Need some help starting an IEP/504

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-24-2007
Need some help starting an IEP/504
10
Thu, 11-29-2007 - 9:37pm

I'm so angry tonight I can't see straight! I found out tonight in CASUAL conversation that Chase absolutely refused to take a math test LAST Monday (11/19)!!!!!! I ran into his teacher and asked how Chase was doing and he says "good - other than his incident last week" and I was like - what incident. He goes on to tell me what happened and how Chase just shut down. Then says "oh - I was going to send a note home in the Friday packet tomorrow". I about blew!!

This isn't the first time I've had issues with delayed communication on issues that have happened at school. A few weeks back he had a crying fit in school and I didn't find out until another teacher I know told me. Chase is in the 4th grade and almost 10 years old - crying fits are way behind most kids this age.

We've never started the IEP/504 programs because - academically - Chase does great. He's at honors levels - but we can't put him there because emotionally and socially he just can't handle it. I'm starting to think we need to consider it - for behavior, socializing, and communication.

What kinds of goals do you have set up for these issues? Do you think the IEP or 504 would help? My biggest fear is him getting set up on one and then being labeled.

Any help/advice would be helpful!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 11-30-2007 - 12:16am

Yes and IEP or 504 would be helpful and honestly, I would go for the IEP. 504 plans are just not all that great. There is little or no way to make sure they are followed like there is with an IEP.

To qualify for an IEP a child must meet 3 criteria.

1) they meet one of the 13 disability categories as set out by IDIEA (I can help you find the stuff for that, likely he would at least qualify for OHI or other health impaired if he has a medical diagnosis if he doesn't meet the full autism criteria)

2) this disability is affecting their education (This does NOT mean just the academic grades. If he is not taking tests, crying in school, etc. then it is affecting him educationally. This means the whole that is his educational day including the social and behavior aspect)

3)The child requires special education or related services to help in this area (yes, with a child with ASD there are specific educational support that will help with these problems and he needs those supports to be successful)

Check out Wrightslaw definitely. Google it and read up. It is a great site.

Then I would contact your school and request an evaluation.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-24-2007
Fri, 11-30-2007 - 7:14pm

This is the response from our Curriculum Coordinator I got today:

"A student has to show an academic lag as well as a diagnosis (which you have) to be considered for a 504."

This is the brick wall we keep hitting. He doesn't have academic problems - it's everything else!!! So - they tell us he doesn't qualify.

Ughhhhhhhhhhhh - so frustrated!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Fri, 11-30-2007 - 7:30pm

Hi,


You need to remind that coodinator that she is ignoring "childfind" and could get into very big trouble.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Fri, 11-30-2007 - 9:08pm

I know my DD has goals for speaking up instead of shutting down if she has a problem, and goals for understanding facial expressions. However they measure that against adults, not her peers, shich makes little sense to me. She will return a smile if a teacher does it, but can react unpredictably if it is a child.


-Paula

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 11-30-2007 - 11:31pm

I wanted to chime in about getting labeled.

                                

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2007
Sat, 12-01-2007 - 6:20am
I totally agree. Special ed doesn't carry the same stigma that it once did. They actually played a video about Asperger's to my son's class and they still didn't figure out that he has it! There are alot of schools that try to get away with that "He's doing fine academically" thing. These kids are still struggling in other areas.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 12-01-2007 - 10:16am

Skip the whole 504 thing. I have heard some things like that in the past. The problem with 504 is it isn't regulated legally as well as an IEP.

Like lainie said, check Wrightslaw. A child can be struggling educationally without struggling academically. IDIEA says clearly that it HAS to affect a childs EDUCATION but it does not single out just academics for that. I believe there have likely been some legal cases about this and wrightslaw would have the most up to date info on that.

I would say it is likely that at least 1/2 of the kids with AS who are on IEPs likely do not struggle with academics, at least not until they are older. It is more the behavior/social/anxiety aspect. Also things like being able to focus, turn in assignments, disrupting the class, participating in classroom activities and events, etc.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2004
Mon, 12-03-2007 - 5:46pm
Does anyone know how this applies to private school?


Mollie Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 4:50am

This is a link I found on a discussion board from autism speaks. It discusses both IEP & 504 in a private school. I don't know how accurate it is but you can read it through. Sounds like a lot of gray areas. How are the public schools in your area? Before my kids started school I was looking into private school because I wasn't happy with the schools in our area at that time. An older friend (retired teacher) told me as long as your kids don't need any special services private schools are a great choice. If they do, It is much harder to get than public school. A lot of us still struggle to get some services in public school as well but I think Federal regulations help.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/forums/showthread.php?p=37187

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2006
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 8:58am
Hi!
We are in the IEP process right now and should be meeting next week to write ours. We just finished up the evaluations and are meeting this afternoon to review them. I would definitely go with an IEP as opposed to a 504 as it is much better regulated and there can be more written in from what I understand. Legally, it must be followed to a T. Request in writing that your child be evaluated by the district, just because he doesnt have academic problems (mine doesnt), doesnt mean there arent other issues. Nick does fantastic academically, but struggles in many other areas. With regards to a label, everything in the school district is confidential, no one needs to know he is on an IEP unless I share and for the times he is pulled out for OT and resource/break times, I would rather have him do that to help him be more at ease in the class and make it through the day. As it is right now, he fidgets, squirms, has outbursts, cant focus, gets his name on the board most days for behavior problems, hand flaps, etc. Hopefully by getting him the social skills help and resource room help/OT help, I can avoid a much worse label by the kids as they get older. As he becomes more aware of what is going on around him, his anxiety will only get worse and I want to try to help him now in school, KWIM? He is too da*n smart to let things like labels bring him down! So labels, schmables...sometimes they are not always bad if they help your child, especially in the school districts where you have to fight for every little thing. Hope that helps!

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Christine, Supermom to Nick, My Superkid, 5, Asperger's/ADHD, Loves all things Monster Trucks

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