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Can they get away with this?

dragonfly said:
It's an "Individual Education Program," so it is geared specifically to the child's needs. It's not a "one size fits all" thing, each one is different.

Joy, that's what I'm thinking- mostly because I think the girl is a brat. :lol: That sounds bad, but she has clearly ruled the roost, so to speak. Based on the volume of crap that came from their former home (a Uhaul's worth) I think the other parents were very much, "Please shut up & go away and here's a new toy for doing so!" parents. She has definite impulse control issues- stealing, lying, cutting clothing, etc. So, I think with the right motivation, she will improve drastically. Just have to find the right motivation....

The boy just can't. sit. still. Can't stand still, either. Can't sit down for more than 3 minutes during dinner. Wanders around while talking to you. No diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, though, which is mind boggling to me. He has lost/broken seven (yes, SEVEN) pairs of glasses between Oct. '11- July '12. He's 6. DH keeps saying, "He's 6." I keep saying, "Yes, but I CANNOT call his name 17 times every time I need him to do something." :lol: He is motivated by Hot Wheels cars. :snicker:
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That sounds like my husband, unfortunately he is 46. :lol:

He has recently seen a pediatric neurologist who thinks that he might have ADHD.
 
dragonfly said:
Thank you. :) I might need your advice at some point throughout this process. I called one of the teachers at our school last week (I've known her well since I was 12!) to ask her about their IEP's. She talked me down, which was good, because I was feeling like bolting from this situation. :lol: Their IEP's are more behavioral than academic. When I read that the boy has a classroom aid (after being told he doesn't even have an IEP!) and the girl starts her day in a contained classroom, I really freaked out. 96 hours later, I have come to terms with things & now see this as "The Greatest Challenge of All Time." :p
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My daughters had similiar things going on prior to coming to live with us. Youngest was in a special year round preschool for kids with emotional problems. Oldest was acting out and 'dancing on the desks in the classroom', and hadn't been allowed on a single class trip all year (1st grade) Things are night and day now! Sure they have issues, but not to any extreme.
 
Reminds me when my son was in 1st grade and he could not read partially because of the site reading they were teaching and having dsylexia traits. It took me 6 months of constantly badger before they would finally do the testing to classify him for his IEP. I got asked constantly you don;t want your child classified. Why not if he got the services he needed. You dont realize the effect of not being able to read had on all his other subjects especially math with word problems. With his IEP and me using index cards every night and teaching him phonic he learned to read and has no problems now at 21. The important thing was the he got books on tape and had someone read him his test questions for other subjects. This was so important in him not falling behind in other subjects. Once he was reading on grade level he was still allowed if he wanted to take his test with unlimited times. His IEP continued all through high school but he really did not need it then. Once you have access to the special service it is best to keep through high school since you dont know when you may need them. He had the option of taking an untimed SAT but did well enought the first time (better than his triplet brother and sister) that it was unnecessary.
 
icoupon2 said:
Here's the thing. It's so complicated....I mean really f'ing complicated. And this is the kicker (at least to me)....

You own a home, you pay property taxes. Your property taxes fund the district, you have to fight the district...they have the best lawyers in the state on their side. YOU have to hire a lawyer (you don't have to but it's a published fact that only 16 percent of parents in IL win at due process when they aren't represented by counsel). So who is paying for the district's attorney to fight you? YOU ARE

And, your attorney's fees are only recoverable if you win on the majority of points. So you can win the war and still lose the battle.

Say you file for DP, and name 10 things the district has done wrong and request another placement. IF the hearing officer rules against you on 6 of those points but still grants your request for placement elsewhere, one the one hand you won. On the other, you "didn't win enough" to get your attorney's fees paid.

That is bullshit IMO. That's why I want to do what I want to do. The minimum retainer for a special ed atty is about $5 grand and that just gets them in the door. Most people can't afford that.
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Joy you will make an amazing advocate for families!!! Joy is right - it is very expensive to hire a special ed attorney. We ended up spending a little over $13,000 this year and believe me we are not a family who has loads of money just sitting around. We have lived very carefully for years due to unknown medical expenses for our son. We ended up selling some stock we had purchased long ago and feel lucky we could. But it is sickening to think what is happening to families and there are so many families struggling to feed their children and can't pay mortgages, etc. It is incredibly sad!
 
icoupon2 said:
any update? :bee:
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No response....my guess is that they will ignore me and then IF I try to complain more they'll want me to go to court....a friend of mine who lives in the area told me that all they have to do is keep track of her hours and then make them up when they hire someone on. She suggested calling our local option and advocacy office...I might do that since they are not intimidated by me!
 
No response?! I HATE that! At least they could acknowledge you. I'd rather have an "F you!!" than no response at all.

I'm sorry. :pout:
 
kewpon addict said:
No response....my guess is that they will ignore me and then IF I try to complain more they'll want me to go to court....a friend of mine who lives in the area told me that all they have to do is keep track of her hours and then make them up when they hire someone on. She suggested calling our local option and advocacy office...I might do that since they are not intimidated by me!
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Jackasses....unfortunately your friend is wrong. It doesn't work that way. Did you send it to the school or the district or both?
 
Keep at it. You are your child's number one advocate.

I can not relate directly, but fought with our district over a 504 for about a year and a half. Luckily for me, by our last meeting, Illinois had passed the "Care of Students with Diabetes Act". Stupid district attorney was completely unaware. I made copies and passed them around to all involved. (That was a "YES!" moment.) Within two weeks they hired a new attorney and gave me everything I had asked for.

We still modify things each year as it is a learning process for all involved, but please don't let them blow you off or push you around.
 
icoupon2 said:
Jackasses....unfortunately your friend is wrong. It doesn't work that way. Did you send it to the school or the district or both?
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That may not be the right way to do it, but it is something that is done. A few years back, our speech pathologist went on maternity leave for 12 weeks. Students did not receive services during that time. All minutes were "made up" after she returned, however.

There are agencies that contract out speech pathologists to school districts. That is the route they will have to take to get someone in to cover the minutes. It is much more expensive than having someone in house.
 
icoupon2 said:
Jackasses....unfortunately your friend is wrong. It doesn't work that way. Did you send it to the school or the district or both?
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To my knowledge the school is the same as the district as it is the ONLY school in the district...I addressed it to the superintendent, the principal, and the head of special ed services...who I don't have a name for. Thanks for asking!
 
TMCB1599 said:
That may not be the right way to do it, but it is something that is done. A few years back, our speech pathologist went on maternity leave for 12 weeks. Students did not receive services during that time. All minutes were "made up" after she returned, however.

There are agencies that contract out speech pathologists to school districts. That is the route they will have to take to get someone in to cover the minutes. It is much more expensive than having someone in house.
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You are correct. However it isn't legal and shouldn't be tolerated.

Yes and they are receiving federal funding for her DD for those services. So 12 weeks goes by with no services, then they "make up" that time when they hire someone. They don't pay that person more, they have a salary like any other employee, meanwhile 12 weeks of federal funding goes in their pocket (so to speak).
 
GOOD news! Got a call today from the school...it was a lady claiming to be the speech therapist....she must be new or they contracted out to have someone come in...we are mtg. next thurs. to discuss DD's IEP....thanks Joy for your help....I don't think the letter I sent ACTUALLY scared them but I have feeling other peeps may have been on their case as well...either way good news since we are only a few wks. into the school yr!
 
That's great they're finally moving on this....Not to be paranoid but please stay prepared walking into that meeting lol. Be on guard and know what she needs to tell you before she says it KWIM? - Good luck!
 
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