IEP questions

[Guest guest]

Hi. I've been reading the posts on IEPs over the past few weeks

and I have some questions. I have never been requested to sign

's IEP. The school district has had her IEP meeting twice and

I've never had to sign anything but an attendance sheet - it this

normal in New York?

At the IEP meeting, I handed the CPSE chairperson a letter

requesting certain additions to 's IEP - nothing I thought should

cause an issue - see my list below-please let me know if you think

anything is unreasonable or not worded well. The chairperson refused

to add any of it to the IEP - said she doesn't take lists from parents

and add them in. She said all the issues would be addressed, but she

wouldn't put them in writing. So far, we've been doing OK because

's teachers know I'm watching and will complain if they don't use

her equipment correctly, but I want to head off any future disasters.

Any advice on how to handle our next meeting which is next week?

1) Instructions on how FM system is to be worn (Karla XXXXXX can

provide explicit instructions on individual FM use and we can add

information once a bracket for the 2 FM system is contructed)

2) Instructions on how FM system is to be checked

3) Instructions on how FM system is to be maintained/charged

4) Required hardware for the classroom: listening stethoset, forced

air/earmold blower, battery tester and extra batteries(I am happy to

supply, and have already supplied, the extra batteries, but I would

like it stated in the IEP that they need to be there to insure I am

informed when the are depleted)

5) Retraining of entire staff working with once a year on

hearing aid and FM equipment

6) Retraining of entire staff working with once a year on issues

related to HI children.

7) An annual review of 's classroom by the educational

audiologist to determine what changes can be made to make the

classroom better acoustically

8) Speech and language goals as laid out on pages 20-25 in the e

evaluation.

9) We would like more frequent updates in writing and updated goals

every 2 months.(as catches up to her appropriate level, we can

widen this, but for now I believe this frequency is necessary)

10 )Communication between individual SLP and classroom staff should be

explicitly spelled out to ensure optimum communication and benefit for

Thanks for all your help - I learn so much from reading the posts

here.

Cheryl - mom to , 4 severe hearing loss and ,

2 hearing

[Guest guest]

In the IEP, there are goals and objectives for the child. It does not

include requirements of the school staff (training, communication logs, etc)

and this is an area many parents struggle with school districts. We want

them to have training. We want communication between school and home. I am

not sure how you will need to include your concerns and recommendations re:

school staff. Maybe in the section that includes the FM system can add

specific details of training necessary for optimization of the device.

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

In the IEP, there are goals and objectives for the child. It does not

include requirements of the school staff (training, communication logs, etc)

and this is an area many parents struggle with school districts. We want

them to have training. We want communication between school and home. I am

not sure how you will need to include your concerns and recommendations re:

school staff. Maybe in the section that includes the FM system can add

specific details of training necessary for optimization of the device.

Colin

_________________________________________________________________

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$1 million! http://local.msn.com/special/giveaway.asp

[Guest guest]

Hey Cheryl,

We're also in New York and honestly, I've never signed an IEP. When the IEP

was unacceptable, I refused to sign anything and made a bog issue fo that fact.

Once they had managed to get the IEP right, no one asked me to sigh anything.

I thought it was odd, but never made an isssue of it. At the conclusion of

our meetings, there was a spoken agreement that everything is acceptable. We

only had an acceptable IEP for 2 years before Ian was switched over to a 504

plan.

<<1) Instructions on how FM system is to be worn (Karla XXXXXX can

provide explicit instructions on individual FM use and we can add

information once a bracket for the 2 FM system is contructed)

2) Instructions on how FM system is to be checked>>

For items 1 and 2, I doubt that the school will include exact language or

specifically name Karla as the contact person. The school's arrangement is with

Hearing Works and Karla is an employee of theirs. (She also handles our son's

FMs, and we adore her.) The school will not list Hearing Works or Karla since

That would limit their services choices. They may chose to move their contaract

to another service provider for the maintainence/service.

Instead I would suggest using general wording referring to a specific person

at the school be designated as the contact person who is in charge of

maintainence and trouble shooting. In our IEP it is the TOD and the principal.

