I had similar problems at the beginning of the year.
#1 Don't give up (you need to push push push)
#2 Reject that IEP
#3 Find an Advocate to help you with the IEP and CST meetings
#3 Get a consultant to go in and see what his placement is like and if it is inappropriate.
Wow. Thanks for all your kind words and insights. I am right now researching advocates and lawyers. I am wondering if it is cost effective to hire an advocate, if I will need to hire a lawyer in the long run.
All of this has been such an education for me. Thanks for all the help.
My recommendation is to use an advocate. School districts oftentimes clam up with a lawyer in the room and are LESS likely to cooperate. Also, if you bring your lawyer, they can bring THEIR lawyer. They it can become a "mine is bigger than yours" lawyerfest! (Sorry sped lawyers -- this is not your fault. It's the fault of the natural dynamics...IEP Teams feel threatened by lawyers). Your best bet for the future school years for your child is to get someone in there who can really, really help encourage a COOPERATIVE dynamic. Below are two GREAT ones in the New England area (they travel):
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Hi-
I'll give just a brief overview of what we have been going through.
I have a four year old son who was recently diagnosed (August) with PDD-NOS. Before his diagnosis his school services were as follows: Integrated Preschool 2 1/2 hours a day (four times a week) Speech 2x 30 a week, OT 1x 30 a week, both of which he is pulled out of class for.
The doctor who diagnosed him with PDD now recommended in his report that he should be getting a full day, year round program. Keep in mind that this doctor is world renowned in the field of Neuropsychology. We waited a year for this appointment! So anyway, the school says, NO, we don't agree with said doctor's findings, his placement is appropriate, HAVE A NICE DAY.
What do I do now?
I haven't slept in two days because I am so upset from the TEAM meeting.
BTW we are in Saugus, Massachusetts
Hey Fellow-Massachusian !! I'm a little north of you !
My thoughts are varied....obvioulsy the first is to reject the IEP as it is.....that doesn't mean anything will change immediately, but it will ensure a new meeting be reconvened.
You haven't really said what your thoughts are....how do you feel about his progress to date ? Has he met goals and more important...are his goals as written specific enough and do you feel satisfied with progress they are projecting for him ?
You are going to have to prove that the placement as is isn't doing what needs to be done in order to make a change. A doctor's report sadly isn't all you need ( though it is an important thing to have).....so reject he IEP and in the few weeks time that they take to make a new meeting....comb through his IEP....reread those goals....are they high enough or are they just coasting him thorugh.....what is his progress....has he reached prior goals or are the goals a repeat from last year ? not reaching goals is the # 1 sign that he needs more than he is getting.
Have you read Wright's Law.....from Emotion to Advocay....if not....get to your library or bookstore TODAY and read it all ( tomorrow....tonight is for Red Sox
Good luck And keep me updated !!
I used to be from mass, now I still had problems with the school district up here. I accually called a place callled the parent information center and they knew the laws inside and out and they helped quite a bit. is there anything like that down in ma? I assume there has to be. Call them and find out what you can do. its going to be hard but stick to your guns!I agree 'wrightslaw' is a must have book!!!The law says that each child is entitled to an appropriate education, not the best education. Yes, caselaw (Rowley) literally says a child is not entitled to the BEST education. A doctor is a medical expert, not an educational expert. His opinion is informative, the IEP Team must CONSIDER it, but they don't HAVE to implement it. Your best bet for additional services is to get progress monitoring in place. It would take too long to explain that here, but ask them about how they are monitoring his progress. If he's getting ABA, the data will serve for that. If he is NOT making progress in some area, you can ask that services be intensified in that area. That may or may not increase his school hours.
Of course, parents can privately increase the child's interventions. You might want to check out whether or not your doctor's opinion might have some influence on your health insurer so that they will pay for outside services.
Good luck.
I used to live in MA (North Shore myself)....if you need a good attorney, you can not go wrong with Kotin, Crabtree, and Strong (they are THE best)...I am not sure what NeuroPsyc you went to (we used Castro at the CEC) but they should be able to steer you in the direction of someone who can perform a classroom evaluation (on your dime) (Dr. Michael Cameron at Simmons is excellent btw) and someone who is educated to act as an education advisor and can make a recommendation (who understands what these kiddos need and where what they are getting is a short change - if it is a short change...)...both Kotin and Crabtree can point you in the right direction as well...this might help you with the district, if not, it will make your case at a hearing very good...don't give up fighting.... It is one thing if they do not offer an all day program that can give the services needed, but if they do and they just don't want to add your child because of the bottom dollar (ie, class is full w/student-teacher ratio...hire another teacher and make the child fit in the class). Remember if they offer it to another child, fight for it for your own. If they don't offer it to any child, you have to take him to therapy on your own after school. If that's the case, you and the doctor have to convince the insurance to pay for it.