Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Meeting #... oh, Whatever!

I don't remember how many we're up to now. Today's joyous episode included the Director of Student Services, the Autism Coordinator, and Joey's School Principal, along with me and my mom.

We laid it out: Joey received failing test scores for the nine weeks' grading period, and is not achieving sufficient progress on any of his IEP goals. He is not receiving appropriate OT support because the OT is incompetent; she stated clearly at the last IEP meeting that there was nothing she could do for Joey, and insisted on a once-a-month consult status instead of direct service. Here we are in crisis, and where is this lady?

I think if one more admin person tells me this is the school OT, take her or leave her, I am going to shut the meeting down and call a lawyer. How much evidence do you have to have of a person not providing appropriate service to your child before you can go around and get someone in who can provide appropriate support? If you have a teacher who says "I cannot teach this child", shouldn't the school then immediately provide a different teacher, so that the child receives a free and appropriate public education? Why should it be any different for an OT? Or any school personnel?

Autism resource room for next fall? Great. What do we do until then?

Train the OT? Ok... and what do we do until she is appropriately trained, or a new one is hired?

How do you get across to people that these things needed to be done weeks ago? It is now too late to be thinking about prepping. He's here. Now. And drowning. Fast.

5 comments:

Niksmom said...

You need to tell them that a warm body in the building does NOT equal FAPE when it's clear the services are needed but not being delivered. You then request (in writing) an independent educational evaluation (which will be at their expense but with the professional of YOUR choosing). You then put them on notice that you will be conducting a further review of all of Joey's services and consulting an advocate or attorney. THEN DO IT. Joey is in crisis and you can't wait for them to get their heads out of their collective asses!

farmwifetwo said...

Since the meetings are getting you nowhere it's time for a couple of things:
1. Discover what services are available in which schools.
2. Demand to see those schools and services.
3. Demand he be transfered to an appropriate school/placement. This little paper in our world is called an IPRC (individual placement and review committee).

Doesn't mean you go to special ed, just a school with appropriate services and supports.

OT coordinator called yesterday. Expected a confirm we were done, turns out OT hasn't released him yet. 30min chat later, 10min explaining the "game" to the Teacher and she's adding a fine motor program to his IEP (love this teacher, she alone is worth the decision to move to spec ed) = OT's job per the "rules" = we just might get to keep her and borrow a device yet.

Beware parents knowing the "rules". Now you need to decide whether it's time to stay or go. We opted last year this time to start the process to 'go'. Didn't make it easy, still not happy to have had to make the choice, BUT, choice it was and in the end it was 100% ours out of what was offered to us. IMO it's time to go "shopping". Been there, done that, they aren't going to change.

Joeymom said...

I do recommend the "send him to another school" strategy for most people, but for us, we are a very small district- there is no other school. I am talking to the folks in the next district over about what they have, but the resource room model has really worked best for him.

We are definitely considering whether it is time to pull him. We knew we would get to that point a couple years from now, and I was saving up money for the possibility, but if the time is now, so be it.

Unknown said...

I have no words of advice to offer, but I'm sending you a hug.

Stimey said...

This shouldn't be happening. You shouldn't have to pull Joey out of school to make sure he gets what he needs. Are there any private schools nearby that could serve him? Because his public school so obviously can't. This sounds like a model case for private school placement paid for by the district.