Re: Very upset by school letter, how do I fight back?

April 29, 2004

I'll let you know on Monday, Michele.....

I proved their speech therapist was ineffective, so they are paying for ONE, one

hour session. WE are paying for the other 3.... Our goal is to get them to pay

for all 4, with the addition of OT for the motor planning issues. I'll let you

know on Monday how we do.....

I know that certain IU's DO pay for outside therapy. you can email me privately

if I can be of help to you...

~karyn

[ ] Very upset by school letter, how do I fight

back?

My son started early learning services preschool in Nov. right after

he turned 3. He started with 3 days a week, but after a month it was

evident he needed more and in his month follow-up PPT the special ed

teacher suggested 5 days a week. The IEP goals included 2 days of one

on one speech and 2 days in the classroom. My son did not and still

does not talk, and although I thought he needed 3-4 days of one on

one, I take him to outside oral motor therapy 3 times a week so I did

not fight it. Well I found out not to long ago, that he only gets

taken out of the classroom once a week for speech therapy and the

only thing they are working on is picture exchange. I asked about

sign, which I would prefer, and they said none of the teachers know

it, so they are sticking with picture exchange. Again not the answer

I wanted but I did not push it, knowing the outside therapy help he

is getting.

Well today we got a letter in the mail from the board of education

basically saying due o the speech clinician shortage in CT and a

recent maternity leave of the one contracted full time clinician they

will have to re-organize service delivery and do more speech time in

the classroom setting. They make no mention of this being temporary

either. So basically my son will probably not get any one on one

therapy through the school system. I am so mad.

I wanted to ask those that have fought the system what our rights are

as parents. Can I ask them to pay for my sons outside therapy (which

cost me $1800 a month)? What documentation do I need to fight them? I

know 's teacher thinks he should receive 5 days of one on one,

but she said it is unlikely the school will give it. I am so not in

the mood of state of mind to fight the school. I am 6 months pregnant

and do not need the extra stress, but I feel they owe us more. My son

has severe apraxia and I do not think they understand just how severe

it is and just how much therapy he needs. Any suggestions would be

greatly appreciated.

Thanks-

Michele

April 29, 2004

Also make sure you are documenting everything and keeping good records. You

should have received a copy of your procedural rights which will include in

addition to a due process procedure, a complaint procedure. You have some

choices about how to proceed. The IEP is a contract and your school district

must

abide by it. If it doesn't have the internal resources it must either get

them or provide them. You should consider complaining to the school board which

is not a legal requirement but may push people into following the law. School

employees may be put in a tough position where they want to help but are

under pressure not to from their administration. The advocacy group in your

state may or may give you good advice so you will have to push for your

children.

Your state education department may or may not be of assistance here either;

however, the law is on your side.

April 29, 2004

Your child's IEP is a legal document, and unless you have signed a

different one that changes services or times, it must be followed,

or your school district is out of compliance. Your first step after

the school's principal would be to write a letter and schedule an

appointment with the Special Education Director for your school

district. This information should be listed on your parental rights

document, or on the IEP itself. If the school district cannot

provide services designated on the IEP, then they are, I believe,

required to pay for outside services. I know our district did that

once. If you don't get anywhere, call the State Department of

Education for your state, and tell them you need a parent advocate

because your school district is not complying with your child's IEP.

This is called Due Process. Hope this helps, let me know what

happens if I can help. I am a Special Ed. teacher and parent of 3.

One of my kiddos has been diagnosed with apraxia. Good luck and hang

in there!

> My son started early learning services preschool in Nov. right

after

> he turned 3. He started with 3 days a week, but after a month it

was

> evident he needed more and in his month follow-up PPT the special

ed

> teacher suggested 5 days a week. The IEP goals included 2 days of

one

> on one speech and 2 days in the classroom. My son did not and

still

> does not talk, and although I thought he needed 3-4 days of one on

> one, I take him to outside oral motor therapy 3 times a week so I

did

> not fight it. Well I found out not to long ago, that he only gets

> taken out of the classroom once a week for speech therapy and the

> only thing they are working on is picture exchange. I asked about

> sign, which I would prefer, and they said none of the teachers

know

> it, so they are sticking with picture exchange. Again not the

answer

> I wanted but I did not push it, knowing the outside therapy help

he

> is getting.

>

> Well today we got a letter in the mail from the board of education

> basically saying due o the speech clinician shortage in CT and a

> recent maternity leave of the one contracted full time clinician

they

> will have to re-organize service delivery and do more speech time

in

> the classroom setting. They make no mention of this being

temporary

> either. So basically my son will probably not get any one on one

> therapy through the school system. I am so mad.

