Re: Off topic - IEP expertise needed!

[Guest guest]

This is not a good IEP. For example, all goals must be measurable,

and behavior plans must be positive. IMO the most important thing

you can do to improve the IEP and your child's progress is to never

attend a meeting alone. Every state has advocacy agencies that can

help, advise, review, and usually attend IEPs with you. Also, taping

the meetings gets better results, too.

> We need some advice here. 's case manager came by today to

share what

> was going on when she observed him at school. It was disturbing.

So now

> we have to change pretty much everything that's in his IEP and

start all

> over. The Kansas Department of Education told me that the goals we

have

> were very vague and not measurable (no big surprise there). Our

IEP team

> is dishonest and sneaky. The worst part is the punitive way in

which they

> implement his services. One example is his behavior plan. Since

it needs

> to be noted every thirty minutes how he is doing with social skills

and

> staying on task, he is made to carry a clip board around to the

cafeteria,

> to his specials like art and PE, ect... To me it stinks. You

don't see

> typical kids walking around with clipboards. The behavior plan was

okay

> with me, it was supposed to be a positive thing though, with

rewards for

> good behavior tied to it. If anyone in his class hasn't completed

an

> assignment by the time it's due then they have to miss recess to

complete

> that assignment. When it's done they still cannot participate in

recess.

> Although I have requested and the teacher and IEP team has agreed

to allow

> short breaks when he has to miss recess, this did not happen on the

day he

> was observed. He was so anxious and uptight that he self injured

until he

> rubbed a raw spot on his finger and bled. When his case manager

pointed

> this out to his teacher she said " Oh, has dry skin and picks

at his

> hands " . His para, that I had to fight tooth and nail to get, spent

a good

> part of the teachers lesson time opening his desk, getting into his

> binder, shuffling papers, and serving in every way possible to be

more of

> a distraction to him. His team states that he does not qualify for

> extended school year because we don't have the data showing enough

of a

> regression over the summer. Last summer we spent over $1,000 to

send him

> to a private school for LD kids for a month. In 16 areas on his

report

> card his grades are lower than they were in second grade (last

year). Who

> knows how bad he would be doing if we didn't do everything we can to

> prevent regression over the summer! His goals are vague,

unmeasurable,

> and inappropriate.

>

> So finally, here are my questions. For those of you with IEP's,

how long

> does it take to get a good one written? How can we reduce the

chances of

> teachers and other staff members taking out their bad feelings for

me on

> my child? How do you handle the teams pressuring you to sign?

How do I

> respond when they tell me " thus and such service only sets him

apart from

> his peers more " ? Do your IEP's look like they are supposed to, or

are

> they vague like mine? For example: " The building level team will

> identify resources necessary for the ongoing support of the

student's

> program " That's how the para professional support is written in.

Although

> we've had 2 IEP meetings now, and still can't agree, they have only

listed

> two parental concerns in his IEP. It's not even one complete

sentence.

>

> I'm literally sick and tired. Got any advice for us?

>

> Robin

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/7/01 10:03:19 PM Central Standard Time,

robindweber@... writes:

> Do your IEP's look like they are supposed to, or are they vague like mine?

Robin,

I am so sorry to hear about the trouble you're having. My son's first IEP is

pretty general, but the " Student Goals and Objectives " are very specific.

Some of them are as follows:

Snip with scissors, recognize color, verbally express needs, match object to

object, point to or name body parts, pedal tricycle...

This is what they use to measure his progress.

I feel very fortunate to have such a great group working with my son.

Kim

[Guest guest]

--- nulani@... wrote:

> This is not a good IEP. For example, all goals must be measurable,

> and behavior plans must be positive. IMO the most important thing

> you can do to improve the IEP and your child's progress is to never

> attend a meeting alone.

I never do! His case manager and my husband were both in attendance.

Every state has advocacy agencies that can

> help, advise, review, and usually attend IEPs with you.

I know, I've called them - the best we got last year was one agency who

attended his IEP meetings via TELEPHONE! It was not very effective.

Also, taping

> the meetings gets better results, too.

We will be doing this from now on. Do you guys use a small hand held tape

recorder or lug in a big boom box? I know, I'll put a reel to reel on an

audio visual cart and roll that sucker into the meeting!!

Sorry for the attitude. It's just that I question more than most folks do

and look at how I'm getting treated. Most of the parents in our district

must be getting a worse deal than us.

Robin

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I would like to add one suggestion, don't sign the IEP at the meeting. I

always take it home and go over it for a couple of days before signing it to

ensure I have not missed anything I want added, and I let her therapist

review it as well before signing.

> I never do! His case manager and my husband were both in attendance.

>

> Every state has advocacy agencies that can

> > help, advise, review, and usually attend IEPs with you.

>

> I know, I've called them - the best we got last year was one agency who

> attended his IEP meetings via TELEPHONE! It was not very effective.

>

> Also, taping

> > the meetings gets better results, too.

>

> We will be doing this from now on. Do you guys use a small hand held tape

> recorder or lug in a big boom box? I know, I'll put a reel to reel on an

> audio visual cart and roll that sucker into the meeting!!

>

> Sorry for the attitude. It's just that I question more than most folks do

> and look at how I'm getting treated. Most of the parents in our district

> must be getting a worse deal than us.

>

> Robin

>

[Guest guest]

Schlotzhauer wrote:

> I would like to add one suggestion, don't sign the IEP at the meeting. I

> always take it home and go over it for a couple of days before signing it to

> ensure I have not missed anything I want added, and I let her therapist

> review it as well before signing.

