Educational advocate needed
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| Mon, 03-31-2008 - 11:44am |
So we have yet another meeting tomorrow with the team to once again try to beat it into their dundering skulls that Liam is not in an appropriate placement this year, and it is out of the question for next year. Don't get me wrong it was the best of the lot last year but with the new idiot teacher and the population in that class (4 non-verbals and one hfa two 3 years younger than Liam) forget it!
I get a call just know from the county facilitator who essentially told me to call the educational advocate that the district employs. And this is BEFORE the meting tomorrow. This facilitator has been present at one other meeting and she was the only one I got the sense that agreed with me that Liam needs something other than what he's getting, so I take her advice to heart. I called and left a message for the advocate and hope she gets back before tomorrow. I mean if the district go between says "get an advocate" something is happening, as she even commented that there will be "changes" in the system for next year.
I am getting quite nervous now.
Dee







Dee,
I have met Liam and he is a bright kid that needs to be in a mainstream class. He is not reaching his full potential. I went through this situation with Max (7, Asperger's, ADD) last year. He was in a self-contained Kindergarten class with only one other kid with average or above average IQ.
Thanks Susan,
I do hear you about mainstreaming, but my problem about doing it all at once is he has lost so much in terms of academics due to a wasted Kindy year in Md and what he did make up last year seems to have slid to a plateau this year. The latter is mainly due to the moronic teacher who lowered the bar enough so Liam was never really challenged. He only started 2nd grade vocabulay in February and school ends in 8 weeks, so he'll start "3rd" grade a year behind again.
What I want (as do we all I know) something like Max has with a parapro. I can even stomach a self contained set up if he was with kids on or even close to his functional level, (hey want to move Max to Cherokee, lol:) I guess what I want is Renne's program for 2nd graders, lol.
Is Max's class an inclusion class; ie: mix of spec ed and NT kids?
Dee
Yes, Max's first grade class is an inclusion class with 17 kids, one teacher, and one parapro. The special needs kids are mixed in with the typical kids and the school
Dee,
You have until tomorrow to find an advocate? That's not a lot of time. Can you reschedule the meeting? I guess if worse comes to worst, you can refuse to sign, walk out and threaten due process. It's a shame it has to come ot that.
(((((hugs)))) and wishing you the best of luck.
-Paula
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
Well, we've rescheduled this meeting twice already due to short notice from the school. The advocate comment is strange as it came from the county facilitator who I've only met once.
We're going ahead with the meeting anyway as dh is taking off for it. I'll have to bring Cian with me but I'm dropping Roan at drop off daycare as I need to be as focused as possible. Cian can always hole up in a corner with the dvd player and earphones
I get the sense they have made their mind up and are stringing us along (and have been for months now) in the hopes time runs out and Liam has no other option. The conspiricist in me says it's because this class would not get funding unless they have a certain amount of students in it ($$$$ comes from a state program, not the county budget). Essentially the county doesn't have an autism unit for those who have the possibility for inclusion someday, and we are being quite "unreasonable" and asking them to create one......what audacity, I know.
I called and emailed the advocate but nothing as yet. Depending how this meeting goes I may be knocking on her door (throw a stone and you can hit the spec ed offices from my back yard, not kidding).
Dee