need information before meeting with school next week...

[ksm]

Here is a brief update on where we are at... last fall our family doctor referred us to a neuropsychologist. We saw the neuro and she wanted to order a battery of tests. Insurance denied and requested school testing. I got the school to do IQ and achievement testing. I got a call yesterday from the school psychiatric who set up a meeting with us, difficult child, herself, school counselor and a teacher or two for 1/31/12. When I asked her for a copy of the report, she said I would get it at the meeting, and that she didn't see that difficult child qualified for any special education arrangements.

Today, difficult child and I saw her regular therapist (who bumped us from every other week to weekly a few weeks ago) that the insurance company has notified her that they are only approving 6 more visits until July 2012.

The neuropsychologist (who has not met difficult child) said that the questionaires that we filled out (inc. difficult child) showed high levels of depression on all three forms.

The problems we encounter at school is difficult child is falling behind in a couple of subjects and is failing English. All her teachers say that she is not a problem student, but that she doesn't apply herself, wastes time in the class room, doesn't complete work, doesn't turn things in, looses homework and instructions. She also goes to the office or school nurse often for headaches and misc aches/pains. If an assignment has multiple steps (like a research paper with note cards, 6 sources, 9 photos, a powerpoint presentation) she is completely overwhelmed, even though the teacher breaks it down in to chunks. As an example, she did complete the powerpoint presentation and got A+. But she never handed in the note cards, source work, etc. So she got zeros for 4 assignments leading up to the powerpoint presentation. So an A and 4 zeros = F.

She is VERY forgetful... She even loses things that are important to her (not just homework) such as her MP3 player, headphones, camera, purse, money, jewelry, etc. I can ask her to put the milk away after breakfast and it never gets done.

What can I ask the school to do? How can I get them to help the situation?

After I get the schools reports, then I will send it to the neuropsychologist and she will try to get approval for other testing. Then I will have to start the appeals process to get more therapy appts.

difficult child history - bio mom is bipolar, used drug and alcohol for the first 5 months of pregnancy. At age 5 difficult child and siblings ended up in foster care for a year. Then lived with us for a year - and then we adopted the youngest two while their older brother went to his bio dad. difficult child doesn't know who bio dad is. The neurospych and previous mental health people feel she has bipolar tendencies. We have tried medication with terrible results. Right now, she seems better off without taking any medications.

Any ideas??? What to do if school won't help at all?? Thanks KSM

 

[InsaneCdn]

She is VERY forgetful... She even loses things that are important to her (not just homework) such as her MP3 player, headphones, camera, purse, money, jewelry, etc. I can ask her to put the milk away after breakfast and it never gets done.

Have you ever tried making dietary changes? In particular, removing ALL dairy?
Some of us have an intollerance to a certain milk protein that is very concentrated in cow milk.
For me... it "gums up the brain".
They way you describe your daughter was me up to age 9 - when for "other reasons" they took me off all diary.
It can take up to a couple of weeks to see a difference - for me, its 48 hours.

Probably doesn't hurt to try it and see what happens...

 

[JJJ]

I would call her in the morning and state that you will be picking up a copy of the test results that afternoon. It is completely unfair for her to refuse to give you the results prior to the meeting. If she refuses, go over her head.

 

[buddy]

I sure wonder what they are basing their not qualifying on. Seems like she has a medical diagnosis of depression, it is affecting her functioning significantly at school (but they may be using only PAST grades, not current and also may be using achievement TESTING instead of current class progress).... That is the only thing I can think of that might be gunking up the works technically... of course it can just be that they are ignoring emotional/behavioral disability category and thinking of it only in terms of disruptive kids???

It makes no sense to me but the important thing is to get a copy of the sp ed. criteria for entrance into special education: emotional/behavioral disability and the test results so you can talk to an ed advocate.

No way they should spring a report on a parent at a meeting. That is really unfair and poor practice. You should have time to read it and bring questions to the meeting.

 

[InsaneCdn]

No way they should spring a report on a parent at a meeting. That is really unfair and poor practice. You should have time to read it and bring questions to the meeting

AND get second opinions... which of course they do NOT want.

So, for a minimum... can you get an advocate?

 

[TeDo]

We had another member not too long ago that was given the report AT the meeting. We told her to tell them she wasn't prepared to proceed until she'd had a chance to read through it and digest it.......WHILE THEY WAITED. I agree with JJJ, get the report ASAP. Tell them you are entitled to have a chance to read through it BEFORE discussing the results so that you can get questions ready if you don't understand something. TELL them if you can't have a copy this week, you intend to have them wait to start the meeting until you HAVE had a chance to read through the entire report.

If all they did was IQ and academic testing, she may very well not qualify. They should have been told to do psychological and behavioral assessments also. Those may be the areas that would qualify her. If they didn't do any testing in those areas, I would request IN WRITING at the meeting (and have them sign a statement saying they received it) that those assessments be done. I would also go in with any and all reports from therapist and any psychiatrist that has seen her so far. I am leaning toward an EBD or OHI qualification for services but not if they didn't do any testing in those areas.

