Re: Help! 1st IEP meeting on Wed. Advice needed

[Guest guest]

hi,

if you can bring your one or all your therapists. otherwise it looks like your

covered. I'm sure her testing will get her her services. I hope all goes well

chris

Jill <jills2daughters@...> wrote:

Ok, what should I be bringing to our daughter's very first IEP

meeting? I've already told them (verbally and with a letter) that I

will be taping the IEP. My husband and I are going together. We

didn't transistion at age 3 as we wanted to go private for a while.

has a December birthday, so I don't want her to go to

Kindergarten this year, but rather to have a year of preschool first

(her birthday is the day before the cut off).

How much if any of her goals do I personally need to write up....or

do I need to? Do I need to write up and bring anything with me or

is that left up to the therapists?

I know the biggest obstacles are getting individual therapies. I've

provided them with evaluations from all of 's current

therapists (3 speech therapists, music therapist, and

hippotherapist).

's speech delays are severe. I believe she has verbal Apraxia

accompanied with a limb Dyspraxia. She has Hypotonia all over and

sensory issues....which also causes oral motor difficulties (she

still drools). I believe she also has a possible auditory

processing disorder (due to possible low tone in the inner ear

muscle), though she is too young at age 4 1/2 to test for this. She

needs individual speech and SIOT. She also needs adaptive PE as she

still does not have a correct gait (toe to heel rather than heel to

toe). She currently is wearing an AFO to try and fix her toe

walking (though she can still come down). Her speech is

inconsistent and she seems to do better with visual prompts, or

physical ones such as using the Prompt method.

One speech therapist gave the following diagnostic codes in her

report:

Hypotonia ICD-9: 779.80

Receptive/Expressive Language Disorder ICD-9: 315.32

Speech Disorder ICD-9: 784.50

Suspected Oral Motor Planning Disorder ICD-9: 784-69

The same therapist says that in addition to verbal apraxia,

also has a co-existing dysarthria.

Other than a tape recorder, what information should I bring. It's

difficult when it's your first meeting to know what obstacles you

might have to deflect. Anything I should print out and take with me

that would help 's cause?

Thanks for any pointers.

Jill - 's Mom

[Guest guest]

Hi Jill,

I was woefully un-prepared for my son's first IEP, and as a result we

basically wasted an entire year. But at his last IEP just a couple of

weeks ago I felt far more prepared and was able to get everything we

wanted for him.

In case it helps, here's what I did:

When they asked who I'd be bringing to the IEP, I wrote down not just me

& my husband, but also a private SLP who had agreed to join us as an

advocate for my son and his verbal apraxia issues, I requested all of

his pre-k teachers (3) be there, his school SLP, the district IEP

people, an OT therapist to give her evaluation, etc. In total we had

about 11 people attending his IEP. It was rather overwhelming, but

wonderful.

I took folders for everyone with various documents included: copies of

his latest evaluations, a long article about apraxia (since some of them

had never even heard of it), a copy of an exam he'd been given in school

which I felt was completely inappropriate since it evluates cognitive

skills with verbal questions, and a copy of the chart from " The Late

Talker " that describes the amount of therapy each week a child with his

level of difficulties should be getting.

As I passed out these folders someone laughingly said " What, no

Powerpoint presentation? " hahahaha! It was funny.

Anyway, you don't necessarily have to go as overboard as I did, but I

also didn't quite know what to expect from the district personnel. I

went in expecting to have to fight tooth-and-nail for my son. Our

school district is notoriously bad. But we lucked out. His teachers

and the other therapists who've worked with him over this last year

really truly care about him and want the best for him. You could tell

from everything they reported about him that they really did want to do

everything they could to help him.

I hope that helps.

[Guest guest]

Here is my IEP advice…

I would always jot down goals/areas that I knew were appropriate to work on.

