My special needs child - should I "give in" on some of her services?

Question

Here's the deal...

She is very intelligent and scored as high or higher than other kids her age but she's developmentally delayed and she has a SEVERE speech/language impairment... no one knows why.

The last district we were in had enrolled her in a special all day communication disorders class. The new school district we are in is fighting me on everything (they don't have a "special" CD class yet - but will next year). They don't even want to provide transportation.

I have met with them three times already (we've only been here 2 months) and they are re-evaluating her on everything. I still have a MAJOR issue with the transportation thing since she can't tell anyone who she is or where she lives, there are 20 kids at her busstop from k-8 and when they crowd up to the bus in the morning, I'm afraid thy're going to hurt her! (she's only 35lbs) They're trying to tell me her speech doesn't mean she can't take the bus but I know the law.

What would you do?

Answer 1

Don't give in! They are trying to wear you down! Do you have a PHP in your area (parents helping parents)? If so, call and ask them to sit in. Write a letter with all your reasons why she needs CD and transportations and send to them certified mail. Also call your state office of education and complain and copy letter to them.

Answer 2

First of all your right to be concerned about your child's safety if your child is under the special education umbrella and you don't agree with the districts choices during an ARD meeting contact your local education agency and ask them to help you optain a mediator or advocate. This person will go into the meeting with you and basically speak on your behalf. sometimes parents are not as knowledgable in these areas so thats where they come in because they know a lot more and pretty much they will make sure the school is doing what they should be doing. Another thing you can do is call in a child find office and put a child find report. what they do is beyond me but i know the schools don't like that cuz its like saying i as a parent have tried everything in my power to help and the school is not helping my child therefore my child is being "LEFT BEHIND" so this is another option. Keep fighting for your baby GOOD LUCK!

Answer 3

You have the right to fight for your child's best interests! It sounds like you need a trained parent advocate. Remember, you can invite whomever you choose to attend your daughter's IEP meetings with you and you are a full member of the Child Study Team. While IDEA does place emphasis on the Least Restrictive Environment, what the district provides still has to be Appropriate to your daughter's needs. If they can't or won't provide what you feel is needed, you can talk to them about requesting an out of district placement. If nothing else, this can help in that out of district placements are typically Very Expensive and they may try to be more accomodating. You can also request an outside evaluation if you disagree with the results of their evaluation.

Answer 4

Where I live special ed students are transported by bus IF they are not being served at their home school. If the child gets placed in a 'special' class that is not at their home school, then they provide transportation. If the child is served at their 'home' school, the district does not provide transportation.

I understand your strong desire to get your daughter what she needs. Often, kids needs can be met in the regular ed classrooms. In fact, because she is so bright, you may want her in a regular class with modifications such as a communication system or an assistant in the classroom as opposed to a self contained class. I would try to focus less on where services are delivered and instead look at the quality and ammount of time spent on IEP goals. Perhaps being around her typicaly developing peers will help her to be more motivated to attempt to communicate and therefore have her making more communicative attempts. In fact, research shows overwhelmingly that kids learn from each other more quickly and easily than from grown ups. If she could be taught a visual system to communicate with her peers, all the better. I see the 'specialized' part of her instruction more for teaching her how to use systems to communicate since she is so bright. Then she can be even more independent. I believe the goal is always regular education classrooms for children with special needs and not self contained special classes. That said, there is a place for self contained rooms, but it really should be for a very few number of kids, in my opinion.
Wherever she is placed, know that you and her family are the one's that will impact her life, speech and development more than any specialists or school services will. Ultimately, you and your family have the best relationship with her and spend the most time with her and therefore can make the biggest difference on your child's development.

Answer 5

I don't know where you were or where you moved to but I would assume that you crossed state lines if they are re-evaluating everything. IDEA is the basic federal law that frameworks each states special education laws. One state will qualify students with ADHD as ED while another will treat them as 504 plan (non-IEP), or clasify them as SLD (Specific Learning Disability) and provide services in pull-in or push-out models. Unfortunately FAPE (Free and Appropriate, Public Education) does not mean the best education that can be provided.

As a parent you do have a significant number of rights and should have received a copy of them as you started this process. Be sure to be familiar with them. The district is providing transportation but what I understand is you believe that she needs door to door transportation. That type of transportation is usually reserved for students with handicaps that make it dangerous for them to ride a bus with regular students.

I am both a parent of a special needs child and a special education teacher with a masters degree. I know how hard it is from both sides to juggle the needs of a child. The more special services you get provided the more academic growth she will probably achieve, but also the less social and developmental growth she will achieve since most of the services are provided with students at the same or lower level. It is always a trade off.

I think that some of the other answers are more of what your looking for. Validation that you should continue to fight the district to get what you believe you mean. I am a firm believer in the old adage "you catch more flys with honey", instead of fighting the school you should be working with them to come to a balanced program for your child. Unfortunately cost does come in to play, school districts receive a small fraction of what it cost to work with a special education student but most of them want to do what is right for the child.

Good Luck

Answer 6

First of all, special ed is governed by federal laws called IDEA 'individuals with disabilities education act'. All schools must follow these laws but most of them don't.
You need to learn all you can about the laws and your rights. The best sites for the laws are www.wrightslaw.com and www.reedmartin.com

This law mandates that a specific step by step process is suppose to be followed by both schools and parents.

Why are they re evaluating her? To see what her problems are so they will know what to help her with? Did you sign a permission form for them to do this re eval? They arent' suppose to do it unless you sign a parent consent form.

You wrote--The new school district we are in is fighting me on everything (they don't have a "special" CD class yet - but will next year).

This doesn't matter. Whatever the child needs, if the school doesn't have it, they are suppose to get it.

Schools HAVE to provide transportation to sped students.

One part of the legal process is to write a letter to the school and request 'prior written notice' for everything they refuse to do.

For example, if you request your child to be in an 'all day communication disorders' class, and the school refuses, they are suppose to have LEGAL reasons for refusing this.

When you request the prior written notice for this refusal, they will not give it to you if they dont' have legal reasons. If they don't, then you file a formal state complaint and the state will force them to give this to you.

At this point, the school will 'magically' change their minds and provide the day class, because they don't want the state to know they refused it illegally.

I know this is very complicated but it's part of the legal process.
Sorry I cant' answer your questions, but go to www.schwablearning.org and sign up for free to post on their parent to parent message board. It's the BEST place to get help!!

Answer 7

I would follow the chain of command- take it all the way up to the school board if you have to! I really think you have a valid concern for your child's safety! In the school district that I live in, some of the bus drivers have an "aid" that rides along with them to help with safety and communication issues. It's a simple fix that all school districts should offer if you ask me! Good Luck!

Answer 8

Go through the channels. If you've spoken with administrators, try the special education director next, then the superintendent if you can get to him. If you've exhausted these avenues, look for a parent advocate in your area. Try IPIN and support groups for parents of special needs children; google that. A lot of times just mentioning you will consult an advocate if something doesn't change is enough to kick some butts into gear.

Answer 9

You need to fight for your child and her needs. You know your child and what she needs. If the school still is fighting you then maybe you need to contact the district office and the superintendant I'm pretty sure this will spark some more concern for your daughter's needs. If not threaten with legal action that almost always works. Good luck and best of wishes!!!

Answer 10

I agree with Amron. I have a child with learning disabilities. I have done everything I can to asked them for proper help. I stayed in the class room to help him. I written Strenght and weakness report for the IEB. The school district doesn't not want to spend the money.
That is why I got my son an attorney to fight for him.
Ten years from now, I do not want to look him in the eyes and say 'Sorry, I should have done this'. It will be too late. So, don't you give in.