Hope they are willing to cooperate with providing a copy of the report asap.

 

[ksm]

TELL them if you can't have a copy this week, you intend to have them wait to start the meeting until you HAVE had a chance to read through the entire report.
Hope they are willing to cooperate with providing a copy of the report asap.

I called the school and spoke with the school counselor and asked how I got a copy of the report. She said it would have to come from the psychologist office and she would check. She said normally the psychiatric would tell her findings at the meetings and then give everyone at the meeting a copy of the report. She made it sound like none of the teachers or her know the findings until the meeting.

I told her I have an appointment with our therapist on Friday and I would like to have a copy for that appointment to see if the therapist had any feedback that would be beneficial for me to share at the meeting.

If it is like most meetings... they have all the power and everything has been decided before you walk in the door. KSM

 

[InsaneCdn]

If the report is only available at the meeting, can you arrange for the therapist to come too?

 

[TeDo]

You're way too nice. You need to take some of the power back. I, personally, would have said "I will be there to pick up a copy of the written report by the end of the school day Thursday so I have a chance to look it over before the meeting. I really don't care if that's how you 'normally' do it, I refuse to participate in the meeting until I've had time to look over the report myself. If I am refused a copy of it before the meeting, I will stop the meeting while I read the report thoroughly BEFORE it is discussed in any way." But then again, I got really good at showing the SD who actually DID have the power. I got so tired of listening to their excuses and BS that I actually started enjoying pointing out their errors.

 

[ksm]

I got a call today saying I could pick up the psychiatric copy of report. But I guess the teachers haven't got all their reports in. I don't know if it is more than one teacher or not. But, at least I'll have the psychiatric report and can take it to my therapist on Friday and he can help me formulate a plan of things to ask for. Thanks! KSM

 

[justour2boys]

First let me say you do have power... and alot of it. However, you need to understand it and use it correctly. And we are here to help you.

Run, don't walk to your nearest library or bookstore and get your hands on some books about Special Education. I can make a recommendation or two if you need one. Then read it cover to cover and you will be very suprised as to your and your childs rights.

Also, this is a great web site for special education... Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy

Personally, if they are not giving you the ALL information to review prior to the meeting, I would go to the meeting, let them present the info and thank them for their time and ask for the meeting to be tabled until you have read all the material... and do not sign anything.

Then review the results and formulate a plan. If she does not qualify for an IEP she can still quailfy for a 504 plan based on her medical diagnosis of depression effecting her school work. So be sure to get this in writing from the psychiatrist at your next appointment.

Also, you can look into an IEE, Independant Education Evaluation. But again, you need to educate yourself as to your rights.

Do not relay on the school to tell you how to "play" the special education game. Once you know the rules, you will be on equal footing with the school and you will be very suprised how they change their tune. In fact, just take a book about special education to the meeting and set it on the table in front of you and watch!!

Hugs and know we've got your back!!

 

[buddy]

i got a call today saying i could pick up the psychiatric copy of report. But i guess the teachers haven't got all their reports in. I don't know if it is more than one teacher or not. But, at least i'll have the psychiatric report and can take it to my therapist on friday and he can help me formulate a plan of things to ask for. Thanks! Ksm

yipee!!

 

[TeDo]

Personally, if they are not giving you the ALL information to review prior to the meeting, I would go to the meeting, let them present the info and thank them for their time and ask for the meeting to be tabled until you have read all the material... and do not sign anything. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Do not relay on the school to tell you how to "play" the special education game. Once you know the rules, you will be on equal footing with the school and you will be very suprised how they change their tune.

DITTO this!!! Do NOT let them hold the meeting without you having "time" to read and digest ALL the information BEFORE the meeting. That puts them at an advantage and you need to remind them that YOU are a key player, not a spectator. If nothing else, as I said before, make them all sit there while you "take some time to read the report(s) I JUST received so I at least have a clue what you're talking about!!"

 

[buddy]

This district has gotten into some lazy habits if this is how they are "used" to doing things. Who ever case manages the evaluation should be letting everyone know when their portions of the evaluation are to be entered so they can review it for due process appropriateness and then pull the summary together. Then there should be a date due to the parent and then the meeting. It is really easy to do if you have a disciplined procedure but often times people do what is in their immediate pile and push off until they are absolutely due with a report... so they need their whole evaluation system revamped. If they had a date due and if not then a supervisor would be writing this in their review...well it would have been done.

I worked at a school where they did what I called "special olympics" for sp ed staff... LOL... we got tickets for writing our reports and IEP's on time and then they were put in a box and we got our names picked for a prime parking spot by the school if chosen. I liked it when my ticket was chosen but certainly thought it was stupid in general. but bottom line, there can be a system that gets people to do their work on a different schedule. So just push them for the info... you can ask to reschedule the meeting easily.