I would always request a draft of therapists’ goals/objectives prior to the

meeting so I could provide input prior to the meeting to save everyone’s

time. Plus those meetings are so busy the way it is so reading through each

objective and having the silence and time to think about it just won’t

happen in a high-stress meeting with school personnel watching me.

I always asked my son’s private therapists (a few weeks prior to the IEP)

what they would recommend as goals. When I brought the goals to the table,

I would introduce them as goals I came up with as I thought it would seem

less threatening than coming from a private therapist. (Sometimes school

personnel see themselves in competition with private therapists.)

More importantly I would go in with what I call a “priority list”. I always

have a short list (3 or so things) that are high priority to me and I won’t

compromise on. For instance, you might want X number of minutes of speech

therapy. You might want a certain placement. You might want to make sure

the speech therapy is one-on-one. I have found that if I list off too many

requests, jaws drop in the room; I lose focus and the negotiation

(compromise) is harder. If I have a few requests (and I usually have a

justification behind each request, whether that be a private evaluation

stating the need for what I am requesting, an article, etc), I am much more

likely to have a workable IEP when we leave the table.

On the subject of holding kids back - after my son did 2 years in “disabled”

pre-K, we put him in a mainstream Pre-K instead of sending him to

kindergarten (as his chronological age dictated). It was just the right

thing for my son. Go with your gut on this one!

I always take a few law books too (From Emotions to Advocacy, etc) and set

them under my binder to send a silent message that I know the laws so lets

not screw around. Lets get to the point and take care of my kid’s needs….NO

POLITICS PLEASE! I always make sure the book looks somewhat worn and has

tabs sticking out of it so it looks well used.

I have 5 binders (carefully and clearly labeled on the outside binding for

all to see) that I always take with me to IEP meetings.

*One binder is labeled “medical” which includes the latest and most

significant medical evaluations organized by doctor.

*Binder is labeled “therapy” and includes all the private therapists’ notes

and evaluations, organized by provider.

*Binder labeled “school” where I keep progress notes, former IEPs, etc.

*Binder labeled “research” where I keep supporting articles (i.e. articles

supporting the need for one on one therapy, etc).

*Binder labeled “laws” which includes IDEA ’97 and my state’s version of

IDEA printed in their entirety (with main sections tabbed and highlighted)

so I can look things up at a glance if need be).

As far as auditory processing deficits, you might want to have a short list

of accommodations that you can hand to the teacher (maybe a few days after

the IEP meeting so it is less formal and possibly less threatening) that you

can say will “make her life easier and your child more successful”. For

instance, having your child sit next to the teacher during story-time,

making sure there is eye contact when giving directions, lightly taping

child on shoulder before giving directions to make sure the attention is

there, etc. I always put a disclaimer in there that this might not work

with the way her classroom is set up or maybe she was planning on doing

these things anyway but I just thought I would mention them in case they

might help. The key is to open the communication between you and the

teacher. I wanted my son’s teachers to know they could come to me for info

but I did not claim to know everything.

The art of IEP meetings is a hard one! I am still trying to master it. I

am just waiting for wrightslaw to do a workshop near me so I can attend. I

have heard they are great. I am just starting to read “From Emotions to

Advocacy” (you know…that prop…the worn book that travels to IEPs that I have

truly never read….LOL!) It is a great book. I also have The Complete IEP

guide which is helpful and I have actually used that one. Of course, after

the bills going through congress are put into law (probably in the next

year) I will have to toss out many of my law books as many of the rules will

have changed. So sad…

Best of luck and let us know how it goes!

Tricia Morin

North Carolina

Jill wrote:

Ok, what should I be bringing to our daughter's very first IEP

meeting? I've already told them (verbally and with a letter) that I

will be taping the IEP. My husband and I are going together. We

didn't transistion at age 3 as we wanted to go private for a while.

has a December birthday, so I don't want her to go to

Kindergarten this year, but rather to have a year of preschool first

(her birthday is the day before the cut off).

