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5130.01 |
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18 Tips For Getting Quality Special Education Services For Your
Child |
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Before the IEP*
Meeting
1. Request Needed Assessments in Writing or Get Independent Assessments
Your child can be assessed in any area of suspected
disability and for any services needed for him to benefit from school. For
example: assessments may be done of reading or math levels; on the
modifications needed to fully include your child; for therapy services (OT, PT,
speech, mental health) and to identify assistive technology like a
communication device. If you disagree with the school district's assessment,
you can obtain an independent assessment at public expense. Always request
assessments in writing. An assessment plan must come in 15 days. Once you sign
the plan, the assessment must be completed and the IEP held in 60 days (with
some exceptions). 2. Ask to Obtain Assessment Reports One Week before IEP Meeting
Whether you or the school district requested the
assessments, ask the school early on to provide you with copies
of the written assessment reports a week before the IEP meeting. This is
very important so that you can read the reports, discuss them and plan for the
meeting. 3. Plan for the Meeting with a Friend or Advocate
Your child's Regional Center Service Coordinator should be
trained in Special Education advocacy and should assist you to plan for the IEP
meeting. There are also other local parent advocacy groups including Family
Resource Centers. Or buddy up with another family and assist each other to plan
for IEPs. Review any assessment reports with this person, identify
your aims for the meeting, think about what your child accomplished last year
and what you hope they will learn next year. Identify the special difficulties
or strengths of your child that you want to bring to the school's attention. If
you are seeking full inclusion or increased integration, identify how your
child interacts with non-disabled children outside of school and what makes it
successful. 4. Consider Full Inclusion or Increased Integration
The law says that to the maximum extent appropriate, as
decided by the IEP team, children with disabilities shall be educated in their
neighborhood schools and attend regular classes (with supplemental aids and
services). These placements are called "full inclusion." Today many
researchers and parents believe all children with disabilities can and should
be fully included. You should definitely consider before the IEP meeting
whether you want your child fully included or simply want to increase her
integration opportunities in classroom and/or extracurricular activities
(clubs, field trips, etc.) at her school. 5. Make a List of the Points You Want to Raise at the IEP Meeting
However well you plan you may get nervous or distracted at a meeting with several professionals. Thus it is good to make a list of points and questions in advance so you won't forget. You can check off points as they are discussed and jot down the answers to your questions. |
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At the IEP Meeting:
1. Bring a Friend, Advocate and/or a Person Who Knows Your Child
You can invite anyone you want to your child's IEP. It is
always a good idea to have someone with you. 2. Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions, Make Sure You Understand Any
"Jargon"
Schools are required to explain all findings and
recommendations in easily understandable language. District staff use the same
terms every day, and may forget that the world doesn't know what they mean.
Some parents don't ask questions because they feel it makes them appear
unintelligent or unsophisticated. The fact is that the most intelligent and
sophisticated parents often ask the most questions. 3. Discuss Present Level of Your Child's Performance
Discuss reports, assessments, yours and the teacher's
observations of your child's performance and record his abilities and issues. 4. Develop Annual Goals and either
Short-term Objectives or a Schedule of Progress Reports to Monitor Your Child's
Progress.
Review progress
on prior annual goals, then formulate new annual goals. If your child will be
assessed using alternate achievement standards (such as the CAPA [California
Alternate Performance Assessment], rather than the school district's general
education standards (such as the 5, Identify Full Inclusion or Integration Opportunities and the Supports
Needed for Success
The district must provide supplementary aids and services
to accommodate the special education needs of students with disabilities in
integrated settings including; for example, a trained aid, use of a tape
recorder, an inclusion specialist to help the regular education teacher modify
curriculum or a behavioral plan to address disruptive behaviors. 6. Describe the Placement for Your Child and Identify Specifically the
Supports and Related Services Needed
All related services, such as speech therapy, should be
identified including frequency and duration, for example: twice a week for one
hour. The parameters of the placement should be stated clearly; for example,
Karen will be fully included in second grade with a full time aid and five
hours a week of a full inclusion specialist or John will attend a special day
class for communicatively handicapped students with mainstreaming for science,
chorus and all regular school activities. You do not have the right to require
the district to provide its services from a particular persons in a particular
classroom. Specific placement options should be, however, discussed at the IEP.
7. Sign the IEP Only If You Are Satisfied
You do not need to sign the IEP at the meeting -- you can
take it home to discuss with others and think about it. You can consent to only
part of the IEP so those services you agree with can begin. If you sign the IEP
and soon afterward change your mind, you can try to withdraw your consent by
writing to the special education administrator.
Revoking your consent, however, will not undo something that occurred
after you gave consent but before you withdrew it. If you and the district disagree on a
proposed IEP, the last agreed upon IEP remains in effect while your dispute is
resolved at a future meeting or through a mediation or due process hearing. |
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After the IEP Meeting:
1. Meet Your Child's Teacher(s) at the Beginning of the Year -- Be a
Classroom Volunteer If Possible and/or Participate in School Activities
Parents have different amounts of time and money, analyze
your situation and then contact the teacher or school to determine how you
could be of assistance. If you work during the day you may be able to help
prepare materials in the evening in your home. Not only will you become more
familiar with the school and its staff, but your child will feel special. 2. Support Your Child in Developing Friendships with Her Classmates
Assist your child to call friends outside of school and to
make play-dates. Having friendships with non-disabled and disabled children
will help your child be part of their community. 3. Monitor Your Child's Progress
You may want to
arrange for a regular communication system with your child's teacher such as a
notebook that goes back and forth to school. Note projected target dates for
your child to master particular skills, such as the dates assigned to the
short-term objectives or the schedule for the periodic progress reports which
you are entitled to receive for students whose IEPs do not include short-term
objectives. A notebook that goes back and forth to school will help you to
determine whether supplementary aids and services and related services are
actually being provided. |
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If Things Don't Work Out:
1. You Can File a Compliance Complaint If the
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*Individualized Education Program. Developed at a meeting with at least the parent(s), the child's teacher and a school district administrator. |
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By: Ellen S. Goldblatt, Senior Attorney,
Protection & Advocacy, Inc |
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