Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional First day of school - No one's read the IEP...

Wow, geofizz. So this math teacher is now a Special Ed attorney, too?? Cool.

Sounds like time to school someone about: a) stay-put provisions in IDEA procedural safeguards (so, um... you can't decide whether or not you're going to do it-- that's sort of the point!), and b) Letter to Zirkel: "reasonable" doesn't even come into it in a public school setting. It's about "necessary," "LRE" and "FAPE." In the case of an IEP, the word reasonable shouldn't even come UP, given that it isn't in the statute anywhere to start with. I understand that ADA/ADAA might be... confusing... on this point, so I can allow some leeway there (and it's why I have a PDF of Letter to Zirkel on my hard drive at all times, LOL)... but for IDEA??

Thank goodness I know and understand the IDEA law, DD's IEP, and the data that went into the IEP inside out and backwards. I also have an educational advocate. I also have a lot of clout with district personnel.

I suspect this will be just a blip ultimately. There are bigger problems with how things have started this year, however, that make me leery. The best possible outcome here is that the teacher learns to actually honor IEPs and respects parental input.

I have found it pretty typical that it can take a few days to get everyone up to speed on the IEP, but Geo, that math teacher is utterly out of line. He clearly needs to be instructed by an administrator about the importance of following the special education law.

What a rough way to start. I expect you'll find a way to sort it out, but still.

DeeDee

Ugh geofizz - I agree with DeeDee - the math teacher is so beyond out of line! Argh.

In the meantime, I am having to take some of my own "remember, the first week of school is crazy for everyone" advice this week... while I work to maintain my personal "zen" until school pickup today when I am going to have to go in and follow-up with ds' teachers on a class assignment given during the day yesterday. I can't go into the details even here - it is totally bringing back all those feelings of stress that take over when it feels like you have to constantly re-advocate, over and over. I sincerely hope I don't have to repeat the explanation of what dysgraphia is and how it impacts my ds *again*. These are the same teachers ds had last year - they know what ds' challenges and diagnoses and accommodations are - most of the time his teachers are great, sometimes they are clueless - sometimes understandably clueless, once in a while it feels like they are stubbornly purposely clueless. Overall it's so much better now in a middle school that is understanding than it was in elementary school where everything was a fight, but overall I'm just kinda tired. On a positive note, I see ds maturing and handling it all very well. Much better than his mom!

My apologies for turning my reply into a personal vent!

Amy, that's great your school is going to start using MAP testing! I think the ALEKS part is promising too, although I hope it doesn't replace actual live teachers in any way. I'll be interested to hear how it works out

Best wishes,

polarbear

There is a lot about this school that I am really excited for... but it seems like most things don't start until like 6th grade... they eventually all get chromebooks... (previously it was iPads, this year they are doing chromebooks). And the fact that they are bringing these online tools makes me, personally, happy. It's unlikely that DS will ever really receive in-class instruction that goes at an appropriate pace for him, so knowing the school is on board with these tools is great. I am hopeful that if we can't get him into G&T this year that I can maybe get them on board with having him use ALEKS some... we'll see.

DS doesn't start for a few weeks and I don't know who his teacher is yet. Last year I sent an email a few days before about his IEP. And she knew all about it. But I also used the email to update about the summer and what was working and what wasn't. He had such a great year in terms of accommodation where the teacher and OT really worked together to figure out strategies for class work and homework. It made such a difference especially at home - really lessened the battles! Fingers crossed it works as well this year and the teacher is as caring and considerate.

What I hate is this is the second year in a row where I don't know what to do with the school supplies - it's a minor thing in the scheme of things but I would rather not waste money on notebooks that they want to replace. Although he really doesn't want to use the notebooks with the dashed line in the middle. I think he is very cognizant it sets him apart but he has a hard time with the regular wide ruled - although it is getting better. We have been using graph paper notebooks over the summer with some of the stuff he has been doing and it's amazing how much it helps him with sizing and putting spaces between the words. Not sure they would let him use that as a journal but perhaps if he advocates for it himself they might try it. And it continues to amaze me, with out lined paper he will write down the side of the page, he can never remember to "hit return" and start the next line, he basically makes a right turn and writes down the side as if he is doing one of those word pictorials which of course is completely illegible, but never fails that he tries to do that.

DeHe

Meh.

They got the Cliff notes on DS9's IEP because I insisted loudly on getting a transition meeting with old/new teachers before school started, brought the IEP, and summarized from it.

Four days in school, and the (new) teacher, (new) principal and (new) case manager want to stop the one accommodation that did the most good over the past two years (the one he couldn't function without in 2nd grade, and the one that allowed the most progress on his IEP goals last year). And keep telling me how well he is doing.

Because he has grown so much, and mom is clearly being over-protective and holding him back (nothing to do with the fact nobody wants to take the time to clear the room used for said accommodation, no, nothing).

Mom is wondering if it would be worth the tear and wear on the child to show them exactly *why* we have spent 4 years getting the f@^$*cking accommodations in place.

Grrrrrrrr...

The good thing about venting here is that now I can put the nice smile back on and go back to explain why I think it is a bad idea without sounding like a complete lunatic.

Did I say "want to stop"? Stopped without asking, and then came back to me saying "see, he didn't have a meltdown yet, so he clearly doesn't need it, right? Progress! :)"

Where was that smile I need for tomorrow, again?

Yes. This is my seventh year on the black-diamond run of all-out IEP advocacy parenting. There will be eleven more years of it after this. At least.

I'm finding that it's really hard to muster the energy to keep being positive, keep explaining, keep cheerleading, keep running my children to get all the extra accessories and therapies they need. AND deal with the people who assume that last year's problems may have magically gone away over the summer.

We're in a fairly good place at the moment (knocking on wood with all four limbs here), but it is still difficult.

Sympathies all round.

DeeDee

School hasn't started yet but reading all your posts has me stressed out big time. I'm so sorry you are all dealing with this. It is just so exhausting to even read about what everyone is dealing with.

We still don't know where DD will be going to school this year. Yes the district agreed to OOD placement but there are major concerns about the LD school they want to place her at. After trying all summer to get it worked out or get her placed at the 2E school we finally got an IEP meeting scheduled - for the day AFTER school starts. Word from all our professionals (consultant, attorney and psych) is unless/until all services are in place that would make this an appropriate placement DD stays home. How's that for a kick in the pants? After all that time fighting and advocating for OOD placement we now have to start all over to get what she needs in place at the OOD. And she doesn't get to go to school at all unless/until we get it all worked out.

For now I am going to continue to enjoy the remaining days of summer break and stress out vicariously through all of you. Good luck everyone!