IEP/School-related questions here!

Replies:

• 
• by
  • snailteacher
  on Jun. 24, 2007 at 10:26 AM
• I will start, I have seen a lot of talk about kids not qualifying for an IEP.  What made you decide to try and get an IEP for your child?  what services did you want?  Did anyone at the school talk to you about 504 instead?

• 
• by
  • hotelop
  on Jun. 24, 2007 at 3:35 PM
• My oldest son just got out of an IEP.  He has had his since 5th grade.  He is now going into his senior year.  I'm not sure if they had 504's when he was diagnosed with ADD.  My youngest is just going into a 504.  I think they wanted a 504 on him since he qualifies for the encore program and advanced classes at school.  The encore program is a program for 3rd - 6th graders that are gifted or talented.  My youngest has ADHD, and he is going in 6th grade.

• 
• by
  • Tonkay
  on Jun. 25, 2007 at 11:26 AM
• what is a 504 -- do I ask the school for an IEP -- My son was just diagnosed with ADHD, ODD and DBD --
  
  He is on medication yet he just started to take it and it doesn't seem to really help --
  
  Tonya
  
  ----- Visit my CafeMom homepage at http://www.cafemom.com/home/Tonkay

• 
• by
  • Kelly1967
  on Jun. 25, 2007 at 11:50 AM
• We just qualified and had our meeting where we set up Megan's IEP.  I was THRILLED that she qualified.  We got one for her (though we had to transfer her out of the private school to the public school in our district) because she was failing grade 1.  She went through 2 marking periods where she had almost all D's.  And the D's weren't D's, but in grade one, they couldn't give F's (according to her teacher....who I didn't like, but that's ANOTHER story all together!).   We had been getting reports for the last 3 years, since pre-K (though I felt it since she could walk) that she couldn't stay in her seat, couldn't finish tasks even after being redirected countless times, would blurt out answers, wouldn't stay in line, would get up in the middle of the teacher talking to do what she wanted to do...etc.  So in February, her teacher and I (though I did get a meeting with the public school student assessment committee last year, the psych didn't feel that she was academically deficient enough to need anything) had another meeting.  This time, they did say that they would do a study on her.  Well, she did qualify for an IEP because of her ADHD, NOT because of her math or English LD.  She didn't score low enough on the tests as compared to her IQ for her LD's to be considered severe enough! 
  
  I'm thrilled that she's going to be receiving 3 hours A DAY of spec in math and English and will be in her regular classroom for all other courses.  And she got this qualification even AFTER she's been on meds!  Which have helped immeasurably.  She actually ended up with 4 A's on her 3rd marking period and averaged out all 4 marking periods with 1 A (strangely enough in Religion) and mostly B's and C's.  She still had a D in spelling, though I"m not sure if that was a true D or an F.  She will be having one-on-one testing, her tests will be read to her and she will be allowed to take her tests on the computer as we find that she does better that way (at least through practice at home).  They said that they will consider her successful if through 3 marking periods, she gets an 80% or above during all 3 periods.  So it SOUNDS good to me....the real test will be to see how it's implemented in real life.
  
  "I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection.  Excellence I can reach for.  Perfection I leave up to God."  Michael J. Fox

• 
• by
  • nutrimom
  on Jun. 25, 2007 at 12:24 PM
• My son doesn't qualify for an IEP just a 504 plan. His Psychologist said that the downside of not qualifying for the IEP is that the 504 doesn't have any funding and is not a written contract like an IEP so the teacher can incorporate the SUGGESTIONS from the meeting into your child's schedule, tests, etc. or can opt not to. We had our son switch classes after Spring Break this year because his grades had dropped significantly. It's a long story and I later found out from another parent that the classroom teacher was also the resource teacher. She was being spread too thin! The school should have paid another person to focus on students like my son so he doesn't fall through the cracks because he doesn't qualify for the IEP.
  
  By the way, his grades significantly improved after the switch despite the first teacher's recommendations against taking him out of her class. She claimed that he wouldn't adjust to the change. I think that her ego was wounded. She just couldn't run the regular class and give the extra attention to children like my son. She refused to see things clearly that my son was failing due to her failings or the fact that she was short handed. The school is to blame as well.

• 
• by
  • carnation
  on Jun. 25, 2007 at 4:11 PM
• Does anyone have experience with speech delays, adhd, and such with the public schools and this IEP stuff?  I have a 5 year old who will not potty train as well, anyone know if she would even be allowed in school even on IEP?

• 
• by
  • momof3heathens
  on Jun. 25, 2007 at 8:24 PM
• 
  

  Quoting Tonkay:
  
  what is a 504 -- do I ask the school for an IEP -- My son was just diagnosed with ADHD, ODD and DBD --
  
  He is on medication yet he just started to take it and it doesn't seem to really help --
  
  Tonya
  
  ----- Visit my CafeMom homepage at http://www.cafemom.com/home/Tonkay

  A 504 Plan is a 'civil right' under the Americans with Disability Act.  It allows for a 'free and appropriate' education for all; a 504 Plan covers accomodations in the classroom but not any other services.
  
  
  

  Quoting nutrimom:
  
  the 504 doesn't have any funding and is not a written contract like an IEP so the teacher can incorporate the SUGGESTIONS from the meeting into your child's schedule, tests, etc. or can opt not to.

  Actually, this is incorrect.  Once a 504 Plan is drawn up, it is a legal document. The teachers are supposed to adhere to the plan as drawn; if they do not, you can bring a civil rights action against the school.  Sometimes, they need a reminder of that..... 
  
  
  
  
  

• 
• by
  • momof3heathens
  on Jun. 25, 2007 at 8:30 PM
• 
  

  Quoting snailteacher:
  
  I will start, I have seen a lot of talk about kids not qualifying for an IEP.  What made you decide to try and get an IEP for your child?  what services did you want?  Did anyone at the school talk to you about 504 instead?

  
  We had an older son who had already be diagnosed with ADD at 6 (9 yrs earlier); he had good 'control' in the classroom and had a 504 Plan in place at the high school level to assist with work load and attention to task.
  
  When our younger (middle) son started having problems - bigger problems than we saw with our older son - I knew right away that he needed testing.  I requested testing for LD (had quite a problem with the principal, but - that's another story!) and although it took longer than it should have, we ended up with mostly accomodations in the classroom and time in the resource room for task completion. This worked well for us until 3rd grade.
  
  Since he qualified for an IEP, we never discussed a 504 Plan.  This may be necessary, though, for our youngest son for 2nd grade. We'll see how that one goes!
  
  
  

• 
• by
  • Shellee272
  on Jun. 26, 2007 at 6:52 AM

• The purpose of IDEA 2004 is to ensure that ALL children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriated public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their UNIQUE NEEDS and PREPARE THEM FOR FURTHER EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND INDEPENENT LIVING. 
  
  
  Your child's education is not just about now.  Just like your NT children, it's about their future and the opportunities they will have beyond high school.  And it is up to the schools to help them get there. 

• 
• by
  • ingulfed
  on Jun. 26, 2007 at 1:07 PM
•   My son has an IEP because of speech development problems.  He is 6 and does great academically but he is in trouble all the time.  I'm not so sure the IEP is a great thing for him.  It's my understanding that kids with IEPs aren't given the state tests for the no child left behind thing.  The school actually gets points for each kid with an IEP.  So, where is the schools accountability for him.  His school was on academic watch last year.   It seems that it wouldn't matter to them whether he does well or not because they're getting their points for him anyway.  This is a poor town, the school needs state funding.  Does my son need an IEP or are they pushing these on everyone they can?  Am I completely misinformed?

Only group members can reply to this post.

Join Group