UPDATE- UPCOMING IEP MEETING- PLEASE HELP

[Guest guest]

Hi all-

I wanted to give you all an update.... For those of you who know me- skip to

paragraph 3....

We went to tour the Special Ed. Classroom that my Son will enter when he turns 3

yesterday. Our IEP meeting is scheduled for Feb. 2. I am getting more and more

bothered about what I am hearing.

Background info- I live in PA, my Son Son's diagnoses include Moderate to Severe

Praia, Hypotenuse, Mild PVL, and a Chromosome deletion on 10q23.31 (Genetic

Consultation showed that my husband has same deletion and the missing genes have

no correlation to cognitive or physical impairment).

We were told that we have 3 choices for our Son during our Transition Meeting:

1. Enroll him in Special Ed Classroom

2. Enroll him in " Typical Pre K " at our cost and therapists from the School

would go there to give him 1:1 Therapy.

3. Do not enroll him in any School, but have Therapists come to our home for 1:1

Therapy.

I can choose any ONE of the 3 options above- but I can't have 2 of them.......

We chose the Special Ed Pre K only because we have heard that the Services in

option 2 or 3 are not very intensive. We also felt that our Son needs the

Socialization- (his EI Services and Private Therapies were so frequent that we

had scheduling conflicts every time we tried to sign him up for a " fun class " .

Here is what I have heard/experienced so far:

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

- 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.

- 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.

- Yesterday, I told my EI Coordinator about how many of you have managed to

negotiate for indiv therapy during your IEP. My EI Coordinator said " I find that

hard to believe " . I offered to copy and paste your stories and send them to

her. My EI Coordinator is truly a NICE person..... I feel that she may only

know about what is going on in our area..... she also does not seem to know much

about Praia. I will create a separate post, asking all of you to e-mail me your

stories.....

-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.

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.

There is something very wrong in the State of PA. EI Coordinators are

" brainwashed " to believe that there is no way to have indiv. therapy in the

School. Even the person who diagnosed my Son's Apraxia has told me that the

School System in PA will balk at the idea of indiv ST, that there is not much

funding for the PK settings, and that School services for my Son will improve

when he enters first grade.

I feel that this is not right! Why let a child regress? It seems to me that the

School System here is like a Huge fly swatter- and parents, children, and

providers are the flys. I am going to stand my ground, and be firm-- I keep

thinking of the Poem about Starfish...... Have any of you read it?

THE STARFISH POEM

Once upon a time there was a wise man

who used to go to the ocean

to do his writing.

He had a habit of walking

on the beach

before he began his work.

One day he was walking along

the shore.

As he looked down the beach,

he saw a human

figure moving like a dancer.

He smiled to himself to think

of someone who would

dance to the day.

So he began to walk faster

to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw

that it was a young man

and the young man wasn't dancing,

but instead he was reaching

down to the shore,

picking up something

and very gently throwing it

into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out,

" Good morning! What are you doing? "

The young man paused,

looked up and replied,

" Throwing starfish in the ocean. "

" I guess I should have asked,

why are you throwing starfish in the ocean? "

" The sun is up and the tide is going out.

And if I don't throw them in they'll die. "

" But, young man, don't you realize that

there are miles and miles of beach

and starfish all along it.

You can't possibly make a difference! "

The young man listened politely.

Then bent down, picked up another starfish

and threw it into the sea,

past the breaking waves and said-

" It made a difference for that one. "

Please, everyone, give me any advice that you can..... I want to make a

difference, not only for my Son, but for also all of the other Children in my

State who have been diagnosed with Apraxia!

.