This

person is authorized by the district to send the FMs in for service and approve

those costs.

Specific instructions on how to trouble shoot the FM system would be based on

the specific system, so it is unlikely that detail instructions would be

included in the IEP. Instead, there should be a specific person designateed to

be

trained to trouble shoot the system and know when it needs to go in for

service. For us, that person is the TOD.

<<3) Instructions on how FM system is to be maintained/charged>>

Yes, someone should be deisgnated to handle this but the wording can/should

be somewhat general. Something like: " TOD/Principal is assigned the

responcibility to assure that the FM system is properly charged each evening and

that it

is in proper working order on a daily basis. "

<<4) Required hardware for the classroom: listening stethoset, forced

air/earmold blower, battery tester and extra batteries(I am happy to

supply, and have already supplied, the extra batteries, but I would

like it stated in the IEP that they need to be there to insure I am

informed when the are depleted)>>

This should be the responcilibity of the person designated to care for the

system. Listing the items is okay as well. We do not have those items listed. At

any given time there is a stethoscope, batteries, and an extra antenna or two

in the official FM box.

<<5) Retraining of entire staff working with once a year on

hearing aid and FM equipment

6) Retraining of entire staff working with once a year on issues

related to HI children.>>

These are combined into one item on Ian's IEP. There is a seminar (I guess

you'd call it that) Each fall at the beginning of the school year there is a

Superintendent's Conference Day. On that day, our TOD works with all of Ian's

classroom teachers in a seminar-type setting and gives them some classroom

strategies, as well as an understanding of Ian's needs. This annual training is

in

the IEP/504 plan.

<<7) An annual review of 's classroom by the educational

audiologist to determine what changes can be made to make the

classroom better acoustically>>

Yes, do include this just as described. Our school had some fancy name for

it, but it amounted to the TOD visiting and assessing the classrooms and Ian's

ability to function in the mainsteream setting. We also have a technological

assessment whenever we feel the need to review what assistive devices he has and

what he may need in the near future. (For instance, now that he is entering

high school, we have requested a laptop. He cannot look down to write/take

notes and SEE/HEAR at the same time.)

<<8) Speech and language goals as laid out on pages 20-25 in the e

evaluation.>>

Yes, but do not refer to the page, restate the specific goals and whatever

recopmmended evaluation is listed in that report.

<<9) We would like more frequent updates in writing and updated goals

every 2 months.(as catches up to her appropriate level, we can

widen this, but for now I believe this frequency is necessary)>>

Sounds good to me. Our updates were at the 3 month mark. We still go for sudi

exdams at the 3 month marks. Why 3 months? no clue, it's the number we chose.

<<10 )Communication between individual SLP and classroom staff should be

explicitly spelled out to ensure optimum communication and benefit for

>>

In Ian's IEP there is a specific amount of time allotted each week for the

TOD to interact and trouble-shoot with the classroom teachers. The time is

officially allotted in the IEP for TOD/teacher

interaction/planning/troubleshooting. Our TOD has worked out how it fits into

everyone's schedule, and she makes

sure to talk to each of Ian's teachers each week. At some point they tried to

set up a weekly meeting, but that didnt fit into everyone's scheule, so she

uses the time in a more creative fashion. Its purpose is to keep communication

open and positive, to enable everyone to address issues as they come up instead

of holding them all until some magic time when they would talk (half-way

through the marking period was the old method) By waiting, things would

deteriorate

before they could gbe addressed. By being open and addressing concerns as

they arise, things run much smoother.

Also listed in the IEP is the direction that the microphone is to be worn

correctly (with the kickstand up so he does not listen to rustling cloithes and

heartbeats). It is to be passed around during read-aloud times and placed near

to the speakers if movies or film strips are viewed in class. It also travels

to plays or events that take place off of school grounds.

It is wonderful on class trips because Ian does not have to be directly in

the teacher's view for her to call him back to the group or hear instructions

and this allows him to be more like the other kids -- free to roam around and

investigate the places they've gone. (But remember, he's in 8th grade so they

expect the kids to be more independent and responsible than an elementary age

child in places like museums.)

Best of luck!

-- Jill