Speech Therapy through School District - HELP!!

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I am attempting to get 4 speech therapy sessions, 20-30 minutes in duration,

1:1 with a qualified SLP through our school district. My 6 year old

daughter has a profound speech disability called Apraxia of Speech and is

transitioning to kindergarten this fall. She is basically non-verbal but

uses about 30 word approximations per day that only I can understand giving

the context in which they are used.

My research homework consisted of acquiring a literature search of

applicable quotes from big name, published SLP's who state that kids with

apraxia of speech require frequent (3-4 sessions/week), of short duration

(20-30 minutes), one-on-one (not group) with a qualified SLP familiar with

treating kids with apraxia. I also found good material from the American

Seech and Hearing Assoc. (ASHA) who has published guidelines for School

Based SLPs that contain a Severity Rating Matrix (that Illinois Dept of Ed.

published) as a guide to help assist in determining a recommeded amount of

intervention per week. Per this matrix the suggested amount of weeking

speech therapy amounts to above 91 minutes per week. (thank you, Sandy, for

this info!!)

I also added the following to my Parent Attachment:

" Xxxxx’s disability of apraxia affects her involvement and progress in the

general curriculum and access to nonacademic and extra curricular activities

due to the fact that she is not able to communicate appropriately to school

personnel when needed and communicate effectively through speech and/or

writing to classmates and teachers. The severity of her disability warrants

frequent 1:1 speech therapy intervention. Xxxxx’s disability of apraxia of

speech affects her ability to engage in age relevant behaviors that typical

students of the same age would be expected to be performing or would have

achieved. (IDEA-Code of Federal Regulations: 34CFR300.347 (a)(1)(i) and

Statue 20 United States Code USC 1515 (d)(1)(A)(i)(1)).

For this reason, we are requesting a minimum of 4 sessions, each session 30

minutes in duration, one session per day, of individual service per week for

Xxxx to achieve meaningful progress toward her educational goals. To provide

less than that would be to deprive Xxxxx of her right to receive a Free and

Appropriate Public Education. This recommendation is also consistent with

the recommendations and guidelines set forth by American Speech and Hearing

Association using a recommended severity/intervention matrix. "

I submitted my Parent Request/Attachment to the school district tranisiton

team and they said they would only provide up to 60 minutes/week, consisting

of one 20 minute group oral/motor session with an speech assistant, one 20

minute 1:1 session with the SLP (whom I sincerely doubt has any great

experience with treating apraxia of speech) and classroom observation for

the other 20 minutes. The SLP is only at the school for one day per week.

They also said my request and data was based on the Medical Model and that

they only address the Educational Model. I reiterated the info from the

ASHA was based on the Educational Model. We are going to meet again before

the end of the school year to hash this out. If they don't come up with

something close to what I've asked for, I plan to request their

determination in writing in Prior Written Notice as to why their proposal

will serve my daughters educational needs. I know they only have to

" consider " the information I have submitted but it seems like pretty

specific data to me.

Question: Am I asking too much?

Question: What amount of speech therapy are other kids with severe/profound

speech problems getting from your school districts on a weekly basis? We

are in Boulder Valley School District but I'd also like to hear from other

parents in other districts in the United States.

Question: Is there anything else I can do to help my case?

Any help is really appreciated!!

[Guest guest]

I personally don't think you are asking " too much " due to your

daughter's severe speech deficits.

It is very helpful to have an independent speech evaluation for your

IEP meeting. You can get this done through your insurance or you can

request that the school district pay for you to have your daughter

evaluated by a state-approved agency.

Also, the school can not deny your request because the SLP is only

there one day. If your daughter requires additional related

services, they have to provide them. They can do this several ways

(by hiring another SLP, you take her to someone privately and they

pay, home instruction, etc.)

Good luck and let me know how it goes. I know how stressful these

meetings can be.

Jeanette

mom to Becky 7 ( first grade)

( 3 apraxia)

Meg and Mandy ( speech delayed)

[Guest guest]

You've done more work than me. I'm going to our speech IEP for my 5

1/2 year old daughter tomorrow. She'll be starting kindegarten in

the fall also. I'm asking for 4 - 20 minute sessions. I want 1

therapy a day. She will be getting OT once a week.

Currently, we have 90 minutes a week of speech. She has been

backsliding even with that, so I don't know what to do.

Good luck!

Suzi

> Hi all,

>

> I am attempting to get 4 speech therapy sessions, 20-30 minutes in

duration,

> 1:1 with a qualified SLP through our school district. My 6 year

old

> daughter has a profound speech disability called Apraxia of Speech

and is

> transitioning to kindergarten this fall. She is basically non-

verbal but

> uses about 30 word approximations per day that only I can

understand giving

> the context in which they are used.

>

> My research homework consisted of acquiring a literature search of

> applicable quotes from big name, published SLP's who state that

kids with

> apraxia of speech require frequent (3-4 sessions/week), of short

duration

> (20-30 minutes), one-on-one (not group) with a qualified SLP

familiar with

> treating kids with apraxia. I also found good material from the

American

> Seech and Hearing Assoc. (ASHA) who has published guidelines for

School

> Based SLPs that contain a Severity Rating Matrix (that Illinois

Dept of Ed.

