IEP help please!

[1stluvispooh]

I feel your pain. DD is on a IEP and is now in 3rd grade. Sometimes you get what you want, sometimes you get more than you think they can give you and sometimes your fighting with the school all year. My only suggestion is: does your school system have parent mentors for kids on IEP's? Ours does and it was a god send last year when we were having problems. She came to an emergency IEP meeting with us and basically told us what we could expect to get and what she thought they wouldn't give us. The other question is. Since your son is on a IEP doesn't he get bus service??? In Ohio if they are on a IEP they get bus service even in preschool. In fact that's the only way a preschooler is on the bus. When DD was in preschool we bit the bullet and paid for private speech out of our pocket because we felt that it was worth it. Unfortunately you might have to do the same if you feel that your son isn't getting enough therapies for his needs. I know it can be a financial and time strain but it most likely won't be for ever.

 

[tiggger1]

he could get a bus but it would add an extra hour on each therapy as they pick up 30-40 minutes before the therapy. There is a little boy who waits on the bus for close to a half an hour before someone goes out and gets him as the bus gets there so early. I literally live 2 minutes away, I cant see him sitting on a bus for over an hour when I can get him there and back in less than 10 minutes...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would also suggest going to the disABILITIES Community Board, which is a subforum of disABILITIES! There is lots of discussion there about dealing with schools for special needs children.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

I don't understand this.

IDEA is a Federal Law. How can the state of FL say that child with a low IQ doesn't deserve a FAPE and won't benefit from ST or OT? Is it listed in the state regs that children that test under 40 will not get these services? What happens to children that can not be tested with a standard IQ test?

There are children that will never test above 40 but yet they can learn life skills like holding a spoon, how to swallow or how to activate a switch. What happens to children like this in Florida?

I teach the kids that are learning to feed themselves, become potty-trained, use touch-screens, communication boards, etc. My students are also between the ages of 11-14 years old. They don't get the services because it does not benefit them. They stop making gains. All states have their own eligibility criteria. This is the ugly side of special education and it's hard to explain. Those children will still get a small class size with specialized instruction from a qualified teacher. They just won't get extra support like OT/PT. Now a kid that can't swallow is an exception. That child would receive Speech but only in the area of learning to swallowing. IEP's are meant to work on specific educational goals for that child. That meets IDEA and gives them their FAPE.