Advice Pre-school IEP and others

[Guest guest]

Hello, I would like to have your guidance on something most of you are familiar with, but is very new to me. We have recently relocated from Brazil to the States. My daughter , who has DS, just turned 4. We are settled in Rye, New York, and I had my first meeting with the special education person (I dont remember her title) in the district. I agreed to a series of evaluations, she found someone who speaks portuguese to meet with and schedule the meeting for Deceber 4. Since it would take so long to get that all done and before that would be out of the school system, I decided to enroll her in our local private methodist church nursery. The class is little and the principal was most welcoming (the principal at the other nursery school was only welcoming before I told her had DS...). So, apparently, after the evaluation is done, the

possible scenarios would be: - she goes everyday to special school 8 to 3 (a bus picks her up and returns her). she would have the services there - she goes everyday to special school part-time (same bus service). she would have the services there AND she would go to the private locar nursery in the other part of the day (with or without an aide paid by the state) - she goes to an inclusive pre-k in another district (the spec ed person said it is very difficult to find an opening this time of the year) - she goes to the private nursery (with or without an aide paid by the state) and has services paid by the state there, or at home or at a private clinic. Theres no public Pre K classes in the district. But the spec ed told me that the local schools have students with DS doing very well included in Kinder and first years, which was a relief for me. So, hopefully next

September she will be included in the local public Kinder. The law says has to be offered the least restrictive environment. What if the district doesnt have an age appropriate program ? Can they say - we are fully booked, I am sorry, or can I press them to find what she needs ? I wanted to know what worked for your kids. is starting to put two words together (in portuguese) and speaks some words in English. She is not toilet trained yet (we are working on it) doesnt jump nor climb steps independently. She has been to regular nursery schools since age 2, without an aid to her (the teacher had an aid). While reading about IEPs, I found this article, that I found very helpful, and I share with you. I will be grateful for any insights Regards Pat http://www.eparent.com/main_channels_education/Accomplishing_Effective_Individualized_Education_Program_IEP_Meetings.asp Accomplishing Effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meetings By Hutton Sep 1, 2008 - 10:26:56 AM Email this article Printer friendly page That autumn afternoon ten years ago is indelibly etched in my

memory. I had left my job as a special educator early to attend my son Noah’s individualized education program (IEP) meeting. Two weeks earlier I had received an invitation to the meeting; the invitation stated that Noah was going to be dismissed from speech and language services. Usually my husband attended Noah’s IEP meetings, but I wanted to make sure that Noah wasn’t dismissed from services unless he really no longer needed therapy. Since, in my job, I sat in on IEP meetings every week, I thought that I could do this more effectively than my husband.At the meeting, I sat in the assistant principal’s tiny office, squeezed between professionals who had already read the results of Noah’s testing. I had yet to see those papers. The solemn professionals introduced themselves; only one of them had met my son. Finally, the speech therapist showed me Noah’s test results. I was surprised to see that she had only administered one test. The test did not assess my son’s

difficulties. Despite this, the speech therapist claimed that these test results showed that Noah no longer needed services. I waited in vain for someone to mention whether or not he had mastered the skills, which were on his IEP. Numbly, I sat by as the speech therapist slid the paperwork across the table for me to sign. I looked at it as though through a fog. I felt detached from my body as I watched my hand silently sign the dismissal from services. I’m still not sure why I signed those papers.By the time I arrived at home, I was furious with myself. I had sat by as Noah’s school failed miserably to meet the requirements of IDEA, the law governing special education. Despite my training as a special educator, I had failed to advocate for my son. Since then I have learned a lot from other parents, parent advocates, lawyers, and even a few fellow teachers. I have used their advice to develop guidelines, which have helped me become a more effective advocate at my

children’s IEP meetings. Throughout the remainder of this article, I’d like to share those ideas with you.It’s wise to start preparing for each IEP meeting several weeks in advance. When an annual review is approaching, contact your child’s case manager. Ask what recommendations are likely to be made at the meeting. Request copies of paperwork including draft IEPs, test results, and other reports, which will be reviewed during the meeting. This will give you a general idea of the school’s plans.IEPs are supposed to be joint ventures. Decide what you would like to see happen at the meeting. Make a list of your desires, then prioritize them. Schools are required to develop appropriate educational programs for children with disabilities. They are not required to implement the best program possible. This

