Re: School and moving to another state

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately in order to qualify for services our kiddos have to be 2 standard

deviations below the norm. I also suggest the outside evaluation.

I agree with a lot of what Stacey said.

However whether you sign the IEP or not it WILL go into effect within 10 days

UNLESS you disagree IN WRITING to the proposed IEP within that 10 day window.

There has been the misconception that parents have to sign the IEP inorder for

it to take effect and that just isn't the case. However schools do not inform

parents of this nor of the 10 day window. This was set due to the parents who do

NOT want an IEP for their child but the school has identified them as needing

services.

It is true that they have to follow the current IEP until a new one is put in

place. You can also ask for a complete and comprehensive evaluation if that is

not what they are doing. My daughter had decent vocabulary but deleted parts of

the words. They laughed at me when I wanted her tested because in their opinion

she wasn't as bad as the other kids BUT they were shocked at the deficits that

they found.

Ironic isn't it that schools will fight those of us whose kiddos need services

are being denied them but will FIND other kids whose parents don't want services

and fight them to get them. Isn't our system GREAT!

>

> Hi ,

>

> Go to www.yellowpagesforkids.com and select your state.  It will give you a

list

> of organizations/advocates/attorneys for kids with disabilities.  In my

state,

> Washington, we have an organization called Pave that will advocate for our

> children in the public school system for free.  Is there a college in St.

> Louis?  If so contact their special education department.  Sometimes

professors

> will help you through the IEP process.  Make a few calls and maybe you can

find

> something like that.  Also try www.wrightslaw.com for legal resources.  Look

at

> IDEA and Section 504.  It really sounds like the district isn't doing its

job. 

> My advice is do not sign anything about services, such as an IEP.  You also

have

> a right to request assessments to be done by people outside of the school

> district at the expense of the school district.  Get a letter from your

doctor

> stating Gage's medical condition and disabilities.  Since Gage is so young

you

> need to get him the services he needs now. And he is entitled to that under

FAPE

> (free appropriate public education).  Also here are a couple of books that

are

> excellent resources for parents:  Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book by

Rich

> Weinfeld and and From Emotions to Advocacy by Pam and

Pete

> .  You can get them off amazon.com  It sucks that we have to go

through so

> much to get our children an education other neurotypical kids just get.  But

the

> best thing is to educate yourself about your rights.  It takes a lot of

reading

> and learning, but we have to do it to advocate effectively for our kids. 

Good

> luck!

>

> Stacey

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: polymicrogyria

> Sent: Tue, February 22, 2011 5:17:58 PM

> Subject: School and moving to another state

>

>  

> Hi all,

> We recently moved from Louisiana to Missouri and my son, Gage, (4years) has

> started getting assessments for cognitive/ pre-academic, communication, fine/

> gross motor skills and so on for him to recieve services through the school.

He

> was recieving PT, OT, speech, vision, and was in the pre-school class at his

> previous school. His assessment today was for communication and after the

> assessement the lady told me that he most likely will not qualify for speech.

I

> don't understand why since he cann't even say his own name or correctly

> pronounce most words. I do feel that he has a good vocabulary, but he is hard

to

> understand. I was also told last week that he most likely falls in the

category

> of average for cognitive/ pre- academic. Again, I don't understand where they

> come up with that. He does not know any colors, shapes, does not recognize a

> single number or letter. He still is not potty trained and is 100% dependent

on

> most daily activities. I recognize that my son is doing much better than those

> significantly affected from PMG, but as a mother or even a bystander, I can

see

> that my son is not an average 4 year old boy. His assessment for gross/ fine

> motor skills are next week and I can say that I am nervous that they are going

> to say that since he can walk, he doesn't need any services. (He wears DAFOs,

> falls often, cann't walk up/ down stairs unassisted, cann't jump, cann't

truely

> run, has tightness on his left side, and on and on).

>

> Has anyone had problems moving to another state and getting the proper

services

> through the school? My concern is that they will deny him of things he truely

> needs now and make it even more difficult for him in the future. As we all

have

> been told, it is better to work hard with them when they are young because if

we

> don't it will make it more difficult for them in the future to " catch up " or

> reach their highest potential. Please help! Any imput would be appreciated.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I know that you need to be 2 SD below the norm to qualify for services at school

and Gage was well over 2 SD at his previous school in all areas.  That is why I

am concerned.  I feel, so far, that Missouri sets their expectations of

children pretty low.  Just one example- 4 years olds should at least be able to

tell you how old they are (verbally or in sign language).  Gage cann't and if

he does, he answers that he is 1 (we tell him everyday that he is 4).  I see

two problems with that- he cann't simply tell you his age and secondly a typical

4 year old would know that saying he is 1 is calling himself a baby.  There are

numerous other things, but this is just a small part of why I am shocked that

they told me that he most likely falls in the average cognitive/ pre-acedemic

category. 

