We've been talking a little about IEPs (Individual Education Plan) recently - and how difficult some schools can be about involving parents in the process.
What do you find are the most important accommodations that your child needs? Staff training? Medical intervention? Specific learning accommodations? What do you find your child's school gives you the most hassle about including in an IEP?
As the school year is to begin soon, let's pool some of our experiences to help each other decide what our own child needs when we are facing this year's IEPs. After all, we've all got our own challenges with this, but reading about each other's experiences can do two things for us: 1) it can show us that we are NOT alone in these specific challenges providing us with much needed support, and 2) it may give some of us an AHA! moment in which we realize something important that needs to be addressed for our child, especially for those of us for whom this is the first time. I'm sure some of us were very unhappy with an initial IEP when we realized that some things were never addressed - and the school did not want to re-address the issues.
Sheri
Sarah's needs
Mu daughter needs specific learning accommodations. One thing I'm pushing for this year is for her school to supply a second set of textbooks for home use.
Sarah has memory issues. She's pretty good about writing down her homework assignments while she's in class, it's a whole different story at the end of the day when she's trying to pull together what she needs to do her homework that night. We just haven't found a way for her to consistently bring home what she needs.
We've tried having her bring everything home every night, just in case, but she can still stand in front of her locker and forget her math book.
This is particularly heartbreaking because she CAN do the work if she keeps at it, but if she doesn't have the 25 problems or whatever, there's no way. So far, her teachers have mostly cut her some slack about turning homework in, but then she ends up doing two or three nights of homework on the days she DOES remember her books.
You'd think this would be simple--another set of books--but I hear it'll be an uphill battle. Our district is so strapped for cash.
SCHOOL
My son has alot of seizures iam so confused .He is 11 and cant do anything but they pass him on he is in middle school in a reach program .He has epilepsy and chromsome 18q genetic problem.Sometimes i feel school is a waste of time but what other options i already tried home school did not work.
We'll see...
I have some ideas, but I'll be meeting with her teacher regularly once school starts. One of the things that bothers me is that the school doesn't have to have her IEP until the end of October, I think, which means that she'll have two full months without any agreement between me and the school about what she needs.
If this is her first year
If this is her first year in school and they have been notified that she needs an IEP, BY LAW, they MUST set up an IEP meeting within 30 calendar(not school)days of this notification - I would do so in writing to make sure there is no confusion. I would make sure that I pointed this out when I HAND-delivered the written notification that she requires an IEP to administration - not the office help so that they can not claim that they did not receive and/or see the notification in a timely manner.
Sheri
Thank you!
I thought it was 30 school days, so I really appreciate you clarifying that. I'll take a notice up there on my day off next week.
Do they do the IEP right there in the meeting?
Actually no. The meeting is
Actually no. The meeting is where they determine the child's needs and how they are to be met. The formal IEP is to be written up within a specific time frame (I can't remember what that is - it has been awhile for me) but that is the reason all affected parties are included in the IEP meeting - so that they are aware of the accomodations even if they don't yet have an "official" copy.
Sheri