The information I wrote about is in the Wright's Law book "From Emotions to Advocacy". I hate to sound like an ad, but it sounds like you might benefit from reading it. They have a (free) web site:
http://www.fetaweb.com/
that captures much of the flavor of the book. Poke around and see what you think, I'd start with "Advocacy 101." The book is around from Wright's Law, Amazon.com or whoever you want to support.
The only good thing is that the ESY program will be at Junior's school with Junior's teacher so I am not afraid of putting Fabian in ESY.
We did ESY last year - I was surprised Payne did so well with it. It wasn't at his school and it wasn't his normal teacher. He didn't find the cure for any cancers, but he maintained what he had learned during the school year for the next year. What I would do is institute a really good communication system with the teacher so that you get ALL her input in writing. Don't let on that you don't like her or the school. Let her go on and on about how your son "doesn't fit," which she is bound to do. Hopefully, you have good testing on your son already, to establish his CURRENT level of performance. Ask for progress reports, in writing, at least twice a month. The law REQUIRES progress reports at least as often as NT kids get them (report cards) but you can always request getting them more frequently. As long as you think your son is safe, I'd leave him in this setting. What you are doing is getting "da evidence" for changing his setting for the next year (or sooner, if you can get enough evidence sooner) If your son's testing at the end of the year shows NO progress, you can use that as evidence to get him more intervention and perhaps a better setting for him. Actually, if you've only been given one "choice," that amounts to no choice and that means that the District has denied you your right to participate in the IEP decisions for your son -- a violation of IDEA. But you'll only be able to convince a Hearing Officer of that if you have plenty of WRITTEN evidence, including tests that show your child is NOT making progress. I concur w/ tzoya. That was the only thing that helped me w/ Payne. Written documentation and I also had specialist (from the school) and his teachers writing notes everyday on his behavior, progress that I could show.I really do not like the school that Fabian is in - I hate it!
HE started today because I was told that there were no other options available in my county. He is developmentally at the age level of an 11 month old and all of the kids are alot older than he is and higher functioning.
We did the IEP and agree with the IEP goals but there is something about the school and the teacher that I just do not like! You know that parent's intuitions feeling?
I had requested a one to one aide and they immediately refused. They told me that since the other children were more high functioning than Fabian that they do not require as much attention as Fabian would and would therefore have mroe tiem to spend with Fabian - I told this to Junior's teacher and she said that it is the complete opposite - those children that are higher functioning require alot of attention to keep them entertained and busy - just because they are higher functioining does not mean that they don't need attention. She told me "But I didn't tell you that because that is not my classroom
DH said just to leave him in school until we can get therapy covered for him (we have been having a hard time as you all know getting therapy services because of availability) so we can take him out - DH hates the school more than I do!
What are my other options? Ugh!!! I am so frustrated!!!
Only addition I'd have to Tzoya's comment is that Wright's Law recommends that if you get a verbal communication, you write extensive notes on what was said, where/when the conversation happened, date it, and add it to your communications log. Wright's law says to assume that your notes will be read by others in a court, and so stick to just the facts. You probably ought to exclude stuff that would get a friendly staffer into trouble. They say that notes made at the time count for more that recollections very much after the fact. My personal experience is that notes (if made well) straighten out a lot of mis-recollection.