Update on our IEP meeting

[pipsqueak]

Having the director of special education attend the meeting definitely helped. There was a definite feel of "we can't _____" because of lack of para support or similar type reasoning in the early part of the placement discussion. I asked if we needed to look at adding a para so we stop running into "Pip couldn't be integrated for ______ today because we didn't have the para support." We got the impression that the director wasn't thrilled to hear that had occurred previously though she didn't express displeasure directly. She did intervene at that point to remind everyone at the table that placement is not driven by resources needed/available.

After her intervention, they started looking at times/how they could include him in the general education classroom to increase his time spent there.

I don't know the break down of minutes in the general education classroom vs special education classroom yet. I just know that it's a much better ratio than the 85-100% special education and 0-15% general education that it had been. I don't know the break down because the discussion was from this time to this time he'll be in GenEd and then he'll go to SpEd until this time and then..... The totals just need to be calculated.

I asked about getting a copy of the draft IEP and they were confused as to why I would be expecting to not have a copy of the IEP prior to receiving the final, approved IEP. (Preschool didn't send us working drafts until I demanded one in April)

I also caught the team off guard (in a good way) by using the previous IEP section headings to "write my own draft" so when we went through each section I could say here's the information I think should be included. Pre-writing our input, gave us the ability to think and notate without time constraints or on-the-spot pressure.

For the goals, I gave each discipline a general idea of what I wanted for the goal. They will then write up the goal/subgoals and email them to us for further fine tuning before submitting for inclusion in the IEP. We set the implementation date for next Monday so we have time for fine tuning the goals/IEP For example, with PT I said I wanted him to be able to participate in group activities during PE/recess. So benchmarks/subgoals for measuring the goal would be things like able to complete warm up jumping jacks correctly and same number, able to throw a ball to a peer X feet away, etc - only written in proper, measurable form.

Overall, we left the meeting much more satisfied with the results of the discussion.

[akafred]

I’m so glad to hear of the improvement! Hope pipsqueak gets his needs met now and moving forward!

[waverly]

It sounds like you are making progress!

[funchicken]

I'm so happy to hear that they're being responsive!

[pipsqueak]

Here's where the frustration begins apparently.

The draft copy of the IEP is not matching up with dh and my understanding of what we agreed to in the meeting yesterday.

We both understood that Pip was to be in the general education classroom for opening, 20 minutes of reading (with expansion in 5 minute increments, based on success, up to the full 2 hours of reading time), lunch/recess, specials, centers, and math.

The draft IEP has him only in the general education classroom for opening/reading (the initial 20 minutes) lunch/recess, specials, centers, and expanding to cover math if he is successful in reading. It adds 30 minutes to what he was getting previously.

It also indicates that he will have para support for lunch/recess and specials but he'll be independent for centers and reading.

We are in the process of drafting an email to the director to clear the confusion between our understanding and what is written and to ask what supports Pip is being given during reading to encourage success.

We were happy with the IEP yesterday, today we're not. We'll see how we feel about it tomorrow.

[freezorburn]

Hope everything gets straightened out! Sounds like things are at least going in the right direction.

[origami]

Ugh. Fingers crossed the director straightens it out. I’m glad you’ve made some progress at least. GL!

[pipsqueak]

Email was sent to the director on Tuesday night. She responded today. She had same impression that we did that the total time Pip was to be in GenEd was closer to 3+ hours. She is going to follow up with the school for clarification regarding the timing. I also asked her about an issue with them adding a statement that Pip has to be successful in GenEd for 10 consecutive days to have his time expanded since we never discussed anything related to 10 consecutive days or their definition of being successful.

Waiting on next response.

[pipsqueak]

Never have heard back from the director....


I totally called this one - and this is one time I wouldn't have minded being wrong.

Communication log from Pip's teacher had a note in it that the SpEd teacher talked to the GenEd teacher. GenEd teacher isn't comfortable extending Pip's time in her classroom because he spends too much time running and saying NO. She wants him to be successful 8/10 days before extending his time.

BUT

There's no mention of what the school/teachers are going to try to do differently, what changes in his supports are needed, etc to try to help him be successful in the next couple weeks. There wasn't even a request for a parent teacher conference to discuss ideas/options.

I told dh when I saw that requirement was added to his IEP that they were going to use it to keep him out of GenEd while pretending that they were trying to get him in GenEd for longer periods of the day.

I'm really tempted to pull him out now, but I also want the final copy of the IEP in hand to verify that no other changes were made to the IEP before I do so. The final copies are usually received 4-6 weeks after the IEP meeting - IEP meeting was 10/29/18.

[waverly]

pipsqueak, if you pulled him out, what would you do with him? A different school? Homeschool? Or do you mean something else?

Can they provide a para professional in the Gen Ed classroom to prevent running? How sneaky that they add stuff to the IEP after the meeting in which you all agreed to it.

[pipsqueak]

waverly, yes I would homeschool the remainder of this school year and homeschool until we move to a different school district.

I no longer trust working with this school district - it's been one thing after another and I am just done with them.

One thing I have not mentioned that I am confused about, that just doesn't seem right, is that school ends at 405 yet both SpEd classes load buses at 400. The short buses (SpEd and preschool) departed yesterday at 407 while the long buses (GenEd only) departed about 412. That's the norm, yesterday was just the first time I noted times.

[akafred]

Practically speaking, what difference does it make if you pull him today vs pulling him in a few weeks when you get the final IEP? If something is wrong, is the process different to get it changed if he is attending vs not attending? I know you want it to be “right” so that it will serve him when he moves on to another district or school, until they do their own, but if the process is the same to address it then I would probably not stick it out if it isn’t the right place for him to be.

It is just absolutely disgusting to me that this is happening. I’m so sorry you and he are dealing with that.

[pipsqueak]

Nov 22, 2018 9:29:38 GMT -5 akafred said:

Practically speaking, what difference does it make if you pull him today vs pulling him in a few weeks when you get the final IEP? If something is wrong, is the process different to get it changed if he is attending vs not attending? I know you want it to be “right” so that it will serve him when he moves on to another district or school, until they do their own, but if the process is the same to address it then I would probably not stick it out if it isn’t the right place for him to be.

It is just absolutely disgusting to me that this is happening. I’m so sorry you and he are dealing with that.

It's more that dh is still hoping that the school district is willing to do what they claimed they were going to do/what we agreed to at the IEP meeting even while acknowledging that the odds of that happening are slim to none. He needs that final confirmation before we proceed. And to a degree, I do too.