>

> I wanted to ask those that have fought the system what our rights

are

> as parents. Can I ask them to pay for my sons outside therapy

(which

> cost me $1800 a month)? What documentation do I need to fight

them? I

> know 's teacher thinks he should receive 5 days of one on one,

> but she said it is unlikely the school will give it. I am so not

in

> the mood of state of mind to fight the school. I am 6 months

pregnant

> and do not need the extra stress, but I feel they owe us more. My

son

> has severe apraxia and I do not think they understand just how

severe

> it is and just how much therapy he needs. Any suggestions would

be

> greatly appreciated.

>

> Thanks-

> Michele

April 29, 2004

Michele,

I am no expert as my son is not yet 3, but I belong to another

group for my son's congenital anomaly, and there is one mom

there who is BIG into advocacy (her daughter has severe issues,

related to pretty much *all* developmental areas). She has said on

numerous occasions to our group that ***STAFF SHORTAGES ARE NOT A

LEGITIMATE REASON FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DENY OR LIMIT NEEDED

SERVICES!!!*** If a SD does not have the staffing to provide the

needed services, then I believe that they are required to hire more

staff or pay for outside providers.

Right now, I have to get my son ready for school, but later on I will

try to find a link that may help clarify the issue.

Laurel, mom to Evan (29 mo, Pierre Robin Sequence, cleft palate

repaired, 3rd set of tubes to be placed on 05/03/04, non-verbal,

suspected diagnoses of receptive-expressive language disorder and

verbal apraxia, possible PDD?, possible hearing loss?, possible

seizures?) and (6.9 yo)

> My son started early learning services preschool in Nov. right

after

> he turned 3. He started with 3 days a week, but after a month it

was

> evident he needed more and in his month follow-up PPT the special

ed

> teacher suggested 5 days a week. The IEP goals included 2 days of

one

> on one speech and 2 days in the classroom. My son did not and

still

> does not talk, and although I thought he needed 3-4 days of one on

> one, I take him to outside oral motor therapy 3 times a week so I

did

> not fight it. Well I found out not to long ago, that he only gets

> taken out of the classroom once a week for speech therapy and the

> only thing they are working on is picture exchange. I asked about

> sign, which I would prefer, and they said none of the teachers know

> it, so they are sticking with picture exchange. Again not the

answer

> I wanted but I did not push it, knowing the outside therapy help he

> is getting.

>

> Well today we got a letter in the mail from the board of education

> basically saying due o the speech clinician shortage in CT and a

> recent maternity leave of the one contracted full time clinician

they

> will have to re-organize service delivery and do more speech time

in

> the classroom setting. They make no mention of this being temporary

> either. So basically my son will probably not get any one on one

> therapy through the school system. I am so mad.

>

> I wanted to ask those that have fought the system what our rights

are

> as parents. Can I ask them to pay for my sons outside therapy

(which

> cost me $1800 a month)? What documentation do I need to fight them?

I

> know 's teacher thinks he should receive 5 days of one on one,

> but she said it is unlikely the school will give it. I am so not in

> the mood of state of mind to fight the school. I am 6 months

pregnant

> and do not need the extra stress, but I feel they owe us more. My

son

> has severe apraxia and I do not think they understand just how

severe

> it is and just how much therapy he needs. Any suggestions would be

> greatly appreciated.

>

> Thanks-

> Michele

April 29, 2004

Michele,

Your school district is only entitled to give your child a free and appropriate

public education. If you feel their program is not " the best " for your child

you will lose your case. Try to back up your argument with professional

recommendations from your child's teacher, ST, OT, PT, developmental

pediatrician on what they think his appropriate treatment plan should be. My

son had class therapy for both ot and st, but he also got pulled out for 1:1

three times a week.. The school district was in violation b/c the st did not

have a private area outside the classroom. The state department fined them for

this violation.

Also, stress that you want an " appropriate " program for your son. If they

cannot provide the therapy due to lack of therapists, then suggest an outside

contract be drawn up with your private st (just a suggestion) and that you would

be more than happy to provide the transportation if the st can't come to school.

You may want to talk to his private therapists and ask them if they have ever

contracted with the school district and if so, would they be willing to work out

a contract with your child and school district. Many private schools have

contracts with outside vendors due to the heavy caseload with district

therapists.

I was in your situation 4 years ago and pulled my son out of the public school

preschool disabled program. He went to a parochial preschool and the district

provided the st/ot sessions three times a week. I would drive him to the

therapists school and they fit him in their school schedule. I did not request

the district to pay for the tuition. It would have cost more in therapy bills,

than it did to send him to preschool.

Hope this helps.

Joanne