I finally went on the WRIGHTS LAW website and found it even more interesting, when another parent/friend of mine told me of a DISCRIMINATION law, concerning EARLY RELEASE. I've noticed in the past two years, that my son was home earlier than expected and questioned the school last year about it, the answer was; that it was easier for the special ed students to put them on first. They made it seem like it was a favor to the parents and the students when in fact they shortened the education time. This time has added up to many lost hrs that my son didn't receive the same amnt of instruction time as the whole school did. For the past month and a 1/2, they changed it due to my friends knowledge of this. She had demanded that they make it up with tutoring---after school. They also, tried to pull the whole bit of money funds, but she got it as they knew this was a small price to pay vs thousands!!!! I'm trying to figure out how to do this myself and not let on that my friend told me of this, as I don't know what would happen, legally... Any IDEAS??????
Lots of other parents do things at school because of finding out something through another parent. I don't think that you would have to let them know where you got your information from. The kids at my school, and at every school I've ever been at, leave early if they are special ed kids. I don't make those decesions, the administrators due. I also haven't ever experienced a system that had to contract with a bus company for service. But I sure never thought of it in the way you bring up. Very interesting. I will keep that in mind next time I have a student who rides the special needs bus and it is suggested they will be picked up 45 mins earlier than all the other buses pick up kids.
Thanks for bringing this point of view up. If I were you I'd just write a letter to the school system stating that it has come to your attention while other children are still being educated, your's is being shipped home. Go from there and see what you can get. I wouldn't not take action because of my other friend. Her name doesn't have to be brought up at all. Good luck and keep us posted!
Could maybe a few of the Special Ed parents or PTA parents assist with dismisal of the Special Ed students provided that they are released at the same time.
Sometimes you have to meet the public school system half way - they have so much funding. If funding is not the issue I would tell them to hire additional crossing guard to come in and assist with dismisal.
Document that you have had these conversations with the administration. That way if the parents do file a lawsuit, you can show you tried to do everything possible to make the best of the situation. Special Ed students need their education!! I would not let my child miss 5 minutes.
Stephanie
Joyful where in Georgia are you? I'm in Georgia too and I was wondering if this is a county problem or more widespread. You are right in Georgia they don't offer our kids squat and they make you fight for that.
Linda
Every state has its own transportation rules, but there is absolutely nothing in IDEA that limits bus time. If I want my son to go to a good program and it means he has to be on the bus for an hour and a half, they HAVE to send him. I have had afterschool tutoring through the schools as compensatory service. I don't want that now. It's really TOO much for my son. He has about an hour of homework each night and he has to have a life, too. Right now I'm having the District hire an autism consultant who is supposed to discover if there are any better ways of approaching Jamie's language issues and also to recommend a research based reading program for him based on her observation of his issues. Once she makes a recommendation, I MAY ask that some of what she recommends get implemented after school so that his day not get interrupted. Or perhaps not, depending on what's recommended. I will always reserve the right to hold the District's feet to the fire and that extra half hour without school is one way to convince them that they owe him. But I'm not pulling that one out until I need it. Right now, extra work outside of school is NOT going to help our son more than working with us or simply experiencing life outside of school.Tzoya, the special ed students were loaded on buses at 2:00 and the schools release time was 2:25. These 25 minutes add up and I saw it was tried in another state, I think Virginia and the parents won. I told one parent and she isn't concern about it ---she was more upset about it messing up her schedule, now that her son is coming home later. The school didn't even give her the true reason why, they just said it was communication problem and was suppose to be done at the beginning of the year. They even offered to pay her daycare for her other child regarding being late for pickups. Interesting HU????There are state laws that govern how much time a child must spend in school each day. Special ed. kids CANNOT spend less time than that. If it's a matter of everyone getting released from school at the same time but the special ed classes going to the buses first, resulting in perhaps 15 minutes less time, I doubt you'll be able to prevail at a hearing. If the special ed kids actually have a DIFFERENT release time and there is a lot less time actually IN school, you may have a case. Remember, if parents bring what a Hearing Officer considers a frivolous case, the PARENTS now have to pay not only their own attorney's fees, but the schools! A good advocate will be able to advise you about this. This is a civil rights issue, I believe, not an IDEA issue. But definitely speak to a professional advocate about this. To find a good advocate in your area, go to www.copaa.org and click on the tab for Find and attorney/advocate in your state. I wish I knew of this two yrs ago. I will be contacting the director of special ed and request them to make this up in some way. If not and they don't comply, I'll have to bring out the big guns.... If any parents read this post,,, please be aware of this and many other things that we may not know about because the school won't tell us. My son has lost two yrs of extra hrs on instruction and they've lied. LOOOK INTO THE WRIGHTS LAW!!!!!!!! GET AN ADVOCATE!!!!!! C Robin, what is their reason for starting 15 min. earlier than the rest of the school? That's sounds like separation/discrimination from the other students. Like their hiding them away. Carpool lane sounds good, but I would have a problem with them not promoting and encouraging interaction with the other students.Just as a note - our school dismisses 15 minutes early for special ed kids. However, they start school 15 minutes earlier as well. There is a separate carpool lane for the special ed students and I love it. :) Definitely. I would pursue this. Our laws in NYS set minimum hours for each child, spec. ed. or reg. ed. I am not certain I would have a case since my son gets the state minimum, eventhough the school district, locally, give half an hour more (my son goes to a public spec. ed. school that is not in our district). I suppose I COULD invoke his civil rights to make a case that he is getting gypped of half an hour, but the truth is I don't think he would get that much more in the extra 2.5 hours per week and he IS getting plenty out of the program that is dismissing him half an hour early. I know that these non-district public spec. ed. schools all dismiss half an hour early, but that is at least in part because most of the kids who go to these schools have a MUCH longer commute. My son doesn't this year, but he did last year. I'd rather pick another battle to fight. And there are SO MANY. Tzoya, think of it this way, if they have interupted his instruction time, then there is a way of making it up to him.... It could be tutoring him in an area that he is behind on. I myself know of the many battles we have at hand, but they have cheated us and our children of the same amnt. of time as other students and that is something ----that is not acceptable! The state is held accountable and they receive funding and we pay our taxes. We have every right to bring it to there attention and now its the're choice on doing the right and legal thing. Also, to let you know, it is illegal to have them on the buses for long periods or long commutes. I'm finding this my way of now probably getting what my son needs in other areas also. I have been fighting for other services and now I've got them at the horns. All states are different on services, but in my state{Georgia}, they are behind and lack many things.Making it easier for them is not my problem. I don't think it's discrimination if they get the same total hours, but I could be wrong. If parents are worried that this stigmatizes their child, they can complain and see if it's discriminatory. HOwever, I bet plenty of parents like the different schedule because it keeps the kids from having to negotiate crowded hallways as the masses of other kids either come to school or leave.