makes it likely that you will need to compromise on one or more points. I have learned that prioritizing what I want makes it more likely that at least my most urgent requests will be implemented. Two years ago, my daughter Dreama started kindergarten with an IEP for several hours of special education a week, all of which were to be delivered in the regular education classroom. September passed and Dreama appeared to have adjusted well to her new school. Her special educator scheduled an IEP meeting for later that fall to reduce Dreama’s hours of service. As the meeting approached, Dreama’s behavior changed. She began throwing materials, pushing peers, and running out of the classroom. Clearly a reduction in hours of service was not going to be the outcome of her IEP meeting.Now I had a dilemma. I believed that Dreama’s behavior was the result of her inability to keep up with the regular education curriculum. I wanted Dreama to receive more special

education individualized to meet her needs. However, I also wanted her to remain with her peers. It was time to prioritize. I decided that increasing her hours of service was more important to me than keeping her in a fully inclusive placement. I contacted her special educator prior to the meeting. Explaining my reasoning, I told her that I planned to request that Dreama’s hours of service be increased to somewhere between 15 and 20 hours a week. At the same time, I explained that I understood that staffing limitations may make it difficult for this many service hours to be provided in the regular education classroom. While I re-emphasized my preference for the regular classroom, I told Dreama’s special educator that I would be happy to let the school decide the most appropriate place to provide Dreama’s service hours. The school increased Dreama’s hours of service with only a minimal amount of time spent outside of her kindergarten class. In addition to particular

requests, I often find that I have other questions and topics of discussion I want raised during the meeting. It’s helpful to make a list of everything you want discussed during the meeting. Write down all the questions you want to ask. Review your list with a friend or family member who knows your child well. Often when you discuss your list with someone else, you will discover one or two important points you forgot to write down. Once you get to the IEP meeting, check off each item on your list as it is discussed. Lastly, make sure that the meeting minutes include the key points from each of these discussions and any decisions made.During Noah’s IEP meeting, I fell into the role of a passive observer. This role did not allow me to effectively advocate for my son. However, advocating is not synonymous with arguing. When IEP meetings become battles, children rarely benefit. Instead, try to develop a feeling of positive collaboration. In order to more effectively

participate in the meeting, you should request that the school provide you with a draft IEP and copies of any reports that will be discussed. The school would also appreciate being made aware of the requests you will be making and any reports you plan to share. This allows appropriate preparations for the meeting, including the inclusion of all necessary school personnel.Try to establish a collegial atmosphere from the start of the meeting. To assist with this, you might even bring refreshments. When the meeting starts, you may also want to thank everyone for the hard work they have done on behalf of your child. Even if you do not agree with what the school staff has done, you can recognize the time and effort they have spent. Teachers who are working hard to meet your child’s needs will appreciate the recognition. Teachers who are doing less may be spurred to new efforts by your comments. (Yes, this has actually happened.)During the meeting, make sure the

focus stays on what is appropriate for your child. Statements like, “I know that we all want what is best for Dreama,” can go a long way towards taking the focus off your individual views and putting it back on developing an appropriate plan. Some parents I know bring pictures of their children to the meeting and use these to return the focus of the meeting to their child. If the time comes when you need to bring in an advocate or lawyer, you would do well to continue this spirit of collaboration. As a special educator, I have had to sit by as decisions were made with which I did not agree. I have heard principals complain that they have been told by their supervisors to deny what they believe are reasonable parent requests. It is important not to “blame the messenger” when your request is denied. A more productive approach is to assume that the faculty at your child’s school wants what is best for your child. A parent who very successfully advocated for her child

gave me this advice: Go to the principal, or teacher, and explain that you know he/she wants what is best for your child, and you are going to obtain legal assistance to help achieve it.If topics arise during the meeting for which you are not prepared, or if the rest of the IEP team refuses to agree to your requests, do not feel pressured to agree to anything at this point. Ask to take the paperwork home and think about it. Be honest. However, remember that the school needs to act on the IEP meeting in a timely manner. Return the paperwork promptly. If you decide not to sign it, include a statement explaining why you didn’t sign, an explanation of what you would like to see instead, and a request for another IEP meeting to discuss the topic further.Following these five steps has not meant an end to disagreements with my children’s IEP teams, but following them has helped me be a better advocate and maintain a positive relationship with my children’s

school.___________________Chart:1. Get as much information as possible in advance.2. Prioritize your desires.3. Make a list of everything you want discussed.4. Help set a collaborative tone for the meeting.5. Do not agree to anything or sign anything unless you are sure it is the right decision for your child.____________________ Hutton is an assistant professor at Harford Community College. She and her husband have five children, including Noah and Dreama. __________________________________________________Fale com seus amigos de graça com o novo Yahoo! Messenger http://br.messenger.yahoo.com/

