Re: anyone have this concern with the school classification?

[Guest guest]

We are awaiting an IEP meeting since my son's diagnosis -- though the school

already called to tell me that they recommend OHI for aspergers instead of

autism.

In our case (NYC) the classification only comes into play with regard to the

school or class distinction. There is a program for HFA or Aspergers kids and

to get into that program, you need the Autism classification on the IEP.

However, many folks end up in private special needs only schools -- that are

paid for by the board of education - if they can prove that the school cannot

provide what they need -- many of the schools that accept aspergers kids DON'T

accept kids with AUTISM classifications... It's a ridiculous game that we play

because some schools do take OHI and some don't but they could still work for

the aspie kid.

I've applied to some of these schools and am hoping we get into one before our

IEP meeting so I know what classification to use ... If not, I'll probably go

with the OHI classification since I don't know what difference it makes in our

current classroom situation.

>

>

> are there any schools out there that the CSE team don't want the school

classification to say autism for the HFA kids because they feel it would hold

them back because they/teachers see autism as the more severe type of autism.

that this would be a disadvantage to a HFA child.

> and they want the classification to read OHI instead of autism for that

reason.

> I was told by the school that most schools are doing this now and wanted to

check with you all to see how many schools are doing this or if it's just mine.

>

> Also, I wanted to let you all know I disagree with that change of

classification.

>

> If you can please let me know if you school did this change with the

classification and how you felt about that change. Also, what did they change

the classification to.

> Rose

>

[Guest guest]

In a former school district, my daughter entered the district with an Asperger's diagnosis and she was classified as autistic on her IEP. The next CSE meeting, they talked us into letting them change it to emotionally disabled, siting that she would get the same services but that they felt it was a better classification for her. We believed anything they told us at that time. Why would they lie. But it did not sit right with us so for the next 6 years at every single CSE meeting we requested it be changed back to autism, providing documents with Asperger's diagnosis from 5 different doctors, 3 of whom the district referred us to. It never got changed until I relocated from that district in order to get her into an Asperger's program through the BOCES program in the next county. It was there that I learned that children classified with autism automatically recieved speech therapy which in her case would have provided her with the social coaching she so desperately needed in the old district. The old district shuffled her from program to program and she ended up in psych facilities 4 times over the stress of it all. What I found out from a mom who lives in my old district who got her Masters in Special Ed with a focus on Aspergers becuase she has 2 Aspie children of her own, is that if the schools have children labeled as autistic then the district is required to set up a program for them....even if it is a program for ONE child. That takes funding away from other things the school may be wanting....like my old district's new auditorium. I also got the same story about classifications not being labeled properly from one of 's tutors. This tutor was a special ed tutor who's mother taught special ed in another district and who's father was the high school principal in my old district. There IS a reason they don't want to label your child as autistic and sadly, it's more than likely not in the best interest of your child. -Betsy >> > are there any schools out there that the CSE team don't want the school classification to say autism for the HFA kids because they feel it would hold them back because they/teachers see autism as the more severe type of autism. that this would be a disadvantage to a HFA child.> and they want the classification to read OHI instead of autism for that reason.> I was told by the school that most schools are doing this now and wanted to check with you all to see how many schools are doing this or if it's just mine.> > Also, I wanted to let you all know I disagree with that change of classification.> > If you can please let me know if you school did this change with the classification and how you felt about that change. Also, what did they change the classification to.> Rose>

[Guest guest]

Chicago isn't doing that.

>

>

> are there any schools out there that the CSE team don't want the school

classification to say autism for the HFA kids because they feel it would hold

them back because they/teachers see autism as the more severe type of autism.

that this would be a disadvantage to a HFA child.

> and they want the classification to read OHI instead of autism for that

reason.

> I was told by the school that most schools are doing this now and wanted to

check with you all to see how many schools are doing this or if it's just mine.

>

> Also, I wanted to let you all know I disagree with that change of

classification.

>

> If you can please let me know if you school did this change with the

classification and how you felt about that change. Also, what did they change

the classification to.

> Rose

>

[Guest guest]

If he attended the public school, we would get autism services, but since we

homeschool, we only get access to speech services through proportionate share.

I am very happy with the school that did the evals, but we moved (within the

city) and the school here is so-so about stuff.

I spent the summer reading and researching about how to deal with his speech and

language issues (the school that did the eval gave me a lot of pointers), and

figured that it made more sense to work intensively with him at home than to

bring him in every week. So now, I just bring him in periodically for a

" check-up " and to get suggestions. However I requested a sort of checklist or

milestone marker in the speech realm for kids like him, so I would have some

kind of baseline to compare him to on my own, but I don't think I am going to

get it. This kind of irks me. I am trying to gain a few simple resources like

that, so that I don't have to be dependent on the school, but they seem kind of

wishy washy.

I think his IFSP is still blank. Sometimes I want to be done with the school,

but I think they can still be helpful once we deal with the red tape and what

not.

> >

> >

> > are there any schools out there that the CSE team don't want the school

classification to say autism for the HFA kids because they feel it would hold

them back because they/teachers see autism as the more severe type of autism.

that this would be a disadvantage to a HFA child.

> > and they want the classification to read OHI instead of autism for that

reason.

> > I was told by the school that most schools are doing this now and wanted to

check with you all to see how many schools are doing this or if it's just mine.

> >

> > Also, I wanted to let you all know I disagree with that change of

classification.

> >

> > If you can please let me know if you school did this change with the

classification and how you felt about that change. Also, what did they change

the classification to.

> > Rose

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I forgot to add that he is in kindergarten!

> >

> >

> > are there any schools out there that the CSE team don't want the school

classification to say autism for the HFA kids because they feel it would hold

them back because they/teachers see autism as the more severe type of autism.

that this would be a disadvantage to a HFA child.

> > and they want the classification to read OHI instead of autism for that

reason.

> > I was told by the school that most schools are doing this now and wanted to

check with you all to see how many schools are doing this or if it's just mine.

> >

> > Also, I wanted to let you all know I disagree with that change of

classification.

> >

> > If you can please let me know if you school did this change with the

classification and how you felt about that change. Also, what did they change

the classification to.

> > Rose

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My district has Autism Spectrum as an eligibility category. I know that there are districts that attempt to put Autism Spectrum under OHI. If Autism wasn't a category I think I'd be o.k. with it but not if Autism is an option. Pam

In a message dated 2/12/2010 4:59:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, beachbodytan2002@... writes:

are there any schools out there that the CSE team don't want the school classification to say autism for the HFA kids because they feel it would hold them back because they/teachers see autism as the more severe type of autism. that this would be a disadvantage to a HFA child.and they want the classification to read OHI instead of autism for that reason.I was told by the school that most schools are doing this now and wanted to check with you all to see how many schools are doing this or if it's just mine.Also, I wanted to let you all know I disagree with that change of classification.If you can please let me know if you school did this change with the classification and how you felt about that change. Also, what did they change the classification to.Rose