Help last min cry for IEP HELP

[piolin]

so we agreed to go with the study skills.. the VP said there was nothing to do about the summer school she did and failed due to Homework so that was a lost request and the school psychologist wants to re-evaluate her for the high functioning autism (new psychologist) I agreed anything that can help her I will do... the psychologist was very surprised that there were no accommodations to help her she stepped out came back with papers and said please allow me to re-evaluate I will submit for a emergency evaluation to get this done asap and help her. Then we met with her counselor we sat to choose classes for next year at this time it was break time so I requested my daughter come in to help choose for next year she was happy to choose for next year but when the changes were discussed for this year her eyes filled with tears and I could tell she felt bad all this needs to happen so fast and its overwhelming to say the least for her.. but she agreed she wants to graduate she wants to pursue bio-chemistry she said I know I will start in community college my grades will not get me into state but I will work up to state... my heart just filled with pride she wont give up on herself.... so I know I need to fight for her.... then they asked if I was willing to sign an objection to disclosure of student information records... for a lawsuit Morgan Hill Concerned parents association V. California Department of Education??? told them I would do my research and decide after they all started saying yeah I signed it for my kid cause they share their SS numbers and you never know... have any of you guys heard of this law suit?

 

[Copabanana]

That is fantastic. You did marvelously. Thank goodness for the IEP chair, the coordinator.

That VP wanted to throw out the baby with the bath water. When the "baby" is really thriving. Now you really know what you are dealing with. It should give you a great deal of confidence. How great it was you had that "threat" in your arsenal. How horrible that you needed to remind her to do her legally mandated job.

Good. I like the idea that it is a study skills class with other students. It normalizes the whole deal and puts the onus on the teacher to support her.

Keep in touch.

COPA

 

[Copabanana]

Oh. I just read the second email. Piolin, I would take out the geographical designation to protect your privacy. If you cannot still edit send a note to the administrator and she will allow you to edit. *We are not far away.

I am proud of your girl, too. Wow. She is a superstar. I would have done as you did. All of it. I would be cautious too, I think. But I would want to sign that lawsuit. They are such bullies.

I started in Community College.Starting slow and close to home builds a solid foundation. As a transfer student the requirements are much relaxed. Good for your daughter!! And you!!

COPA

 

[Copabanana]

Piolin, it sounds like things will go fine and by your staying on top of it they will do their job to support your child.

Near where you live you will find Disability Advocates, an organization that advocates for disabled people. They provided an attorney to go with us. We fought and got my son into non-public school. They can cave when they know they are dealing with people who can take them to the mat, just like that VP did.

I think it would be a good idea to find an advocate as suggested by other posters, just in case. You do not have to go there, but knowing you can will make a difference.

COPA

 

[piolin]

Thank you Copa

 

[KTMom91]

I'm also in California, and read up on that lawsuit because my daughter was a student in a California public school during that time period. Not all districts are included in the suit (ours wasn't), so definitely do your research. I didn't want my daughter's info out there floating around either, but because she's now over 18, she had to contact them herself.

 

[BusynMember]

Good job. The study skills class is a lot like what they did for my son. It worked. Just the idea that a teacher was there gave him the confidence to barely utilize the teacher and he got his work in because the teacher made sure all of the kids there got their homework done.
As the kiddos get older, the IEP is designed to give more independence. My son, as I said, is on the autism spectrum, high functioning though, and by his senior year he was almost completely on his own and doing well.
Keep on the school's tail. Don't let them slack. They sound like they don't want any trouble from the State by not helping your daughter. This is a good thing. Use it to your and your child's advantage. But remember it is up to your daughter to utilize the help she is given. Make sure she knows that she has to do her best.
Good luck!!!