How much if any of her goals do I personally need to write up....or

do I need to? Do I need to write up and bring anything with me or

is that left up to the therapists?

I know the biggest obstacles are getting individual therapies. I've

provided them with evaluations from all of 's current

therapists (3 speech therapists, music therapist, and

hippotherapist).

[Guest guest]

Wow Tricia- I am impressed! Really. You are very organized and

prepared. Excellent advice.

Jill,

Here goes my advice. Some parts may be redundant... Sorry

First, I like your decisions to hold her back. With such a late

birthday, will be much more confident holding off a year. Good

strategy for success.

Well, as a former prek ESE VE and inclusion teacher and now a

parent, I find myself looking at both sides of the table. I have

written a hundred IEP's. (I am surprised how many teachers are

parents on this board!) There were many people in attendance at the

initial staffing- quite intimidating. At least one is

thinking " funding and compliance " . Most (if not all) sincerely want

the best for your child. You don't have to bring anything. How to

succeed? My attempt:

1. Think of some realistic goals. I love the idea of asking for the

proposed objectives prior to the meeting. You really should read and

consider them in a relaxed setting. The teacher, who doesn't know

your child yet, will be creating objectives based on reports and

tests. These objectives come from their curriculum. But you know

your child.

2. Bring Husband- great. You really should have two people- just to

make sure you don't miss anything.

3. Consider how you child learns. Which model best works for :

one on one, small group, large group? Some kids don't want to be

singled out and pulled from class. Others love the one-on-one time

and need the more intensive therapy. Maybe both? Perhaps the

therapists can come in and work during center time and play once or

twice a week with your child motivating her in a natural classroom

environment.

I believe that the Prek IEP is not too scarey. Most Prek and

Kindergarten Teachers teach because they love watching and helping

children grow. All Prek classrooms focus on language, cognitive

development, motor development, social skills... They sing songs,

experiment, play play-dough, put on puppet shows, retell

stories,...etc. All good- should love school.

I hate to scare you. But it can get scarier as you go: more choices,

knowing the right thing to do? The focus turns to academics, and

peers are now adept at communicating. Regular ed classrooms foster

verbal communication less frequently. And.. I find a greater

percentage of (how do I say it..) less talented, less adaptive

teachers. This is the part I get nervous about. Inclusion,

mainstreaming, self-contained classroom? Often this is when parents

become less involved but are needed as much as ever. You may find

local advocacy groups or turn to mediation to help you understand

what's out there and meet your child's needs.

So save everything, stay organized, and maintain good communication

with your child's teacher. (You know this, but I just had to say

it.) You may ask the teacher for a one-on-one conference prior to

school so you can share specifics about your child and learn more

about the teacher's philosophy and expectations for the year.

Will be going into a ESE class, an inclusion classroom, or a

regular Prek? Is it at a public elementary school? Do they go to the

cafeteria or eat family style in the room? Will she ride a bus? This

is a big step. (They get so big so fast!)

You're doing great. will do great. Hope you find a strong and

supportive team ready to help excell.

God Bless,

Lori

[Guest guest]

Great advice Tricia! Just wanted to add

" or you could just bring with you "

1. a copy of The Late Talker book which neatly contains the basis

of what you need to help you advocate for your " late talker " child

in easy to understand yet powerful and specific to speech and

language delay/disorder ways (entire chapter on step by step of IEPs

and what to bring) When points are brought up by the rest of the IEP

team that you are now educated to know are not at all appropriate

for your child, or possibly even legal to even suggest, smile and

say " oh you must not have read that chapter yet of The Late Talker

which is a must read according to reviews from leading educational,

medical, and speech professionals as well as Advance for Speech

Language Pathologists and the health editor of the NY Times " or " are

you sure about that? Let me check for you " while you flip through

the book offering to Xerox pages for them. What a way to show you

are willing to work together with them as a team!

2. or just bring Tricia Morin!

(Jill I'll also archive a kindergarten when to start post for you)

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