[Guest guest]

Personally, I would opt for the private school with private therapy. I might consider the SPED school and the private one if she is going to be in Kindergarten all day next year, but I would have to go and check out the SPED classroom to see the mix of students there. If the students were all in need of lots of help, I wouldn't enroll her there. If it were a nice mix of kids who had different strengths and weakness' I would consider it, depending on the teacher and the expectations for the children. I would not opt for SPED all day. My inclination is to always avoid the SPED room as much as possible. Carol in ILMom to , 8 DS My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.VOTE NOBAMA '08Join our

Down Syndrome information group - http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ DownSyndromeInfo Exchange/ http://downsyndromeinfoexchange.blogspot.com/Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace. com/vennamusicTo: Downsyninfo <downsyndromeinfoexchange >Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 4:07:36 PMSubject: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Advice Pre-school IEP and others

Hello, I would like to have your guidance on something most of you are familiar with, but is very new to me. We have recently relocated from Brazil to the States. My daughter , who has DS, just turned 4. We are settled in Rye, New York, and I had my first meeting with the special education person (I dont remember her title) in the district. I agreed to a series of evaluations, she found someone who speaks portuguese to meet with and schedule the meeting for Deceber 4. Since it would take so long to get that all done and before that would be out of the school system, I decided to enroll her in our local private methodist church nursery. The class is little and the principal was most welcoming (the principal at the other nursery school was only welcoming before I told her had DS...). So, apparently,

after the evaluation is done, the

possible scenarios would be: - she goes everyday to special school 8 to 3 (a bus picks her up and returns her). she would have the services there - she goes everyday to special school part-time (same bus service). she would have the services there AND she would go to the private locar nursery in the other part of the day (with or without an aide paid by the state) - she goes to an inclusive pre-k in another district (the spec ed person said it is very difficult to find an opening this time of the year) - she goes to the private nursery (with or without an aide paid by the state) and has services paid by the state there, or at home or at a private clinic. Theres no public Pre K classes in the district. But the spec ed told me that the local schools have students with DS doing very well included in Kinder and first years, which was a relief for me.

So, hopefully next

September she will be included in the local public Kinder. The law says has to be offered the least restrictive environment. What if the district doesnt have an age appropriate program ? Can they say - we are fully booked, I am sorry, or can I press them to find what she needs ? I wanted to know what worked for your kids. is starting to put two words together (in portuguese) and speaks some words in English. She is not toilet trained yet (we are working on it) doesnt jump nor climb steps independently. She has been to regular nursery schools since age 2, without an aid to her (the teacher had an aid). While reading about IEPs, I found this article, that I found very helpful, and I share with you. I will be grateful for any insights Regards Pat http://www.eparent. com/main_ channels_ education/ Accomplishing_ Effective_ Individualized_ Education_ Program_IEP_ Meetings. asp Accomplishing Effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meetings By Hutton Sep 1, 2008 - 10:26:56 AM Email this article Printer friendly page That autumn afternoon ten years ago is indelibly etched in my

memory. I had left my job as a special educator early to attend my son Noah’s individualized education program (IEP) meeting. Two weeks earlier I had received an invitation to the meeting; the invitation stated that Noah was going to be dismissed from speech and language services. Usually my husband attended Noah’s IEP meetings, but I wanted to make sure that Noah wasn’t dismissed from services unless he really no longer needed therapy. Since, in my job, I sat in on IEP meetings every week, I thought that I could do this more effectively than my husband.At the meeting, I sat in the assistant principal’s tiny office, squeezed between professionals who had already read the results of Noah’s testing. I had yet to see those papers. The solemn professionals introduced themselves; only one of them had met my son. Finally, the speech therapist showed me Noah’s test results. I was surprised to see that she had only administered one test. The

