thinking of cutting back on SpEd services

[Guest guest]

Hi,

We are having a team meeting at my son's school next week to talk

about whether or not we should fine-tune my son's services. This

meeting was always planned since his IEP meeting last spring. We

agreed to have it because is mainstreaming for the first time

this year and we weren't completely sure what he would need in this

setting (he was in a contained classroom for kids with hearing loss

or language delays up until now). He is in 1st grade.

Apart from the FM not working, everything is going great! He has

made friends, his aide and teacher are awesome (the aide is a

certified teacher it turns out, and the teacher has worked as an

aide for a hearing impaired child before!), and he is making

excellent progress academically. His teacher is amazed how well he

is adjusting, aparently even better than some of the other kids in

the class. I am noticing that his speech is becoming even more

fluent (faster, less deliberate) I think as a result of being around

typical kids.

Here are the services gets:

-Speech therapy 2 times 30 min. a week

-Language with Teacher of the Deaf 3 times 45 minutes a week

-Full-time aide in the classroom (she makes sure he is not missing

stuff, and takes care of the FM, but also works with all the kids in

the room.)

-TOD meets with teacher and aide once a week to talk about

Here is my question: we are thinking of cutting back on his time

with the TOD from 3 to only 1 or 2 times a week. I always thought,

and even said at our IEP meeting last spring, that I didn't think he

needed as much time with the TOD. She was reluctant to cut back at

that point until she had time to work with him and know his needs

better. Well, the other day the TOD said to me that she thinks we

should cut back -- that it would be more beneficial for him to be

with his class instead of pulled out so much.

Would you do this? 's language skills are not far behind his

classmates, if at all. And I find pull-outs disruptive. I agree

that he should spend more time with his class. While they have

tried to schedule things so doesn't miss important stuff

(like reading), sometimes he does anyway, and the aide has to catch

him up one-on-one. I want to go ahead and say " Yes, let's cut

back " , but don't want to regret it later. The TOD assures me it

won't be a problem to add back more time with her in the later

grades if the language gets beyond him (I am hoping we don't have to

go there, but you never know.) She has been a very good advocate

for him. If it weren't for her, for example, we wouldn't have the

aide. Overall, our school has been very accomodating, and our

principal, who used to be a special ed teacher herself, is

knowledgable and helpful.

Another option would be for the TOD to instead spend time in the

class rather than pull him out. (Thus keep the weekly time with her

would be the same, just different.) If we did this, what does an in-

classroom TOD typically do? Observe?

Have any of you been in this situation and if so, what did you do or

what would you do?

Thanks,

Lydia

Mom of , first grade, cochlear implant user

and Colin, 5th grade, hearing

[Guest guest]

My advice would be, if your son is doing well, progressing in most

areas, than the services he has been receiving are the reason why.

It seems by your message, he is getting the appropriate support to

be successful in school. Don't forget, it is the beginning of the

school year, the expectations are going to become harder as the year

continues. I myself would not take away services at this time, not

only because of the reason I just mentioned, but it may be very hard

to get them back.

Just my thoughts.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/23/2004 3:35:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

mom24boyz@... writes:

My advice would be, if your son is doing well, progressing in most

areas, than the services he has been receiving are the reason why.

It seems by your message, he is getting the appropriate support to

be successful in school. Don't forget, it is the beginning of the

school year, the expectations are going to become harder as the year

continues. I myself would not take away services at this time, not

only because of the reason I just mentioned, but it may be very hard

to get them back.

Just my thoughts.

I whole heartedly agree with this! It is hard enough to prove they need

services, so to relinquish them before you kow what the expectations are for

the

new year seems a touch foolish.

Our son is doing as well as he is because of his services,. They brought up

reducing his services ONCE. I argued that he is suceeding because he is

appropriuately supported byu those services. And unless I am convinced that

suddcenly his needs have changed and he is no longer D/HOH, those services

would

remain in place.

We gave up the Spec Ed services for Ian after 6th grade because they were a

total and complete waste of his and the SpecEd teacher's time. Everyone,

especially our son and his TOD, thought that. But until I had the

recommendation

from the TOD that those services were not needed, I did not agree to drop

them. Instead I fought for the SpecEd people to do things in ways that would

support our son. Unfortunately our story is one where the SpecEd people were

uncooperative and ineffective. In places where they are good and work with the

child's needs in mind, they can be as invaluable as our TOD's services.

I would really really think hard about dropping any services until I was

convinced that my child's success was possbile without them.

Best -- jill

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/23/2004 3:35:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

mom24boyz@... writes:

My advice would be, if your son is doing well, progressing in most

areas, than the services he has been receiving are the reason why.

It seems by your message, he is getting the appropriate support to

be successful in school. Don't forget, it is the beginning of the

school year, the expectations are going to become harder as the year

continues. I myself would not take away services at this time, not

only because of the reason I just mentioned, but it may be very hard

to get them back.

Just my thoughts.

I whole heartedly agree with this! It is hard enough to prove they need

services, so to relinquish them before you kow what the expectations are for

the

new year seems a touch foolish.

Our son is doing as well as he is because of his services,. They brought up

reducing his services ONCE. I argued that he is suceeding because he is

appropriuately supported byu those services. And unless I am convinced that

suddcenly his needs have changed and he is no longer D/HOH, those services

would

remain in place.

We gave up the Spec Ed services for Ian after 6th grade because they were a

total and complete waste of his and the SpecEd teacher's time. Everyone,

especially our son and his TOD, thought that. But until I had the

recommendation

from the TOD that those services were not needed, I did not agree to drop

them. Instead I fought for the SpecEd people to do things in ways that would

support our son. Unfortunately our story is one where the SpecEd people were

uncooperative and ineffective. In places where they are good and work with the

child's needs in mind, they can be as invaluable as our TOD's services.

I would really really think hard about dropping any services until I was

convinced that my child's success was possbile without them.

Best -- jill

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/23/2004 3:35:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

mom24boyz@... writes:

My advice would be, if your son is doing well, progressing in most

areas, than the services he has been receiving are the reason why.

It seems by your message, he is getting the appropriate support to

be successful in school. Don't forget, it is the beginning of the

school year, the expectations are going to become harder as the year

continues. I myself would not take away services at this time, not

only because of the reason I just mentioned, but it may be very hard

to get them back.

Just my thoughts.

I whole heartedly agree with this! It is hard enough to prove they need

services, so to relinquish them before you kow what the expectations are for

the

new year seems a touch foolish.

Our son is doing as well as he is because of his services,. They brought up

reducing his services ONCE. I argued that he is suceeding because he is

appropriuately supported byu those services. And unless I am convinced that

suddcenly his needs have changed and he is no longer D/HOH, those services

would

remain in place.

We gave up the Spec Ed services for Ian after 6th grade because they were a

total and complete waste of his and the SpecEd teacher's time. Everyone,

especially our son and his TOD, thought that. But until I had the

recommendation

from the TOD that those services were not needed, I did not agree to drop

them. Instead I fought for the SpecEd people to do things in ways that would

support our son. Unfortunately our story is one where the SpecEd people were

uncooperative and ineffective. In places where they are good and work with the

child's needs in mind, they can be as invaluable as our TOD's services.

I would really really think hard about dropping any services until I was

convinced that my child's success was possbile without them.

Best -- jill