Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional SCT/IEP w/ Aspergers

Thank you, Nan. I have no intention of letting them blow me off. I already had somewhat of a reputation as being one of "those" parents because of the pushing I had to do for her to be tested for TAG to begin with. It's a new principal this year though, which makes me slightly more hopeful. She seems more personable and receptive than our old one. I'll update after the meeting on Monday.

-Amanda

So once again I've walked out of an SCT meeting feeling as though I was hit by a mack truck. The same school psychologist was there and basically took over the meeting. All of a sudden dd's teachers are insisting that she has no problems in the classroom staying on task, though they do see social issues. Of course, upon hearing this, the school psych was all about how Piper doesn't qualify for an IEP or a 504. Nevermind they had the developmental psych's report in hand laying out exactly what accomodations are needed. I do feel like I did a better job asserting myself and advocating than the last time, but the result was the same. I'm going to give it a couple of days so I can be rational and e-mail the involved parties. I am not going to let it rest this time and have already started looking at recourse..due process, etc, if the school will not do an evaluation.

-Amanda

Amanda, Blah! Was the new principal at the meeting? I, too, have been to those meetings where you feel run over. Did you have an advocate with you? Can you get one? That has helped us. Also, talking with the principal in person has seemed to help us. Sending the emails is a great idea because it gives them a second chance to do the right thing. We have left a meeting very discouraged and then gotten a response to a letter which gave us the answer we wanted. Keep pushing, and good luck. Nan

Nan, the new principal was at the meeting. I did not have anyone with me, and am looking into that as well. The last time this happened (for her CF) I just completely let it drop..I was intimidated by the whole process at the time. I had thought talking with the principal and laying it all out prior to the meeting would help, but to be honest the school psych took it over and everyone else (except me) just kind of nodded their heads in agreement to everything he said. I came out of it feeling very railroaded. I'm hoping the email will help. I do plan on copying in the psych's supervisor. I feel as though they send him in to shoot down and double talk any parent with a disabled child who also happens to be a high achiever, and that frustrates me to no end.

-Amanda

Amanda, I'm sorry to hear it.

Speaking as someone who's also been hit by that particular truck: you will have to out-persist them, know your rights, and perhaps bring in more help to strengthen your team (so it's not just you holding up your end).

School psychs come in several flavors. Many try to be helpful. We have also encountered the kind who has only a Master's (i.e. not a psych who is licensed to treat people or diagnose them, but qualified only to administer certain educational tests) who nonetheless likes to play the expert and railroad people out of services. Sometimes the district purposefully uses this person as a hit man, sometimes it's on the psych's own initiative. Either way, the school and district see this person as an "expert" and people defer to them, even if they have little actual expertise about what your child needs.

Your best counter to this is to provide better experts, ones who are obviously best suited to speak to the specific needs of your child and who can call them out when they do not follow the law. We bring our outside medical expert and an advocate to every school meeting about DS. This costs us money, but ensures that they can't deny our child's needs. And it costs us much less than going to court for due process would have.

Our first advocate was provided for free by the state's Legal Rights Service, which helps people with disabilities. This got us over the hump to the IEP. The state can't provide free services forever, here it's emergency-basis only, so we had to switch to a private advocate, who has done very well for us. Maybe your state has something like this? If not, look into attorneys for special education in your area. Sometimes just one letter from a lawyer stating what your DD's rights are will scare a district straight, especially if the district has been to due process before, which is expensive for them as well as for you.

It is also very likely free and not that difficult to file a complaint with your state's Department of Education. If you go this route, you should probably send a copy of the complaint to the school board and superintendent. Have they given you the booklet about IDEA that spells out your rights?

And are you documenting everything? Best advice I have gotten about managing this process: buy a large, heavy duty binder. Every communication with the school gets put into the binder, in order of date, along with all relevant testing that demonstrates what your child needs. If they say horrid things to you, write it all down in ink, date it, and put it in the binder. It is all very valuable evidence. (This is not abstract: the binders have saved us on several occasions.) I also found that buying a small digital voice recorder to take to school meetings caused a significant positive change in the behavior of school personnel. You have to ask everyone's permission to record, but I've never had them say no.

What I don't really recommend at this point is that you, yourself, try to become an expert on the law: it's too detailed and may drive you crazy. You do have to know the basic rights that apply to your child so you will know if you are being lied to, but ultimately the school and district people may never listen to you or take you as seriously as they will listen to your outside experts. I spent a horrible, frantic year boning up on law after my DS's rights were violated, and it took a lot of energy away from other important things (nurturing the actual kid, for instance). It solved the problem better to hire help for this. And it took some of the load off me.

Hang in there. You can do this.

Best wishes,
DeeDee

Just an update. I contacted the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy, they provide referrals, educational advocates and legal help. I'm expecting to hear back this week at some point about what level of service, if any, they can offer me to help with our situation. I also sent a preliminary e-mail to the principal thanking her for setting the meeting up so rapidly, but expressing that I was not pleased with the outcome and was drafting a longer e-mail to the team expressing my concerns. I also let her know I was investigating my options ie, using an advocate. About a week later, I received a return e-mail (after running it by the school system's attorney, I'm sure) offering a 504. I let her know that I felt an IEP was more appropriate considering Piper needs services and not just accomodations.

I also sent off the longer e-mail to the team and the Psych's supervisor (the head of SPED services for the county) detailing my concerns and feelings about the meeting, making sure to point out Piper's functional deficits. I got an e-mail back today asking about whether Mon was a good day for the Gifted eligibility meeting, AND a meeting with the county SPED supervisor and the principal to discuss my "procedural" concerns, as the principal termed it. If I haven't heard from VOPA by Fri, I'm going to call and let them know what's going on now since it's significantly changed since I contacted them. A little apprehensive about both meetings, but we'll see what happens!

Pipersmom, you are doing an absolutely awesome job as your DD's advocate!

I hope you remember to give yourself enormous kudos and a treat from time to time.

DeeDee

Amanda, It looks like they are working toward getting you what you need! I hope the outcome from the new meeting is better. Good luck Nan

I agree. Sounds like the district is ready to meet you part way as well. Good.

Thank you all for the support! Master of None, as horrible as this may sound, anyone I know that could go with (aside from a relative) is also active in Piper's school. It is something I'll keep in mind though.

After an odd e-mail from the Principal last night requesting copies of any other cognitive testing Piper has had, I requested a copy of her scores from the NNAT2 she was given about a week ago. I had a funny feeling. Sure enough, her NNAT score was only 109. I had talked about it in a prior thread, but I requested the additional testing (NNAT) after Piper did the WJIII-Ach during a hospitalization last spring and scored a 148 Total Achievement, 152 Broad Reading, and 127 Broad Math. Additionally she was given the KBIT during this last hospitalization, and came out with a 135 composite score, 132 verbal, 132 non-verbal. So, I'm 99% sure I'm going to walk into the gifted eligibility meeting and be told she isn't qualified. I realize life isn't easy, but one easy thing with the school system would be really nice! (okay, vent over). Any advice on dealing with that would be appreciated.