrong. I was told I did not have a

right to an IEE for OT. We've already had one and I wanted to

provide the report - I was told no. I was also told I could not

leave the room at the end of the meeting until I signed agree or

disagree.

I fully recognize now that I need to attend an ARD/IEP training. I

am getting so frustrated that I just want to throw up my hands and

let them do what they will or will not do.

> > >

> > > How exactly does this come into play? It has been part of our

IEP

> > > since 1st grade --- but no one has ever explained it to me.

> > (we're

> > > in 4th grade now)

> > >

> > > I was told yesterday that the school should be going through

each

> > of

> > > the 7 items and explaining them fully at the annual review

meeting.

> > >

> > > No one has ever done this. I had no idea what in-home training

> > was

> > > until a psych told us we were eligible for it and asked why we

> > > weren't receiving it. When I went to the school and asked, they

> > > said it was designed for more " severely handicapped " kids. It

> > would

> > > teach them how to brush their teeth and dress independently. I

> > have

> > > since found out it is much more than that, and we are now

having

> > it

> > > implemented.

> > >

> > > I had no idea that ESY existed or what it was - until ds's

teacher

> > > last year went to bat for him and got him in social skills for

1/2

> > > days all summer.

> > >

> > > Now, since it is an autism supplement, if ds is dx and is

> > receiving

> > > services under autism -- are these things we should be

> > automatically

> > > receiving if we request it? Or, do you still have to go through

> > an

> > > evaluation process and they can turn down the need for the

service?

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately the majority of the schools make each parent fight for almost

everything. The use confidentiality to keep the parents from meeting each

other and learning what services the other parents are getting.

There is no definition for any of those terms in the supplement. They are

completely open to what YOU think they are and can fight for at the ARD

meeting. When they give you grief, ask them to show you the TEA written

definition, because there isn't any and they know it. That means as long as

you can make a good argument for it, you should be able to get that under

the supplement.

I have heard in-hom training being used to teach child to behave at the

grocery store, have the teacher supervise a play date at home to generalize

social skills learned at school, to work on the IEP goals that a child is

reputed to be able to do at school but still not doing at home. . . . . .

Call around. Find an advocate, there are several on this list.

Re: Re: Autism supplement in IEP

paperwork

the more I read about all these things the school districts should do and do

not do - the more I am furious as I go through our ARD. We keep telling

each other that we need to be informed ourselves, and I agree with this, but

how do we get the information we need?? For example, beyond s law -

how do we find out that In-home training can mean so much more than learning

to dress??? Or, that if the circumstances are right, we should ask for a

playground companion (adult and trained of course) to help make inclusion

time meaningful??? There are sooooo many wonderful and creative options out

there --- but how do we know - specifically - what to ask for?? I just

learned of a family that are getting drum lessons paid for??? How do you

make things like this happen?? I do not want to take advantage of the

system, ask for things my child does not need and, I mean to no way imply

that any of the above would be doing that, but I do want to know how to best

make use of the

system. I have gone to lecture after lecture, but I guess I need a list

of creative things to ask for - does anyone have that??? Someone mentioned

" additional programming " - what does that really mean???

I am sorry if I sound angry and anxious, I guess I am - but this is in no

way directed at anyone here - just the schools who should be making our

lives and the lives of our children easier, not more difficult....

hardyh wrote:

Well, if it's in his IEP since 1st grade he's been eligible for it

since then. Of course they won't explain it to you b/c they would

like to avoid spending the extra money on him. BUT he is totally

eligible for ALL of it, you just need to push very hard to get it.

I would urge you to IMMEDIATELY contact the ARC or some other

special needs advocacy group in your area and call an ARD right away

to address all of the services your son should be getting.

In home training, ESY, additional programming, behavioral

objectives, ect ect...all of things are things my son already has

addressed and guaranteed in his IEP and he's only 3 1/2 now. He

became eligible for all of it once he was diagnosed as ASD by the

district.

Remember you ARE eligible for all of these services, but they will

try to tell you you don't need them, so you will need to push them--

sometimes ALOT to get it. They certainly don't offer it to you on a

platter, hoping you won't notice that part of his IEP.

Hope that's helpful.

>

> How exactly does this come into play? It has been part of our IEP

> since 1st grade --- but no one has ever explained it to me.

(we're

> in 4th grade now)

>

> I was told yesterday that the school should be going through each

of

> the 7 items and explaining them fully at the annual review meeting.

>

> No one has ever done this. I had no idea what in-home training

was

> until a psych told us we were eligible for it and asked why we

> weren't receiving it. When I went to the school and asked, they

> said it was designed for more " severely handicapped " kids. It

would

> teach them how to brush their teeth and dress independently. I

have

> since found out it is much more than that, and we are now having

it

> implemented.

>

> I had no idea that ESY existed or what it was - until ds's teacher

> last year went to bat for him and got him in social skills for 1/2

> days all summer.

>

> Now, since it is an autism supplement, if ds is dx and is

receiving

> services under autism -- are these things we should be

automatically

> receiving if we request it? Or, do you still have to go through

an

> evaluation process and they can turn down the need for the service?

>

[Guest guest]

Along those lines, has anyone heard anything more about the TEA Best

Practices manual? I've not heard a peep!

