You know what? There are TONS of sites out there that deal with special education advocacy. There are tons of workshops that are given to parents to learn how to advocate. STILL , there are plenty of parents who don't know the first thing about their kids' rights and want someone to tell them. There is only so much that can be said on this site. Every single situation is different, so giving advice here HAS to be general. Also, the only way I learned to advocate for my son (or you for your students) was to go to the law and read it myself, go to the advocacy trainings and learn more, go to support groups and find out what other parents do. What frustrates me sometimes is that there are lots and lots of parents out there who don't want to find out for themselves and expect someone else to simply TELL them. That is what advocates and lawyers are for. For those parents who can't afford them, there is always the option to read IDEA 2004 themselves and also to access their state's regulation of IDEA and read that, too, because their state might offer even more rights. I learned about special education advocacy WAY before the Internet when you actually had to go track down the books in the library, send away for the law or buy the books yourself. Now, it's simple. For anyone who wants to read what their child's rights are, they can google IDEA 2004. It was printed in the Federal Register. It's out there for ALL to read. None of us was BORN knowing the law and our kids' rights. There are only TWO ways learn it. READ the law and then go to the IEP meetings and INSIST that your child's rights be given to him. OR hire someone to do the same thing for you. A site like this is not going to take each parent step-by-step through a particular problem. We each have got to do that ourselves or pay someone else to do it for us.
I would like to know where they get 90 mins every 6 weeks. That's like 12 or 13 mins a day. That's crazy.
ANAMCARA: That is very well said! Thank you so much.
I don't like for parents to think the only way they can do the right thing for their child is by getting a lawyer or an advocate. Some parents simply can't afford one. And I don't think it's fair to simply say over and over again "get a lawyer or advocate." There is hope for you as a parent to learn to advocate for your child. Another parent who knows the laws is just as good as an advocate. YOU are just as good as an advocate if you take the time to actually do some research and reading and find out what your right's are all about. Now I may sound synical but if the school district provides their own person how do you know that person will be honest. I have been decieved
I swear I will never trust anyone in the school district again. And that is a small sample of what we have been through. I am with you. I ask the school to provide someone and then i also hire someone of my own. I did that with all my son's evals so far. I want to make sure my son is getting what he needs because i know the school wont provide it. It's a shame it has to be this way. One thing to keep in mind in dealing with any school district is the direct conflict of interest that exists for them. Because of the way the law is structured, we are asking the very organization that is financially responsible for providing the proper resources for our children to succeed to be the same one to test our children and determine how those resources will be spent. It doesn't take a financial genius to figure out that they will do their best to find a way to avoid paying out those funds, particularly when it comes to providing for the special needs population. No doubt about it - it is difficult to deal with teachers and administrators who don't particularly care, special ed instructors and coordinators who have little knowledge about your child's particular disorder, and school board officials who feel that the money in the district is better spent on football stadiums, marching bands and cheerleading uniforms than making sure ALL students get an adequate and appropriate education, whether that means inclusion in a mainstream classroom, or the development of appropriate classroom settings for children who have sensory overload issues. The best thing you can do for your child is to KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, KNOW YOUR CHILD's RIGHTS and to advocate for them. Don't allow the titles and attitudes of school officials to intimidate you. They are not the expert in your child - you are. For those of us unable to hire a lawyer (hands up here!) or find an advocate (yes, Texas does "blow" when it comes to special education!), a savvy parent already dealing with those issues can help. Most of us hate to be the squeaky wheel, but if my children can't do it for themselves, it's my job to do it for them. Furthermore, it also helps us teach our children how to advocate for themselves - something they will need to know how to do to make sure they don't get lost in the shuffle as adults. 90 Minutes of speech every 6 weeks? That's atrocious! Do any of you happen to know if a parent can hire an autism specialist to come into the classroom and observe and report back to the parent-can they actually tell the school suggestions and be listend to? I am thinking about this one as when I asked for one that the school could provide they wanted to do more testing to prove he wasnt on the spectrum instead- the district became involved and started giving me a heard time abt EVERYTHING!-it was a headache. So Im thinking about going ard them on this-can I do this-is it allowed? and then I could bring the suggestions to meetings etc. The school still has not performed an FBA despite my requests, so Im thinking about getting and autism spec or a behavior consultant on my own-but Im not sure abt the laws etc on this one?At least we coudl figure out teh behaviors-the whys etc. Do you or anyone else have any idea on this? I requested it last year and the spec ed teacher told me he was doing one and that he thought all the behaviors were for attention???He said he would bring it to one of the meetings etc-but never did. I think it was something he just threw together anyway...ugh...but I really dont wantt to get into it with him again-as I dont think he understands the Spectrum at all.....and he really is a great teaqher-my son adores him and we have a really great relationship....so its kinda tricky. Alot of the behaviors from last year have dissapeared, so its not as if Bailey is out of control, I just would like more answers on why things spring up now and then, why some days are terrible and some days are peachy-kwim? Love ya, Tammy Well you rememebr when I requested an Autism specialist to come in-well they went to another district and got one who then performed the ADOS on Bailey. He wasnt even on the chart so they say-which I cant figure out. As the ADOS basically is everything my outside psychiatrist did with Bailey. So the district lady wanted to tell me he wasnt even Autistic, yet may have some characteristics. Then we got into qualifications and my doc trumped their specialist. So it ended right there but never was brought up the observations in the classroom by her or having her actually work with Bailey that was needed-as she told them she had never seen a child who was "so clearly not Autistic" by her test scores????...sigh..... When I talk to my school abt aides-the behavior specialist tells me this will put Bailey more dependant and will pull him further into basically a contained classroom-did not say but got this feeling. When I talk abt specialists coming in who are specialised in Autism he is either not on the spectrum or "we have this other school where we put all of our aides and specialists who are qualified to deal with his "behaviors" This other school starts kids off in a self contained classroom and then gradually lets them go inclusion .......so thats not a right fit for Bailey either and plus they are dealing with behaviors not Autism behaviors etc-I highly doubt they would understand Bailey.... So this is why I wanted to go out on my own....but like you stated Tzoya they might not listen even to that and then I would be HIGHLY perturbed so I agree with you. But I just dont trust them to do evals or interpret them right. I went all year with them giving Bailey tests-which all pointed to Aspergers or PDD-NOS and they refused to accept them-which is why I went outside. So even if they did have someone come in-who is to say what could happen as a test score doesnt count unless I guess they agree with it-kwim? Bailey has a doc apt on Monday and I will talk to him abt all of this-maybee he can write a note for me saying Bailey needs this-then they might not put up a stink this time if I request this??? At a school program the other day too our Principle stated that we are going to loose our Title 1 status as the school doesnt have enough reduced lunches this year-this could also lead to more "we cant "offers-right? as they have to make cutbacks and wont be able to provide some things-right? Love ya, and thanks for all your advice Tzoya-you are always right on-LOLOLOLOL Tammy Tzoya you are the best! BUMP
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