>

But you don't have to sign the IEP to have it implemented. Just because you

don't sign it doesn't mean it won't end up being the IEP. Make sure if you

disagree to check the box for a due process hearing to protect your rights.

Even if you add information there is no guarantee that the added information

will become part of the IEP. They can simply implement the one drawn up before

the additions were made. It is erroneous to believe that your signature really

means anything. Sucks, I know, but true.

Maureen

[Guest guest]

Schlotzhauer wrote:

> I would like to add one suggestion, don't sign the IEP at the meeting. I

> always take it home and go over it for a couple of days before signing it to

> ensure I have not missed anything I want added, and I let her therapist

> review it as well before signing.

>

But you don't have to sign the IEP to have it implemented. Just because you

don't sign it doesn't mean it won't end up being the IEP. Make sure if you

disagree to check the box for a due process hearing to protect your rights.

Even if you add information there is no guarantee that the added information

will become part of the IEP. They can simply implement the one drawn up before

the additions were made. It is erroneous to believe that your signature really

means anything. Sucks, I know, but true.

Maureen

[Guest guest]

>

> Sorry for the attitude. It's just that I question more than most

folks do

> and look at how I'm getting treated. Most of the parents in our

district

> must be getting a worse deal than us.

>

> Robin

>

The attitude is great! And you probably are getting a better deal

than many parents. I've been teaming with some other parents, and we

arrive armed to the teeth with recorders, medical abstracts, magazine

articles, fed regs, IEP info books, doctor's letters, etc. We know

we're not popular, but we're not running for office! And the scope

of the IEPs has greatly improved.

[Guest guest]

>

> Sorry for the attitude. It's just that I question more than most

folks do

> and look at how I'm getting treated. Most of the parents in our

district

> must be getting a worse deal than us.

>

> Robin

>

The attitude is great! And you probably are getting a better deal

than many parents. I've been teaming with some other parents, and we

arrive armed to the teeth with recorders, medical abstracts, magazine

articles, fed regs, IEP info books, doctor's letters, etc. We know

we're not popular, but we're not running for office! And the scope

of the IEPs has greatly improved.

[Guest guest]

I use a small hand held and just sit it on the table in front of me. I just

told them at the first IEP that I wanted to be sure I got everything right

for those that could not attend.

Betty

----- Original Message -----

> We will be doing this from now on. Do you guys use a small hand held tape

> recorder or lug in a big boom box? I know, I'll put a reel to reel on an

> audio visual cart and roll that sucker into the meeting!!

>

> Sorry for the attitude. It's just that I question more than most folks do

> and look at how I'm getting treated. Most of the parents in our district

> must be getting a worse deal than us.

>

> Robin

[Guest guest]

You need to find an advocate in your area. Contact some of the service

providers and they offer advocates for free. In Pennsylvania the service

provider called MARC offers free advocates to help with the IEP's and let me

tell you once they come in beware they are well versed in the law and get

your child what he deserves.

Let me know the state you are in and I will do some research for you if you

can't find one.

Also, contact the special education department in your state. I have a 1-800

number for Special Kids Network in PA, they might be of some help to you.

LOL,

Mom to 2 yr old

[Guest guest]

--- treelinkr@... wrote:

> You need to find an advocate in your area.

His case manager is serving in that capacity. She's also consulting with

other advocates from her agency. The organization that is supposed to

supply advocates in this area, as written on the parents rights booklet,

usually will not. They told a friend of mine that they do not supply

advocates but enable parents to advocate for themselves. I'm checking

into that also, on Monday.

Contact some of the service

> providers and they offer advocates for free. In Pennsylvania the

> service

> provider called MARC offers free advocates to help with the IEP's and

> let me

> tell you once they come in beware they are well versed in the law and

> get

> your child what he deserves.

> Let me know the state you are in and I will do some research for you if

> you

> can't find one.

Kansas

> Also, contact the special education department in your state.

I've done that a couple of times and they have good advice, part of which

is to call that other agency and get an advocate. One problem is that I

am up against a very large and powerful school district with funding

problems.

I have a

> 1-800

> number for Special Kids Network in PA, they might be of some help to

> you.

> LOL,

> Mom to 2 yr old

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

How do I contact MARC in PA? I will be sending my son to Kindergarten in the

fall and I need help with the IEP and on being assertive. Any info. would

be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Re: Off topic - IEP expertise needed!

>You need to find an advocate in your area. Contact some of the service

>providers and they offer advocates for free. In Pennsylvania the service

>provider called MARC offers free advocates to help with the IEP's and let

me

>tell you once they come in beware they are well versed in the law and get

>your child what he deserves.

>Let me know the state you are in and I will do some research for you if you

>can't find one.

>Also, contact the special education department in your state. I have a

1-800

>number for Special Kids Network in PA, they might be of some help to you.

>LOL,

>Mom to 2 yr old

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

Check out this group for an incredible amount of IEP resources and

support/answers to SO MANY questions -- I've found this list indispensable:

IEP_guide

You might want to consider getting the daily digest version as this is a

fairly busy list! Also, keep in mind that topics cover not only autism but

other disabilities as well.

Also, I just ordered Beth Fouse's book, CREATING A WIN-WIN IEP FOR STUDENTS

WITH AUTISM for my next go-round with the schools. Someone had recommended

the book to me, I hope it is as helpful as it sounds.

BJ in polis, MD