Disagreement with school about services

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-30-2007
Disagreement with school about services
6
Wed, 05-30-2007 - 4:18pm

Hi,

My name is Megan and I live in PA with my DH and our four year old (turns 5 in July) son. He's been diagnosed with PDD/NOS, Hyperlexia and ADHD for about a year and a half. He's been getting TSS services 10 hours a week and he's supposed to get two hours a week of BSC, but that's another story...they never hire anyone!!

My son has been going to the Early Intervention prescool at our local elementary school. He's been there for two years, four days a week for 2 1/2 hours. THere are seven kids in the class and three teachers plus an SLP in the classroom. He's eligable for another year of EI but since he's academically advanced, we decided to put him in kindrgarten in the fall. When we had his transition meeting in Feb. the principal and his current teacher requested he have a TSS in the classroom when he starts kindergarten. That was the deciding factor for us and we signed him up. In the beginning of May, we had his IEP and again discussed having a TSS there in the classroom with him. Last week, our TSS told me that his boss received a letter from the school stating that they don't think he needs TSS for the fall. We had our service review meeting today with the psychologist and he said that the school decides who comes into their building so if they say no TSS, he doesn't get TSS. Kindergarten is a full day program here and there will be at least 20 kids in the class. I don't know how they can assume that he'll be alright in totally different circumstances. All they tell me is to wait and see how he does but I think we should give him the benifit of the doubt and send him with a TSS in the beginning to see how he does. They said that we can have a meeting with the school in August to discuss how he was over the summer and see if we can get them ot change their minds. I feel so betrayed. They didn't even have the decency to come to the meeting in person to defend their decision and they didn't indicate to me at all that they were changing their minds.

Is there anything else I can do? I have been in contact with a charter school in our area, I'm going to speak with the principal to see if they'd let him have a TSS with him there. How can I fight for what I think is right for my son? I'm not going to roll over and take this "wait and see" approach.

Thanks for listening. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks very much.

Megan

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2007
Wed, 05-30-2007 - 5:47pm
What does your IEP say? If it is in writing and you signed it, they can't change anything unless they call another PPT meeting. Sometimes they will say something at the meeting but not put it in writing in the IEP. It is easy to get overwhelmed at one of these things. The last one I went to there were 9 of them and 2 of us! Talk about intimidating! It is important to read the IEP carefully before you sign it. Even if you did sign it and they left that part out or you feel there was some miscommunication, you can still have the team reconvene and have it added. Good Luck.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Wed, 05-30-2007 - 8:16pm

Where in Pa do you live?

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 05-30-2007 - 9:30pm

Hi Megan. I'm another PA mom with a pdd-nos kid starting kindy in the fall. We live in Centre County. I just had a meeting with our evaluation team today and we all agreed that if we can't find a reason to justify having a para for Tom that he definitely needs a TSS in the classroom. To help him which will help the rest of the class too.

Tom is currently in our IU preschool for ASD which is a small class, 8 kids and 1 teacher, 1 assistant teacher, 2 PCA's plus an OT and ST 2 days a week, and another kid's TSS too. So at least 5 adults and often more. And my son definitely needs an extra adult around to help him stay focused and on task. Plus he needs someone who can take him out of the classroom for breaks and when he's being disruptive etc.

If the TSS is in your IEP then you should point out that they are obligated to accept him/her. If it isn't, you can ask for a new meeting. You are an equal member of the IEP team and you can request a meeting at anytime you feel the IEP isn't meeting your son's needs. You can list the reasons why you think a TSS is necessary for your kiddo (His preschool teacher is probably a good source of info on this) to get an appropriate education. Because he is entitled to that Free Appropriate Public Education and appropriate is individualized to each kid. You may want to see if there are any advocates in your area who are available to help you with this issue. Sometimes it can be helpful to have someone who isn't so emotionally involved.

Good luck. If you really think your little guy needs a TSS then it is worth being assertive to get it. I hestitate to say "fight" because that sounds so confrontational. But fight if you have to because you know what your kid needs.

Heather

                                

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-30-2007
Thu, 05-31-2007 - 8:00am

Thank you all for the replies. We are in Wayne County, PA and receive our services through Tri-County Human Services. We also see Dr. Challman at Geisinger as our neurodevelopmental ped. It's about 100 miles from us but it's so worth the trip!

Unforutnately, they didn't specify TSS in the IEP. His current teacher and the principal are the ones who recommended no TSS for the fall only after telling us in Feb. that they were requesting services for him.

They didn't even have the decency to come to the meeting yesterday and debathe the issue with me, they just sent a letter. That seems awfully cowardly and low, I'm not sure I want my kid in that school any more.

Like I said, we are supposed to get two hours a week of BSC but in the 1 1/2 years we've been with Tri-County, we've had a total of about six months of BSC. Our first one quit after about five months and after waiting a few months for a new one, we got one that rarely showed up and when she did, she was more interested in my pets than my kid. Every problem I told her about her response was "he's four". Then she told me to send him to Milton Hershey Boarding School. That was a tad offensive!! Then after not hearing from her for three weeks, I called in mid-April to request a change of BSC's and have not gotten another one yet. Yesterday at the meeting, the psychologist asked why we don't have a BSC and the module coordinator said "there was a conflict of interest with the mom." I'm not really one to argue but I couldn't let that go so I piped up and said, "She didn't ever show up!! I'm sure she would have been fine had she ever called me!" Geez, make me look like the bad guy!

Anyway...I've looked thru the procedural safeguard packet we got from the school and there is a help line to call so I'm going to do that today.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Thu, 05-31-2007 - 8:19am

It also sounds liek you need to chaneg who you get wraparound through if they are treating you liek that!!

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-09-2005
Thu, 05-31-2007 - 10:33am

I'm down in Schuylkill County, PA.. but we also see Dr. Challman at Geisinger. I like him alot, but Geisinger is about 60 miles from us. Since he's in a different county, he can't really make recommendations about local services, which you may have run into as well. BTW, my ds (AS, 8) is just finishing up 1st grade.

I don't really have much experience with wraparound or TSS, but agree with others about the need for classroom support. It seems like if the SD is not going to allow the TSS worker in the classroom, they should be providing a para or aide for all or part of the day. It sounds like they are trying to pull a fast one.

As for you dealings with Tri-County HS, ..It's not my style, but I've found that when dealing with the "bureaucracy" to get services for my son, I often need to be somewhat aggressive and b!tchy, or I get trampled on.

Anyway, Good luck.. keep us posted!

Kate