 

[slsh]

Can I just say.... YOU ROCK! Sounds like you did an outstanding job at the IEP mtg. My personal bias after over 15 years dealing with sped issues is to not trust any of 'em further than I can throw them (a la your VP - had to chuckle at your "threat", LOL), but it sounds like you've got a couple of folks in your daughter's corner.

http://californiaconcernedparents.org/?page_id=41

Found this link on the litigation. Again, I am severely biased against pretty much all school administrators, but I also recognize that parent organizations are going to skew the story their way too. The truth is probably somewhere in between.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Again, I am severely biased against pretty much all school administrators, but I also recognize that parent organizations are going to skew the story their way too. The truth is probably somewhere in between

Our experience - not only "not California" but not even in the US - is that... those who work in schools are "people". So, we have a few really bad ones. A few REALLY exceptionally good ones. Some above average, average, below average. Some dealing with things in their personal lives that prevent them from being really effective at school. The good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent and the evil. We've had them ALL.

 

[Copabanana]

Some dealing with things in their personal lives that prevent them from being really effective at school.

This reminds of something in the past. I was always at battle in the schools. Trying to hold them responsible. So I questioned the teacher in an IEP (I feel guilty). The summer before (it was the Fall, school had just begun) her teen daughter had been killed in a car accident. And here, I had been hard on her, questioned her, when she was just trying to survive. How I admire her courage. I could not have down what she did.

COPA

 

[Tryintocope]

Thank you all for the support... we had the meeting this morning sorry for late update I had to run to work right after... the school did not have any resource teachers that could pull her out to help her with homework or what they called "Pull out program" but they did give her study skills with a group of 5 other students and the teacher in there will help her get on track with homework assignments and class work . The Vice principal was a bit defensive luckily the IEP coordinator kept bringing her back to my daughters needs there were no accommodations in her IEP because we were trying to allow her more independence and the accommodations that we had in place before were to help her behavior which improved 100% so the IEP coordinator kept telling her that so the VP wanted me to allow her to go to special-ed and that was her solution. My husband said "NO" what can her current teachers do to help her she then said we can put her in study skills and go from there and if does not work then we meet again to see how we can help her. I reminded them my daughter is doing great in all areas and great in classes where HW is not a big factor in her grade there was a teacher present that agreed with me. The VP was really not very happy she was pretty much saying "there is nothing we can do so Special Education is where she belongs"! I then repeated what she said " so you are saying the school is not equipped to help her only Special Education"? Then she said "yes"! I responded so if I contact State department of ED that is what they will say that this school has nothing other than Special Education to help my daughter... she then said "there is no need to threaten us"! I was like "really why is that a threat to you please explain"? Then she said "okay lets do this we want her to succeed she is an awesome young girl no problems scores high on all her tests so lets do "Study Skills" and we will switch her Spanish class for "Study Skills" and its not going to hurt her because the semester just started.

I really hated dealing with my daughter's various schools. They are not good at giving solutions and in my opinion none of them really care if our kids get what they need, after all they aren't their kids.
My daughter did 2 yrs of online school in the mid years of high school and did well with that, but got "lonely" so it was back to brick and morter school for senior year. Due to her own issues, she ended up missing alot of school, but she had a 504 plan, and her psychiatrist filled out a form which stated due to her illness ( and i had to be proactve at the school getting them to recognize mental illness as an actual illness) she could do a modified school schedule where she went m/with-f and had a tutor provided by the school that came to us tue/ thur but she was mostly there to keep her on track with homework. All homework was presented and collected by her and taken by her to the teachers. This worked for us.

 

[jetsam]

schools ugh! had nothing but difficulties every time i had to deal with them counselors, teachers 504 meetings..I remember my sons Dr. actually called in and was on speaker phone during one of my sons 504 meetings to advocate for some resources he felt dc1 needed .They ended up arguing with him on the phone! They never complied it was awful! Also, at parent teachers meetings i would be sitting across from a teacher telling me my son had difficulty paying attention and would have out of seat behaviors etc.. Hello, did u even read my kids chart??? he has a diagnosis of adhd , he has 504 accommodations! yea the school years left a bad taste in my mouth thats for sure

 

[mof]

I had to get a 504 so my middle schooler could use the bathroom due to crohns. Seriously...we were acused of lying for him....finally, 5 mos later I finally got hold of a counselor that said this is ridiculous.

As parents I felt we were never given and credence....IEP for speech, for 10 years...I pulled it at age 15...given a guilt trip...really...He tested at 98%....

Yeah..love the systems.