Tonya

Re: Re: Autism supplement in IEP

paperwork

the more I read about all these things the school districts should do

and do

not do - the more I am furious as I go through our ARD. We keep telling

each other that we need to be informed ourselves, and I agree with this,

but

how do we get the information we need?? For example, beyond s law

-

how do we find out that In-home training can mean so much more than

learning

to dress??? Or, that if the circumstances are right, we should ask for

a

playground companion (adult and trained of course) to help make

inclusion

time meaningful??? There are sooooo many wonderful and creative options

out

there --- but how do we know - specifically - what to ask for?? I just

learned of a family that are getting drum lessons paid for??? How do

you

make things like this happen?? I do not want to take advantage of the

system, ask for things my child does not need and, I mean to no way

imply

that any of the above would be doing that, but I do want to know how to

best

make use of the

system. I have gone to lecture after lecture, but I guess I need a

list

of creative things to ask for - does anyone have that??? Someone

mentioned

" additional programming " - what does that really mean???

I am sorry if I sound angry and anxious, I guess I am - but this is in

no

way directed at anyone here - just the schools who should be making our

lives and the lives of our children easier, not more difficult....

hardyh wrote:

Well, if it's in his IEP since 1st grade he's been eligible

for it

since then. Of course they won't explain it to you b/c they would

like to avoid spending the extra money on him. BUT he is totally

eligible for ALL of it, you just need to push very hard to get it.

I would urge you to IMMEDIATELY contact the ARC or some other

special needs advocacy group in your area and call an ARD right away

to address all of the services your son should be getting.

In home training, ESY, additional programming, behavioral

objectives, ect ect...all of things are things my son already has

addressed and guaranteed in his IEP and he's only 3 1/2 now. He

became eligible for all of it once he was diagnosed as ASD by the

district.

Remember you ARE eligible for all of these services, but they will

try to tell you you don't need them, so you will need to push them--

sometimes ALOT to get it. They certainly don't offer it to you on a

platter, hoping you won't notice that part of his IEP.

Hope that's helpful.

>

> How exactly does this come into play? It has been part of our IEP

> since 1st grade --- but no one has ever explained it to me.

(we're

> in 4th grade now)

>

> I was told yesterday that the school should be going through each

of

> the 7 items and explaining them fully at the annual review meeting.

>

> No one has ever done this. I had no idea what in-home training

was

> until a psych told us we were eligible for it and asked why we

> weren't receiving it. When I went to the school and asked, they

> said it was designed for more " severely handicapped " kids. It

would

> teach them how to brush their teeth and dress independently. I

have

> since found out it is much more than that, and we are now having

it

> implemented.

>

> I had no idea that ESY existed or what it was - until ds's teacher

> last year went to bat for him and got him in social skills for 1/2

> days all summer.

>

> Now, since it is an autism supplement, if ds is dx and is

receiving

> services under autism -- are these things we should be

automatically

> receiving if we request it? Or, do you still have to go through

an

> evaluation process and they can turn down the need for the service?

>

[Guest guest]

,

Where do you live?

You need to attend a GOOD ARD training session (one that lasts at least a

half a day) presented by someone who lives in and is familiar with the Texas

system. s Law is great, but they don't really handle the

Texas-specific issues the way someone who lives and works here can.

Does anyone know of any upcoming trainings on the ARD process in Texas?

Would someone like to sponsor one?

nna

" You must, above all, believe in yourself, face your goals, and then fight

as if your life depended on it. "

[Guest guest]

No, the school district probably won't tell you what services you are

eligible for. TEA has a 800 number that advocates for the parents.

Sometimes just letting the ARD committee know that you are involving TEA

makes them listen. TEA can also confirm what services that you are eligible

for. Also, taping the meeting can be helpful. My son received In-Home

Training for a variety of things. We had social play groups organized by

the trainer, she helped me with a Power Point presentation for taking him to

the dentist, turn taking playing games, ect. It is MUCH more than brushing

teeth and dressing, although that too is covered. TEA has a division that

is just for the parents. They advocate for you. Also, it is helpful to get

the name of the person you are talking too. It helped in my case because

the principal knew the name and knew I really had talked with them. Hope

this helps.

_________________________________________________________________

Call friends with PC-to-PC calling -- FREE

http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us & source=wlmai\

ltagline

[Guest guest]

We could add some breakouts on this to our conference if enough people

are interested. Drop me a note off-list so we don't fill everyone's

mailboxes.

Tonya

thettler@...

or

thettler@...

Re: Autism supplement in IEP paperwork

,

Where do you live?

You need to attend a GOOD ARD training session (one that lasts at least

a

half a day) presented by someone who lives in and is familiar with the

Texas

system. s Law is great, but they don't really handle the

Texas-specific issues the way someone who lives and works here can.

Does anyone know of any upcoming trainings on the ARD process in Texas?

Would someone like to sponsor one?

nna

" You must, above all, believe in yourself, face your goals, and then

fight

as if your life depended on it. "

Texas Autism Advocacy

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

Texas Disability Network

Calendar of Events

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

[Guest guest]

IF anyone knows of ARD training in the Austin area Im certainly interested.

Sincerely

Debby

Re: Autism supplement in IEP paperwork

,

Where do you live?

You need to attend a GOOD ARD training session (one that lasts at least

a

half a day) presented by someone who lives in and is familiar with the

Texas

system. s Law is great, but they don't really handle the

Texas-specific issues the way someone who lives and works here can.

Does anyone know of any upcoming trainings on the ARD process in Texas?

Would someone like to sponsor one?

nna

" You must, above all, believe in yourself, face your goals, and then

fight

as if your life depended on it. "

Texas Autism Advocacy

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

Texas Disability Network

Calendar of Events

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org