test did not assess my son’s

difficulties. Despite this, the speech therapist claimed that these test results showed that Noah no longer needed services. I waited in vain for someone to mention whether or not he had mastered the skills, which were on his IEP. Numbly, I sat by as the speech therapist slid the paperwork across the table for me to sign. I looked at it as though through a fog. I felt detached from my body as I watched my hand silently sign the dismissal from services. I’m still not sure why I signed those papers.By the time I arrived at home, I was furious with myself. I had sat by as Noah’s school failed miserably to meet the requirements of IDEA, the law governing special education. Despite my training as a special educator, I had failed to advocate for my son. Since then I have learned a lot from other parents, parent advocates, lawyers, and even a few fellow teachers. I have used their advice to develop guidelines, which have helped me become a more

effective advocate at my

children’s IEP meetings. Throughout the remainder of this article, I’d like to share those ideas with you.It’s wise to start preparing for each IEP meeting several weeks in advance. When an annual review is approaching, contact your child’s case manager. Ask what recommendations are likely to be made at the meeting. Request copies of paperwork including draft IEPs, test results, and other reports, which will be reviewed during the meeting. This will give you a general idea of the school’s plans.IEPs are supposed to be joint ventures. Decide what you would like to see happen at the meeting. Make a list of your desires, then prioritize them. Schools are required to develop appropriate educational programs for children with disabilities. They are not required to implement the best program possible. This

makes it likely that you will need to compromise on one or more points. I have learned that prioritizing what I want makes it more likely that at least my most urgent requests will be implemented. Two years ago, my daughter Dreama started kindergarten with an IEP for several hours of special education a week, all of which were to be delivered in the regular education classroom. September passed and Dreama appeared to have adjusted well to her new school. Her special educator scheduled an IEP meeting for later that fall to reduce Dreama’s hours of service. As the meeting approached, Dreama’s behavior changed. She began throwing materials, pushing peers, and running out of the classroom. Clearly a reduction in hours of service was not going to be the outcome of her IEP meeting.Now I had a dilemma. I believed that Dreama’s behavior was the result of her inability to keep up with the regular education curriculum. I wanted Dreama to

receive more special

education individualized to meet her needs. However, I also wanted her to remain with her peers. It was time to prioritize. I decided that increasing her hours of service was more important to me than keeping her in a fully inclusive placement. I contacted her special educator prior to the meeting. Explaining my reasoning, I told her that I planned to request that Dreama’s hours of service be increased to somewhere between 15 and 20 hours a week. At the same time, I explained that I understood that staffing limitations may make it difficult for this many service hours to be provided in the regular education classroom. While I re-emphasized my preference for the regular classroom, I told Dreama’s special educator that I would be happy to let the school decide the most appropriate place to provide Dreama’s service hours. The school increased Dreama’s hours of service with only a minimal amount of time spent outside of her kindergarten class.

In addition to particular

requests, I often find that I have other questions and topics of discussion I want raised during the meeting. It’s helpful to make a list of everything you want discussed during the meeting. Write down all the questions you want to ask. Review your list with a friend or family member who knows your child well. Often when you discuss your list with someone else, you will discover one or two important points you forgot to write down. Once you get to the IEP meeting, check off each item on your list as it is discussed. Lastly, make sure that the meeting minutes include the key points from each of these discussions and any decisions made.During Noah’s IEP meeting, I fell into the role of a passive observer. This role did not allow me to effectively advocate for my son. However, advocating is not synonymous with arguing. When IEP meetings become battles, children rarely benefit. Instead, try to develop a feeling of positive collaboration. In

order to more effectively

participate in the meeting, you should request that the school provide you with a draft IEP and copies of any reports that will be discussed. The school would also appreciate being made aware of the requests you will be making and any reports you plan to share. This allows appropriate preparations for the meeting, including the inclusion of all necessary school personnel.Try to establish a collegial atmosphere from the start of the meeting. To assist with this, you might even bring refreshments. When the meeting starts, you may also want to thank everyone for the hard work they have done on behalf of your child. Even if you do not agree with what the school staff has done, you can recognize the time and effort they have spent. Teachers who are working hard to meet your child’s needs will appreciate the recognition. Teachers who are doing less may be spurred to new efforts by your comments. (Yes, this has actually happened.)During the

