Hello,
We are having an issue with our school district in that my kids on IEPs are at 2 different schools based on their needs. My 9 year old is at our neighborhood school, my 4 year old is at another school about 3 miles from home. This year they get out of school at roughly the same time, which makes picking them up impossible. My 4 year old thus takes the preschool Sped bus to his sister's school. The bus pulls up in front of the school and I meet him and my daughter at about the same time. This always worked in the past. New principal this year decides to change dismissal to the back of the school. I can't be at the back of the school and the front to meet the bus at the same time. We asked for an exception for 9 year old to be dismissed from front of school directly to me. Principal refuses. Says it is "safer" for 9 year old to be dismissed out back with no parent present and that she should then wait behind the school for me. Alone. As my daughter has impulse control issues, among other issues, I am not at all comfortable with her being dismissed into a crowd of 450 kids or waiting unsupervised for me while I get her brother off the bus. Even knowing this, first time, brand new principal won't budge. My questions are:
Is the school responsible for dismissing a child with special needs safely to a parent? It seems to me to be a huge liability for the school to leave a vulnerable child alone outside the school building. Also, can a dismissal plan be written into an IEP? Lastly, should I consider asking for a least restrictive placement for my preschooler, which would be in his home school and would solve the transportation/supervision dilemma. Thank you!
We are having an issue with our school district in that my kids on IEPs are at 2 different schools based on their needs. My 9 year old is at our neighborhood school, my 4 year old is at another school about 3 miles from home. This year they get out of school at roughly the same time, which makes picking them up impossible. My 4 year old thus takes the preschool Sped bus to his sister's school. The bus pulls up in front of the school and I meet him and my daughter at about the same time. This always worked in the past. New principal this year decides to change dismissal to the back of the school. I can't be at the back of the school and the front to meet the bus at the same time. We asked for an exception for 9 year old to be dismissed from front of school directly to me. Principal refuses. Says it is "safer" for 9 year old to be dismissed out back with no parent present and that she should then wait behind the school for me. Alone. As my daughter has impulse control issues, among other issues, I am not at all comfortable with her being dismissed into a crowd of 450 kids or waiting unsupervised for me while I get her brother off the bus. Even knowing this, first time, brand new principal won't budge. My questions are:
Is the school responsible for dismissing a child with special needs safely to a parent? It seems to me to be a huge liability for the school to leave a vulnerable child alone outside the school building. Also, can a dismissal plan be written into an IEP? Lastly, should I consider asking for a least restrictive placement for my preschooler, which would be in his home school and would solve the transportation/supervision dilemma. Thank you!
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