I am having a really hard time with the special ed/IEP aspect of this transition. It is so much more involved and to be honest a little overwhelming.
Is it too much to ask though that someone, ANYONE had read my childs IEP after it was written and approved in MAY??!!??
His classroom teacher had not even seen it yet as of Friday when we were there for the "meet and greet" and I just spent the entire morning fixing his transportation because no one in pupil services was told that he was supposed to be on a van not a regular bus. His teacher was aware of this issue on Friday when she told me his bus # and I said "Um no, did you read his IEP" (this is how I know she had not read it) she was supposed to take care of it and didn't (at all, when I called pupil services this morning that knew nothing about it)
I know they have a school full of "typical" kids and only a small percentage special ed. kids, but seriously they put someone in charge of each IEP as a kind of case manager shouldn't it be there job to ensure things are done correctly especially for an incoming kindergartener??
I am sure I am being over emotional given the whole K thing plus preggo hormones but I just feel like someone needs to be more on the ball with this stuff.
Hugs. Ive heard horror stories of the special ed program here so we are trying to avoid it at all costs. Its a shame these kids dont have someone to watch over there needs like they should.
Hugs. Ive heard horror stories of the special ed program here so we are trying to avoid it at all costs. Its a shame these kids dont have someone to watch over there needs like they should.
You know I was told about being your kids advocate and having to fight for things to be done right but it was so easy in his last school, they were so on the ball and yes it was much smaller but the whole class was special ed.
not sure how it works in your state, but here do you not have a parent meeting with teacher, parent and the IEP rep? That is how they do it here.
Maybe that is done at the start of school? I know here teachers just reported backand would not know all that yet, but should if they are already holding orientations.
We have a very good system here in our public/private district and I guess should be thankful.
Sorry it is so hard on you right now. I would go to the principal and talk to them to find out how this will all be handled. Do not let it go.
not sure how it works in your state, but here do you not have a parent meeting with teacher, parent and the IEP rep? That is how they do it here.
Maybe that is done at the start of school? I know here teachers just reported backand would not know all that yet, but should if they are already holding orientations.
We have a very good system here in our public/private district and I guess should be thankful.
Sorry it is so hard on you right now. I would go to the principal and talk to them to find out how this will all be handled. Do not let it go.
IEP's are done at the end of the year and the meeting has a "rep" from the grade the child is going into because they don't know what teachers the kids have yet for the following year. (there was a K teacher in our meeting in May, it just isn't his teacher)
I can't wait for his teacher to realize that he can read most anything you put in front of him.
For now it is handled because I was on the ball and took care of it. I just need to keep on top of things I guess and stay organized (says the woman who will have an infant in a few months)
edited to add our teachers just reported back last Friday when the meet and greet was held but they had their class lists for weeks and in my opinion should have been told what kids had IEP's and provided with copies so that they could have learned something about these kids before school starts.
-- Edited by Boots and Bananas on Tuesday 31st of August 2010 11:57:34 AM
LL, he is in a regular ed room, right? Speaking from my experience, I am guessing that either there is a special ed teacher assigned to his case that oversees many kids in various classrooms, and/or there is a program manager for the entire school that is in charge of making sure the services are in place.
I would find out if the regular ed teacher has a co teacher or a special ed teacher assigned to her classroom. When I taught, I had to make copies of all the IEP's prior to the start of school and make sure that all the teachers had appropriate copies. Now, weather the teachers read them or not, I had no control (some did, some didn't). So, depending on the situation, it may totally not be the teacher's fault or completely.
It never hurts to have follow up, and I am sure that if they know you are checking and aware, they will be more likely to be much more careful about following the IEP. Also, I am not saying you shouldn't be taking care of things, but remember that it is the start of school. Often there are so many things going on that even the best of teachers sometimes have more than they can handle. Teachers don't always have the support they need. I do think you are right in staying on top of things, just find out all the information before you react.
LL, he is in a regular ed room, right? Speaking from my experience, I am guessing that either there is a special ed teacher assigned to his case that oversees many kids in various classrooms, and/or there is a program manager for the entire school that is in charge of making sure the services are in place.
I would find out if the regular ed teacher has a co teacher or a special ed teacher assigned to her classroom. When I taught, I had to make copies of all the IEP's prior to the start of school and make sure that all the teachers had appropriate copies. Now, weather the teachers read them or not, I had no control (some did, some didn't). So, depending on the situation, it may totally not be the teacher's fault or completely.
It never hurts to have follow up, and I am sure that if they know you are checking and aware, they will be more likely to be much more careful about following the IEP. Also, I am not saying you shouldn't be taking care of things, but remember that it is the start of school. Often there are so many things going on that even the best of teachers sometimes have more than they can handle. Teachers don't always have the support they need. I do think you are right in staying on top of things, just find out all the information before you react.
I totally get that. He has a special ed teacher whom we got to meet with on Friday who will see pretty much all the special ed kids in the school (with her para's) and the school psychologist is his case manager (they just assign one of the people at the ppt to be manager). The town has a head of special ed which is in charge of the whole system.
The reason I am pissed is because if I hadn't taken control my child would have no bus tomorrow. How did the entire school system/chain of command not read my child's IEP closely enough to see that he had special transportation.
I guess I should just be thankful his aide was hired. I don't want to be that uber annoying parent. In fact I don't even care if they stray away from his IEP as long as he continues to thrive I just want them to know that I am not goingot let things fall through the cracks.
My upstairs neighbor (the middle school teacher who choreographs the musicals) is a special ed teacher and she could not believe that the ball got totally dropped on this. And I def do not blame his classroom teacher it is not her job to arrange his transportation.
We've not ever faced any of those problems here, the special education department is so great, always on top of things and always ready to help. I wish it was like that everywhere.
You've absolutely done the right thing in double checking and staying on top of things, and hopefully all the kinks will be worked out asap!