meeting, make sure the

focus stays on what is appropriate for your child. Statements like, “I know that we all want what is best for Dreama,” can go a long way towards taking the focus off your individual views and putting it back on developing an appropriate plan. Some parents I know bring pictures of their children to the meeting and use these to return the focus of the meeting to their child. If the time comes when you need to bring in an advocate or lawyer, you would do well to continue this spirit of collaboration. As a special educator, I have had to sit by as decisions were made with which I did not agree. I have heard principals complain that they have been told by their supervisors to deny what they believe are reasonable parent requests. It is important not to “blame the messenger” when your request is denied. A more productive approach is to assume that the faculty at your child’s school wants what is best for your child. A parent who very

successfully advocated for her child

gave me this advice: Go to the principal, or teacher, and explain that you know he/she wants what is best for your child, and you are going to obtain legal assistance to help achieve it.If topics arise during the meeting for which you are not prepared, or if the rest of the IEP team refuses to agree to your requests, do not feel pressured to agree to anything at this point. Ask to take the paperwork home and think about it. Be honest. However, remember that the school needs to act on the IEP meeting in a timely manner. Return the paperwork promptly. If you decide not to sign it, include a statement explaining why you didn’t sign, an explanation of what you would like to see instead, and a request for another IEP meeting to discuss the topic further.Following these five steps has not meant an end to disagreements with my children’s IEP teams, but following them has helped me be a better advocate and maintain a positive relationship

with my children’s

school.____________ _______Chart:1. Get as much information as possible in advance.2. Prioritize your desires.3. Make a list of everything you want discussed.4. Help set a collaborative tone for the meeting.5. Do not agree to anything or sign anything unless you are sure it is the right decision for your child.____________ ________ Hutton is an assistant professor at Harford Community College. She and her husband have five children, including Noah and Dreama. ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ __Fale com seus amigos de graça com o novo Yahoo! Messenger http://br.messenger .yahoo.com/

[Guest guest]

thats my. feeling too carol

tks for posting

Pat

>

> Personally, I would opt for the private school with private therapy. I might

consider the

SPED school and the private one if she is going to be in Kindergarten all day

next year,

but I would have to go and check out the SPED classroom to see the mix of

students

there. If the students were all in need of lots of help, I wouldn't enroll her

there. If it were

a nice mix of kids who had different strengths and weakness' I would consider

it,

depending on the teacher and the expectations for the children.

>

> I would not opt for SPED all day. My inclination is to always avoid the SPED

room as

much as possible.

>

>

>

> Carol in IL

> Mom to , 8 DS

>

> My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.

>

> VOTE NOBAMA '08

>

> Join our Down Syndrome information group -

> http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ DownSyndromeInfo Exchange/

> http://downsyndromeinfoexchange.blogspot.com/

>

> Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace. com/vennamusic

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: Downsyninfo <downsyndromeinfoexchange >

> Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 4:07:36 PM

> Subject: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Advice Pre-school IEP and others

>

>

> Hello,

>

> I would like to have your guidance on something most of you are familiar with,

but is

very new to me. We have recently relocated from Brazil to the States. My

daughter

, who has DS, just turned 4. We are settled in Rye, New York, and I had my

first

meeting with the special education person (I dont remember her title) in the

district. I

agreed to a series of evaluations, she found someone who speaks portuguese to

meet

with and schedule the meeting for Deceber 4.

>

> Since it would take so long to get that all done and before that would

be out of

the school system, I decided to enroll her in our local private methodist church

nursery.

The class is little and the principal was most welcoming (the principal at the

other nursery

school was only welcoming before I told her had DS...).

>

> So, apparently, after the evaluation is done, the possible scenarios would be:

> - she goes everyday to special school 8 to 3 (a bus picks her up and returns

her). she

would have the services there

> - she goes everyday to special school part-time (same bus service). she would

have the

services there AND she would go to the private locar nursery in the other part

of the day

(with or without an aide paid by the state)

> - she goes to an inclusive pre-k in another district (the spec ed person said

it is very

difficult to find an opening this time of the year)

> - she goes to the private nursery (with or without an aide paid by the state)

and has

services paid by the state there, or at home or at a private clinic.

>

> Theres no public Pre K classes in the district. But the spec ed told me that

the local

schools have students with DS doing very well included in Kinder and first

years, which

was a relief for me. So, hopefully next September she will be included in the

local public

Kinder.

