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Re: IEP MEETING- it gets deeper

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Hi !

I woke Cheryl out of a sleep to get the following answers. I had tried to call

her a few other times but she's such a busy lady! (here's info on who our award

winning advocate VP of Cherab Cheryl is again

http://www.cherab.org/about/cheryl.html )

OK read her what is going on from this message and your last one best I could

typed really fast.

I have the quotes below from you with her responses (again best I can remember)

Some answers overlap as she was talking about one when I was going on to another

and I didn't want to ask her to repeat as I knew I woke her up.

- My EI Coordinator has told me repeatedly that " they will not offer indiv.

Therapy " . She told me that the PA Department of Education operates on an

" Educational Model " , not a " Medical Model " .... and that the " Educational Model "

supports only Group therapy in the Classroom setting.

First of all the least restrictive environment means what is best for the child.

And if the child has severe apraxia then the least restrictive environment would

be one on one therapy. And if they do Prompt or any kind of oral motor for

apraxia there is so much repetition involved. Even a group of two is too large

if the child's speech is unintelligible. We are not talking about medical

therapy we are talking about communication needs that will help the child

advance in the classroom. Those communication needs may be augmentative

communication as well as oral motor or Prompt therapy etc. The child needs the

therapists undivided attention if that is what is appropriate for that child.

- The Special Ed PK does NOT offer Indiv. Therapy.

Wow Wow Wow. You may have to go to due process and court to get what you need.

You'll need expert testimony to support that your child will need individual

therapy and appropriate placement to ensure he receives a quality education.

Because the fact he has unintelligible speech will affect his educational

outcome. They call it an IEP because it's supposed to be individual to that

child's needs.

A lot of times when the case manager gives a blanket statement like you received

the case manager doesn't want to do the extra legwork involved in assuring the

child has individual therapy. You have to go before an administrative law judge

and let the law judge decide. Because for them to outright refuse is not right.

That's why it's called an individual plan. If they are saying that they do not

offer any individual therapy they need to put that in writing and state why and

have it signed and dated. This needs to be part of a paper trail and this mom

needs to start building a paper trail.

Do you have an education law center that handles special education law issues?

Do you have a Statewide Parent Advocacy Network for your area? There also

should be special education attorneys that can help you.

- I researched the above statement- and found out that the State of PA changed

to this " Educational Model " about 2 years ago. Prior to this change, all

children were sent to the Special Ed. Classrooms, and the DID have indiv therapy

in the Classroom Setting if needed.

Special education is a series of services not a placement. (sorry this one I

missed a bunch in the middle as I was still typing from the last one) For

example snack time they would teach the sign " more " to teach him how to say he

wants more to eat. Did you get it in writing that they changed. Do they have a

white paper on this, a policy on it? Or it is hearsay? It has to be signed by

whomever is in charge of the speech therapists. You need this signed and dated

if the state of PA is stating that they will no longer provide any more one on

one speech therapy in any situation. Even though it is the local school that

decides what is appropriate for that child's IEP together with the parent they

are operating under the Federal laws for that child that he is entitled to a

free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

-We finally were able to visit the Special Ed. Classroom yesterday... The

Teacher was not permitted to speak to us.... therefore, none of my questions

about it were answered. My EI Coordinator met us there-- she told me that I must

ask all of these questions during the IEP Meeting. How the HE%# am I supposed

to decide if this is an appropriate setting for my child if simple questions can

not be answered PRIOR to the IEP Meeting?

- What is the student to teacher ratio? (there were only 5 kids in the class

that day- but my EI Coordinator said there are more. There was one teacher

present and 2 aides.

-What are the Credentials of the Teacher, the Speech Therapist? What training do

the aides receive?

-I asked for a " handbook " describing the " Typical Day " in the Class, Class

Policies, etc.... they did not have one.

All these things you are asking you'll have to put in writing because it sounds

like you will be going to due process. It's unbelievable what they are doing to

this parent. Make sure you bring your tape recorder with you. You need a

special ed attorney because they are not going to give in from what they sound

like. I really hope she is writing all this down and sending them a note

keeping everyone up to date on what has been said to her and discussed and

saying " I hope we are on the same page " You need to build a file, a paper

trail, on how you are trying to fight for you child. I hope she already has a

paper trail. Does she have a paper trail? (I said I didn't know) She NEEDS a

paper trail.

My Son was previously evaluated by the School PT, OT, ST and met Criteria for

Services in all 3 areas. Therefore, I DO KNOW that he will be attending this

School for the Largest amount of days that they offer..... which is 4 days per

week, 2.5 hours each day. What bothers me, is the concept that " there is no

indiv ST in the School " . I am new to all of this...... I used to be angry at

the School- I now realize that the School is following the Guidelines set by the

PA Dept. Of Education. This means that I will be " fighting against " an even

larger entity during my upcoming IEP meeting ! UGGGGGGH.

Well you'll have to file a complaint. Did you get the special education booklet

on parental rights? They should be able to get that book which will tell her

how to file a complaint. But she needs to have a paper trail. It's about 20

pages long and every state should have one.

Who gave the diagnosis of apraxia? What type of testing was done? That's

important. You want copies of all the testing and the word " apraxia " better be

in the evaluations if that is the diagnosis. She needs to make sure it was

motor planning testing and not just articulation tests. It's a different ball

game now and they have different tests for apraxia.

Last advice is building a paper trail on all the avenues you've gone down all

the evaluations her child has been down, all the conversations with dates and

times and names. (and she restated some of what is already above about the

parental rights in special education booklet to file a complaint etc.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I thanked the wonderful Cheryl for all of us!

I found this under parent rights in special education for Pennsylvania

http://www.pacyber.org/about/special-education.aspx

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/022/chapter14/chap14toc.html

Shockingly very little else on parental rights...unless you were in Pennsylvania

searching on how to advocate for a gifted student that is. May want to read

from the US law http://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html

since that covers the USA and right now PA is still part of that I am guessing.

You can also visit http://www.wrightslaw.com/ There is that chapter in The Late

Talker, and don't forget our conversation that you should be in touch with

Robin Ketchum who's family sued the PA school system for ABUSE...and WON!!! I

mean talk about special needs...didn't they learn ANYTHING after what they did

to poor ???

http://www.cherab.org/news/.html

And 's story today!!! (since nutriiveda)

http://littlemermaidmelanie.wordpress.com/about

Did you talk to Robin? I'd again let them know you are in touch with the

Ketchums and again -don't forget your tape recorder and if I had a dime for each

time Cheryl said " paper trail " for everything we'd have the money for

research!!!

=====

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