> published) as a guide to help assist in determining a recommeded

amount of

> intervention per week. Per this matrix the suggested amount of

weeking

> speech therapy amounts to above 91 minutes per week. (thank you,

Sandy, for

> this info!!)

>

> I also added the following to my Parent Attachment:

> " Xxxxx's disability of apraxia affects her involvement and

progress in the

> general curriculum and access to nonacademic and extra curricular

activities

> due to the fact that she is not able to communicate appropriately

to school

> personnel when needed and communicate effectively through speech

and/or

> writing to classmates and teachers. The severity of her disability

warrants

> frequent 1:1 speech therapy intervention. Xxxxx's disability of

apraxia of

> speech affects her ability to engage in age relevant behaviors

that typical

> students of the same age would be expected to be performing or

would have

> achieved. (IDEA-Code of Federal Regulations: 34CFR300.347 (a)(1)

(i) and

> Statue 20 United States Code USC 1515 (d)(1)(A)(i)(1)).

>

> For this reason, we are requesting a minimum of 4 sessions, each

session 30

> minutes in duration, one session per day, of individual service

per week for

> Xxxx to achieve meaningful progress toward her educational goals.

To provide

> less than that would be to deprive Xxxxx of her right to receive a

Free and

> Appropriate Public Education. This recommendation is also

consistent with

> the recommendations and guidelines set forth by American Speech

and Hearing

> Association using a recommended severity/intervention matrix. "

>

>

> I submitted my Parent Request/Attachment to the school district

tranisiton

> team and they said they would only provide up to 60 minutes/week,

consisting

> of one 20 minute group oral/motor session with an speech

assistant, one 20

> minute 1:1 session with the SLP (whom I sincerely doubt has any

great

> experience with treating apraxia of speech) and classroom

observation for

> the other 20 minutes. The SLP is only at the school for one day

per week.

> They also said my request and data was based on the Medical Model

and that

> they only address the Educational Model. I reiterated the info

from the

> ASHA was based on the Educational Model. We are going to meet

again before

> the end of the school year to hash this out. If they don't come

up with

> something close to what I've asked for, I plan to request their

> determination in writing in Prior Written Notice as to why their

proposal

> will serve my daughters educational needs. I know they only have

to

> " consider " the information I have submitted but it seems like

pretty

> specific data to me.

>

> Question: Am I asking too much?

>

> Question: What amount of speech therapy are other kids with

severe/profound

> speech problems getting from your school districts on a weekly

basis? We

> are in Boulder Valley School District but I'd also like to hear

from other

> parents in other districts in the United States.

>

> Question: Is there anything else I can do to help my case?

>

> Any help is really appreciated!!

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello there! I do not think you are asking for too much AT ALL! As

you know from your own research our kids need intesive 1:1 therapy--

there is no other way to cut the mustard, so to speak! Stand firm and

remember you are your child's best advocate and print out all the

info you have to back yourself up in case you need to.

I just posted for the first time last week about my son DJ(just

turned 5 two weeks ago, will attend mainstream Kindergarten this

fall) who has moderate verbal dypraxia(no other conditions) and kind

of asked the same thing. One person said she was getting 3xs/week @

20 minutes, a week therapy for her child, so I used that as a guide

as well as what his private ST said which was that that would be

great in the school districts out here (We live in Pheonix, AZ) if we

could get it.

What a great surprise when I walked in and as we got underway with

the IEP, saw that they had him down for 2-3 times/wk @ 30 minutes per

session! The only catch is that they want to do it in a peer setting

with no more than 2 other kids that are the same age and speech delay

level. After again taliking to DJ's private ST, she said this would

be fine as long as everyone in the peer group has the SAME problems

and is working on exactly the SAME thing. I will fight for exclusive

one-on-one, if this cannot be assured to me.

The only other side note I am having an issue with, is when the

therapy will take place. They usually pull the kids out of what is

called, " free-center time " in which the kids choose their own

activity outside of the regular scheduled events of the day. Well

since he will only be in school half day, I don't want him to miss

ANYTHING regardless of when and what it is. Plan B is that he could

recieve his sessions before or after school, but he may be paired

with a 1st grader with the same level of delay. I think I am leaning

more towards this idea because I dont mind him being around a child

one yr older as long as the skill/delay level is the same. His

private ST agrees. So, hopefully, we can get this all ironed out, the

IEP signed and we can all be happy dappy!

Good luck to you and keep us posted!

Vivian in Hot ole Phoenix

Mom to DJ, 5, moderate verbal dyspraxia, and that's it!

<<<My research homework consisted of acquiring a literature search of

applicable quotes from big name, published SLP's who state that kids

with apraxia of speech require frequent (3-4 sessions/week), of short

duration (20-30 minutes), one-on-one (not group) with a qualified SLP

familiar with treating kids with apraxia.

Question: Am I asking too much?

Question: What amount of speech therapy are other kids with

severe/profound speech problems getting from your school districts on

a weekly basis? >>>