>

> The law says has to be offered the least restrictive environment. What if the

district

doesnt have an age appropriate program ? Can they say - we are fully booked, I

am

sorry, or can I press them to find what she needs ?

>

> I wanted to know what worked for your kids. is starting to put two

words

together (in portuguese) and speaks some words in English. She is not toilet

trained yet

(we are working on it) doesnt jump nor climb steps independently. She has been

to

regular nursery schools since age 2, without an aid to her (the teacher had an

aid).

>

> While reading about IEPs, I found this article, that I found very helpful, and

I share with

you.

>

> I will be grateful for any insights

> Regards

>

> Pat

>

> http://www.eparent. com/main_ channels_ education/ Accomplishing_ Effective_

Individualized_ Education_ Program_IEP_ Meetings. asp

>

>

> Accomplishing Effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meetings

> By Hutton

> Sep 1, 2008 - 10:26:56 AM

>

> Email this article

> Printer friendly page

>

> That autumn afternoon ten years ago is indelibly etched in my memory. I had

left my job

as a special educator early to attend my son Noah's individualized education

program

(IEP) meeting. Two weeks earlier I had received an invitation to the meeting;

the

invitation stated that Noah was going to be dismissed from speech and language

services. Usually my husband attended Noah's IEP meetings, but I wanted to make

sure

that Noah wasn't dismissed from services unless he really no longer needed

therapy.

Since, in my job, I sat in on IEP meetings every week, I thought that I could do

this more

effectively than my husband.

>

> At the meeting, I sat in the assistant principal's tiny office, squeezed

between

professionals who had already read the results of Noah's testing. I had yet to

see those

papers. The solemn professionals introduced themselves; only one of them had met

my

son. Finally, the speech therapist showed me Noah's test results. I was

surprised to see

that she had only administered one test. The test did not assess my son's

difficulties.

Despite this, the speech therapist claimed that these test results showed that

Noah no

longer needed services. I waited in vain for someone to mention whether or not

he had

mastered the skills, which were on his IEP. Numbly, I sat by as the speech

therapist slid

the paperwork across the table for me to sign. I looked at it as though through

a fog. I felt

detached from my body as I watched my hand silently sign the dismissal from

services.

I'm still not sure why I signed those papers.

>

> By the time I arrived at home, I was furious with myself. I had sat by as

Noah's school

failed miserably to meet the requirements of IDEA, the law governing special

education.

Despite my training as a special educator, I had failed to advocate for my son.

Since then

I have learned a lot from other parents, parent advocates, lawyers, and even a

few fellow

teachers. I have used their advice to develop guidelines, which have helped me

become

a more effective advocate at my children's IEP meetings. Throughout the

remainder of

this article, I'd like to share those ideas with you.

>

> It's wise to start preparing for each IEP meeting several weeks in advance.

When an

annual review is approaching, contact your child's case manager. Ask what

recommendations are likely to be made at the meeting. Request copies of

paperwork

including draft IEPs, test results, and other reports, which will be reviewed

during the

meeting. This will give you a general idea of the school's plans.

>

> IEPs are supposed to be joint ventures. Decide what you would like to see

happen at

the meeting. Make a list of your desires, then prioritize them. Schools are

required to

develop appropriate educational programs for children with disabilities. They

are not

required to implement the best program possible. This makes it likely that you

will need to

compromise on one or more points. I have learned that prioritizing what I want

makes it

more likely that at least my most urgent requests will be implemented.

>

> Two years ago, my daughter Dreama started kindergarten with an IEP for several

hours

of special education a week, all of which were to be delivered in the regular

education

classroom. September passed and Dreama appeared to have adjusted well to her new

school. Her special educator scheduled an IEP meeting for later that fall to

reduce

Dreama's hours of service. As the meeting approached, Dreama's behavior changed.

She began throwing materials, pushing peers, and running out of the classroom.

Clearly a

reduction in hours of service was not going to be the outcome of her IEP

meeting.

