Advocate has helped us help Grant...

[danellsar]

One more butt-in... you do know that you can submit your own meeting minutes? And yours don't have to match theirs? And, you can go through the IEP, item by item, and tell them to change things.

My dd's IEP included counseling to make her aware of "post high school options". The first draft said they would counsel her on community college standards and entry requirement, and also do a jobs assessment. I put in my notes that this was unacceptible because my dd is very gifted verbally, and can work at a high level (with help). So I told them to change it that she will be counseled on the requirements to enter the University of California or Calif State Colleges (UC/CSU are both 4-year competetive entrance systems) and would have assistance in applying for colleges at this level and also help in applying for financial aid. So they changed it!!!! Score one for the mommy!

So, if you think the standard is too low, make some notes on what you think he should be able to do (reasonably). Should he be required to complete 100% of the work? Or should he be required to complete 80% at 80% or higher (big difference there)? Should the work he's being asked to complete be at his current grade placement level (5th) or at his current academic level (2nd or 3rd)? Think seriously as you go through the process about what he CAN do independently now, and how far he SHOULD be able to progress in a year (or a semester), and then write the goals that way.

One of my friends' goal for her dd in HS English is that the dd will bring home 70% of all her homework and assignments, and will complete 90% of those brought home before the end of the grading period with NO PENALTY for late work. So, of the 10 assignments last quarter, her dd brought home 8 (2 got lost somewhere), and completed 7 of those 8, and MET HER GOAL, which gave her a B in the class because she was not marked down for the 3 assignments that never got turned in, they were waived due to her IEP.

You can make it work, it's just a lot of wrangling!
Ellen

[kec]

Yellow school busses transport to private schools (at least in NJ). Our district spends a lot of money transporting out-of-district placements. He can still ride a yellow bus AND get an appropriate education!

Keep fighting the fight Wendy -- you are on the right track!

Renee

Renee is right - here the district has to transport to the private school. Shouldn't they have to in your state?
I am glad that things are finally moving in the right direction!
Kari

[trek]

ELLEN~yes but by law they do not have to include parental attachments or minutes. Have tried since Grant was in 3 grade, the advocate a couple weeks ago had them READ back the minutes and make changes-thus the meeting ended up lasting 6+ hrs. Anyway, it was tabled and the final copy has been changed. Still need to get a copy to her. Trust me I have written letters, emailed htem, brought them to IEP meetings, read them but under parental concerns what they put has been snippets of concerns. That is why I am making them correct the minutes where it counts. Changing things like "Mrs. M. saw regression" to "team saw regression".
-as far as the goals I had tried to no avail to get things changed expect at start of 3rd grade. the rest of the time the rest of team argued against making changes "we are the educators", "lets give him some time". His goals are some of the poorest written the advocate has seen and I know she is not kidding "Grant will complete multi-step problems" master 55%.
-social skills help has been shot down except for 3 month period in 3rd grade "that is not academic" from county.
-It is not just me, I know personally 8 people who are or have obtained legal services-in the small county where I live.

KARI-yes they do but private placement is difficult: usually behaviorally based has NOT been at least from those I know IRL in out county due to lack of academic instruction. Plus I do not think they provide bus service to all inter count placements or private placements.

-Nancy: I want to use the school's testing but advocate in the course of questioning the school Psych had him make a statement invalidating the scores for sole purpose of makign educational decisions. We are getting independent testing paid for by county next month. I just hope it answers the question of where Grant is in math and written expression along with ELA-grammar & reading comprehension.

** I appreciate all your support. I hope that Grant enjoys the next few weeks of school. He seems excited to move on to middle school**