Mainstream ready..how do you know? | Autism PDD

I have an almost 5 year old and our district feels that he will be ready to be mainstreamed next year in Kindergarten (with supports in the class) and pull out for specific academics....he was in an integrated classroom last year and I put him in a contained classroom at an ABA school this year.... we have data on his progress over the last 2 years and the district has interviewed his current teachers and observed him multiple times in his current setting....

I am wondering....for those of you who have made this leap, how did you decide this is the right thing to do? What should I be looking for in my son? I am a nervous wreck about this decision.... if we don't mainstream him (with supports - 1:1 aide, pull out for academics, etc.), he will be placed in a contained classroom outside of district....
It is a tough decision. If you think he is capable I would give it try. that's the only way you'll know. Be sure you have a plan in place to meet up after the first 2 weeks to see how he is doing.

Good luck!
I would hold out for ALL the supports you can get from the District, but the District KNOWS what kinds of kids are candidates for inclusion and what kinds of kids aren't. They are NOT going to want to create a headache for themselves or for you. That may sound like "trust us" and, to some extent it is. But you have leverage to ask for whatever supports you think your child needs, so the District is not getting off the hook.  If it were me, I'd try in this last bit of your child's preschool life to GET him mainstreamed for part of his day.  Perhaps for ESY. Speak to the district NOW. Go visit the proposed classroom NOW.  The law says "least restrictive environment" for a reason.  Over time, it seems to work best to keep the difference between your child's life experience and a typical child's life experience to a minimum.  Restricting a child can hold him back.  Of course, pushing a child forward without supports can do that, too.  But you are saying that the Disrtrict is willing to support your child in a typical placement.  What I and my District will often do is agree on something and write into the IEP that there be a 6 or 8 or 10 week review. That way, an IEP meeting is GUARANTEED to review the new placement.  I would err on less restrictive every time.  You can always change that.  Just keep the lines of communication open.  And SEE ALL the placements available NOW.

I did not know if he was ready. Vermont puts all of these kids in a regular classroom. My NT son, Jake, 7yrs old has a screaming, hitting, child in his class. He just rolls with it.

I have to say- as much as I wasn't completely comfortable with it at first....I am happy they did it. I had no choice. He had a 1:1 to start, and had that until last yr. Now there are like, 2 kids- and he is one of them. Although- Jeremy gets Math 1:1 60 minutes a day, as well as all of his pull out services.

For us- Jeremy knowing the scheduling of the day was so so important- and on Aug 30, 2006, he sat down to 4th grade at 8am with a FULLl schedule of the day- FOR him on his desk. That took away alot of the anxiety. I think, when you have these kids in a class- teachers sometimes forget they are there....and they don't frontload and explain as well as to what is happening next- and this way- due to what we wrote in the IEP and our transition meeting- there would be no question as to how to talk to Jeremy. 

Frontloading is important for him, even though he is verbal- and he can talk...a simple 'blip' can mess up the day......and although we cannot avoid everything, all the time- we are pretty good, as a team doing this.....

I had no choice with the mainstreaming. I came from NY State- and I had choices there...It's been good though...mostly. Nothing is perfect....

       

For me, it has never been about trusting the district, but rather trusting the teachers.  When my son was in kindergarten and had no dx, the district was no help at all.  His teachers, however, were a huge help in evaluating his needs, and his ability to cope.  Even more so when he was formally dx'd in the 2nd grade.  I have put my faith in them as to what is best for Connor, and with the exception of 4th grade (a 23 year old first year teacher who had no idea what to do with him), they have always been right on the money as far as the proper environment for him.  With the exception of the first few months of 5th grade (to undo the damage caused by 4th grade), he has always been fully mainstreamed with a 1:1 aide to help with organization.  My personal belief is that if the district and teachers feel mainstream is best, then you need to go with that.  You'll know if it isn't working out, and you can call an emergancy IEP to make changes.

I am glad you clarified.  When I said, "trust the district," I meant the teachers and those people who KNOW my child.  However, not everyone who knows my child knows all the programs available, so I depended (and depend) on administrators to inform me about options available. Of course, I try to find out everything from other sources as well.

I totally agree about the emergency IEP meeting. I've found the truth to be that the district doesn't want our children in a really wrong placement anymore than we do, tho for different reason. A wrongly placed child becomes a headache and a cost down the line for them.  Witness your own son's bad experience.

Thanks for all of your input and advice...
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