>

> Now I had a dilemma. I believed that Dreama's behavior was the result of her

inability

to keep up with the regular education curriculum. I wanted Dreama to receive

more

special education individualized to meet her needs. However, I also wanted her

to remain

with her peers. It was time to prioritize. I decided that increasing her hours

of service was

more important to me than keeping her in a fully inclusive placement. I

contacted her

special educator prior to the meeting. Explaining my reasoning, I told her that

I planned to

request that Dreama's hours of service be increased to somewhere between 15 and

20

hours a week. At the same time, I explained that I understood that staffing

limitations may

make it difficult for this many service hours to be provided in the regular

education

classroom. While I re-emphasized my preference for the regular classroom, I told

Dreama's special educator that I would be happy to let the school decide the

most

> appropriate place to provide Dreama's service hours. The school increased

Dreama's

hours of service with only a minimal amount of time spent outside of her

kindergarten

class.

>

> In addition to particular requests, I often find that I have other questions

and topics of

discussion I want raised during the meeting. It's helpful to make a list of

everything you

want discussed during the meeting. Write down all the questions you want to ask.

Review

your list with a friend or family member who knows your child well. Often when

you

discuss your list with someone else, you will discover one or two important

points you

forgot to write down. Once you get to the IEP meeting, check off each item on

your list as

it is discussed. Lastly, make sure that the meeting minutes include the key

points from

each of these discussions and any decisions made.

>

> During Noah's IEP meeting, I fell into the role of a passive observer. This

role did not

allow me to effectively advocate for my son. However, advocating is not

synonymous with

arguing. When IEP meetings become battles, children rarely benefit. Instead, try

to

develop a feeling of positive collaboration. In order to more effectively

participate in the

meeting, you should request that the school provide you with a draft IEP and

copies of

any reports that will be discussed. The school would also appreciate being made

aware of

the requests you will be making and any reports you plan to share. This allows

appropriate preparations for the meeting, including the inclusion of all

necessary school

personnel.

>

> Try to establish a collegial atmosphere from the start of the meeting. To

assist with this,

you might even bring refreshments. When the meeting starts, you may also want to

thank

everyone for the hard work they have done on behalf of your child. Even if you

do not

agree with what the school staff has done, you can recognize the time and effort

they

have spent. Teachers who are working hard to meet your child's needs will

appreciate the

recognition. Teachers who are doing less may be spurred to new efforts by your

comments. (Yes, this has actually happened.)

>

> During the meeting, make sure the focus stays on what is appropriate for your

child.

Statements like, " I know that we all want what is best for Dreama, " can go a

long way

towards taking the focus off your individual views and putting it back on

developing an

appropriate plan. Some parents I know bring pictures of their children to the

meeting and

use these to return the focus of the meeting to their child.

>

> If the time comes when you need to bring in an advocate or lawyer, you would

do well

to continue this spirit of collaboration. As a special educator, I have had to

sit by as

decisions were made with which I did not agree. I have heard principals complain

that

they have been told by their supervisors to deny what they believe are

reasonable parent

requests. It is important not to " blame the messenger " when your request is

denied. A

more productive approach is to assume that the faculty at your child's school

wants what

is best for your child. A parent who very successfully advocated for her child

gave me this

advice: Go to the principal, or teacher, and explain that you know he/she wants

what is

best for your child, and you are going to obtain legal assistance to help

achieve it.

>

> If topics arise during the meeting for which you are not prepared, or if the

rest of the

IEP team refuses to agree to your requests, do not feel pressured to agree to

anything at

this point. Ask to take the paperwork home and think about it. Be honest.

However,

remember that the school needs to act on the IEP meeting in a timely manner.

Return the

paperwork promptly. If you decide not to sign it, include a statement explaining

why you

didn't sign, an explanation of what you would like to see instead, and a request

for

another IEP meeting to discuss the topic further.

>

> Following these five steps has not meant an end to disagreements with my

children's

IEP teams, but following them has helped me be a better advocate and maintain a

positive relationship with my children's school.

> ____________ _______

>

> Chart:

> 1. Get as much information as possible in advance.

> 2. Prioritize your desires.

> 3. Make a list of everything you want discussed.

> 4. Help set a collaborative tone for the meeting.

> 5. Do not agree to anything or sign anything unless you are sure it is the

right

decision for your child.

>

> ____________ ________

>

> Hutton is an assistant professor at Harford Community College. She and

her

husband have five children, including Noah and Dreama.

>

>

>

> ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ __

> Fale com seus amigos de graça com o novo Yahoo! Messenger

> http://br.messenger .yahoo.com/

>