Re: Hourly Rates for ABA trained shadows in NJ

October 4, 2002

We pay $25 an hour for shadow services in my son's preschool. The

district pays $19 towards that expenses. (Samew person charges

35/hour for developmental 1:1)

Technically they should pay the full $25 per hour as, by paying

anything, they have agreed that it is part of his appropriate

education.

Forcing them to pick a particular person is hard, however. You'd

ahve to tell tehm to provide someone at their rate, and then argue

that the person they provided isn't adequately trained etc. You

could also argue that the same person must be the shadow as does the

home program, as the purpose of the preschool is to allow you son to

generalize his skills in the preschool.

Our district wanted to pay only $15 per hour, which is the top rate

they pay for their in-school shadows. We argued that the shadow we

hired was supervised by a special ed teacher and speech langauge

pathologist and that was included in her rate. When faced w the

prospect of weekly staff mettings, monthly on-site supervision, etc.

they came up to 19.

We had an attorney and advocate involved who advised us to push as

hard as we can, but that in due process we would have a hard time

getting OUR aide.

FYI, you can also inform them in writting that you intent to hold

them accountable for the difference and try due process after the

fact, prior to Sept of the following year, but theat is kind of

slimey.

> As part of my son's home program, he attends a preschool with a

> trained Aba shadow who also works with him at home. She charges

$35

> per hour for both shadowing and therapy. The problem is that my

> district will only pay for $19 per hour for the shadowing, I pay

the

> difference. I'm trying to convince my district to pay the full $35

> per hour for the shadowing as he is in more school now and it's

> getting expensive for me. Does anyone in NJ have any experience on

> this. If I let my district pick his shadow, I'm afraid of what

I'll

> get since his school experience is so important in this stage.

> Thanks,

> chaight@w...

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