When I get the report before the IEP, my husband I will go through it very

carefully and already are prepared to get outside evaluations.  I have already

contacted a group that may be of help to us (thanks for leading me to

MPACT).  It is just upsetting and overwhelming to have to go through this

fight.  I don't want Gage to miss out on reaching is highest potential and I

won't accept letting him fall behind based on the school systems opinion.

Thanks, everyone for your replies!

Subject: Re: School and moving to another state

To: polymicrogyria

Date: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 9:53 AM

 

Unfortunately in order to qualify for services our kiddos have to be 2 standard

deviations below the norm. I also suggest the outside evaluation.

I agree with a lot of what Stacey said.

However whether you sign the IEP or not it WILL go into effect within 10 days

UNLESS you disagree IN WRITING to the proposed IEP within that 10 day window.

There has been the misconception that parents have to sign the IEP inorder for

it to take effect and that just isn't the case. However schools do not inform

parents of this nor of the 10 day window. This was set due to the parents who do

NOT want an IEP for their child but the school has identified them as needing

services.

It is true that they have to follow the current IEP until a new one is put in

place. You can also ask for a complete and comprehensive evaluation if that is

not what they are doing. My daughter had decent vocabulary but deleted parts of

the words. They laughed at me when I wanted her tested because in their opinion

she wasn't as bad as the other kids BUT they were shocked at the deficits that

they found.

Ironic isn't it that schools will fight those of us whose kiddos need services

are being denied them but will FIND other kids whose parents don't want services

and fight them to get them. Isn't our system GREAT!

>

> Hi ,

>

> Go to www.yellowpagesforkids.com and select your state.  It will give you a

list

> of organizations/advocates/attorneys for kids with disabilities.  In my

state,

> Washington, we have an organization called Pave that will advocate for our

> children in the public school system for free.  Is there a college in St.

> Louis?  If so contact their special education department.  Sometimes

professors

> will help you through the IEP process.  Make a few calls and maybe you can

find

> something like that.  Also try www.wrightslaw.com for legal resources. 

Look at

> IDEA and Section 504.  It really sounds like the district isn't doing its

job. 

> My advice is do not sign anything about services, such as an IEP.  You also

have

> a right to request assessments to be done by people outside of the school

> district at the expense of the school district.  Get a letter from your

doctor

> stating Gage's medical condition and disabilities.  Since Gage is so young

you

> need to get him the services he needs now. And he is entitled to that under

FAPE

> (free appropriate public education).  Also here are a couple of books that

are

> excellent resources for parents:  Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book by

Rich

> Weinfeld and and From Emotions to Advocacy by Pam and

Pete

> .  You can get them off amazon.com  It sucks that we have to go

through so

> much to get our children an education other neurotypical kids just get. 

But the

> best thing is to educate yourself about your rights.  It takes a lot of

reading

> and learning, but we have to do it to advocate effectively for our kids. 

Good

> luck!

>

> Stacey

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: polymicrogyria

> Sent: Tue, February 22, 2011 5:17:58 PM

> Subject: School and moving to another state

>

>  

> Hi all,

> We recently moved from Louisiana to Missouri and my son, Gage, (4years) has

> started getting assessments for cognitive/ pre-academic, communication, fine/

> gross motor skills and so on for him to recieve services through the school.

He

> was recieving PT, OT, speech, vision, and was in the pre-school class at his

> previous school. His assessment today was for communication and after the

> assessement the lady told me that he most likely will not qualify for speech.

I

> don't understand why since he cann't even say his own name or correctly

> pronounce most words. I do feel that he has a good vocabulary, but he is hard

to

> understand. I was also told last week that he most likely falls in the

category

> of average for cognitive/ pre- academic. Again, I don't understand where they

> come up with that. He does not know any colors, shapes, does not recognize a

> single number or letter. He still is not potty trained and is 100% dependent

on

> most daily activities. I recognize that my son is doing much better than those

> significantly affected from PMG, but as a mother or even a bystander, I can

see

> that my son is not an average 4 year old boy. His assessment for gross/ fine

> motor skills are next week and I can say that I am nervous that they are going

> to say that since he can walk, he doesn't need any services. (He wears DAFOs,

> falls often, cann't walk up/ down stairs unassisted, cann't jump, cann't

truely

> run, has tightness on his left side, and on and on).

>

> Has anyone had problems moving to another state and getting the proper

services

> through the school? My concern is that they will deny him of things he truely

> needs now and make it even more difficult for him in the future. As we all

have

> been told, it is better to work hard with them when they are young because if

we

> don't it will make it more difficult for them in the future to " catch up " or

> reach their highest potential. Please help! Any imput would be appreciated.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>