tex-mex Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 We're considering going to our local school district to get an IEP for my Asperger/OCD/ADHD/Dysgraphia teen. Basically, I'm doing this because it is free, I can get accomodations in legal form for the ACT to acknowledge for extended time for the 2012 test, and for the upcoming Dual Enrollment at our local community college. Any advice? BTDT? :) Back when we lived in CA -- son was newly out of a coma -- and 8 years old. We got an IEP in place for him that got him a homebound tutor due to his rare liver disease. Only used tutor for a year (she was wonderful). I am a former schoolteacher and just started homeschooling the second year. But it has been ages since I've done an IEP. And now I am in TX. Help. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I live in NY and we have one for my son. But you need to find out what your state says about HS kids having access to special ed services. Then you need to find out what the reality is in your district. In some states, it is not offered. In other states it is up to the district. I am lucky to live in NY and in my district. I know others who are not so lucky. Talk to your local homeschoolers. They might know the scoop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinNY Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I live in NY, also and have one for a dtr. She receives 5 days a week resource room, 4X speech and soon some OT. I used to be all private but am now grateful for the extra support and documentation. I agree with redsquirrel...depends on state and school district. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks ladies! :) We're more needing documentation for ACT (and college) for extended time on the 2012 test. No need for special services. How did the meeting go? Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinNY Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks ladies! :)We're more needing documentation for ACT (and college) for extended time on the 2012 test. No need for special services. How did the meeting go? Any advice? I've been going to meetings for the past three years..my first was horrible (mean chairlady who accused me of not reading to my dtr) , some dealing with silly school psychologist with no answers to the last two dealing with a great school psych and asst. chairperson..a real pleasure. But the past two years I have had some outside testing done. First was a CAPD from a PHD Audiologist/SPL specialist. She stated in her report that my dtr should have acomodations. This fall I had her tested with a COVD Developmental Optometrist and he stated in his report that she should have acomodations. The school district did a WISC and Woodcock Johnson (every year she gets speech eval) and another OT eval. So all that info is reflected on her IEP. You know it helped that the outside testing was corroborating what I see as well as what the school testers see...so I am happy with her IEP, now. It can't hurt to ask for testing to be done..it is your right under IDEA. I would be prepared with any and all prior testing and ask around for a name for someone who works in that office. The secretary of our office lives on the other side of my development and helped me keep my sanity when I was going through the process for the first time. But I was desperate for speech services. Document everything and don't go to any meetings alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhjmom Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I am in Texas and my two younger ones receive special services from the local school district. Since Texas considers homeschoolers to be the same as private school students, it simplifies things a bit. Basically any district that has privately educated, parentally placed students that qualify for special education must use the federal alotment for those students to serve the private school students. The state leaves it up to the district as to how they allocate the funds and not every student is guaranteed services. Since you are really looking to establish educational need, I would request, in writing that your student be evaluated for special education services and provide any diagnosis he has received that would document educational need. They *should* respond in writing letting you know if they believe he qualifies for testing and what the next step is. I asked for testing and an IEP, then we had a service plan meeting based on the recommendations in the IEP. A service plan is an agreement similar to an IEP but spells out what services the district will provide for a private school student. Districts must have a policy as to how they decide what services they offer and which students will receive them. For example, some limit services for private school students to type of service like speech only, and some prioritize by age of student (younger students get priority, which is what our district does). Feel free to PM if I can help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 One of our homeschooling friends just went through this. The school district told her that they had "run out of money". So, that's a possibility...or maybe there is a waiting list in some counties for special services. I hope everything works out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 The Response to Intervention process is very cumbersome for homeschool parents. My 8 and 9yo boys couldn't get speech therapy without interventions in the classroom being tried first, despite private speech/language evaluations done. It was the same for everything, even though their testing was done. Once they had test results and intervention documentation, they got IEPs. I just read the ACT website and was a little shocked that they do not allow a scribe/computer for the writing component unless the student literally cannot physically hold a pencil. My 12yo wouldn't get accomodations, but he'd get a zero on the writing portion since most of the time he can't read his *own* handwriting!:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 The Response to Intervention process is very cumbersome for homeschool parents. My 8 and 9yo boys couldn't get speech therapy without interventions in the classroom being tried first, despite private speech/language evaluations done. It was the same for everything, even though their testing was done. Once they had test results and intervention documentation, they got IEPs. I just read the ACT website and was a little shocked that they do not allow a scribe/computer for the writing component unless the student literally cannot physically hold a pencil. My 12yo wouldn't get accomodations, but he'd get a zero on the writing portion since most of the time he can't read his *own* handwriting!:tongue_smilie: Yup. :glare: This is what I am going thru with my Dsygraphic teen. But I deliberately chose the ACT as the writing (Essay) portion is optional. The SAT Essay is mandatory. But ds will need extended time on the ACT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 I am in Texas and my two younger ones receive special services from the local school district. Since Texas considers homeschoolers to be the same as private school students, it simplifies things a bit. Basically any district that has privately educated, parentally placed students that qualify for special education must use the federal alotment for those students to serve the private school students. The state leaves it up to the district as to how they allocate the funds and not every student is guaranteed services. Since you are really looking to establish educational need, I would request, in writing that your student be evaluated for special education services and provide any diagnosis he has received that would document educational need. They *should* respond in writing letting you know if they believe he qualifies for testing and what the next step is. I asked for testing and an IEP, then we had a service plan meeting based on the recommendations in the IEP. A service plan is an agreement similar to an IEP but spells out what services the district will provide for a private school student. Districts must have a policy as to how they decide what services they offer and which students will receive them. For example, some limit services for private school students to type of service like speech only, and some prioritize by age of student (younger students get priority, which is what our district does). Feel free to PM if I can help! Awesome advice!!! We have numerous Neuropysch testing for my son -latest being in Nov 2010- and ironically the ACT/SAT will not accept it for acommodations. Go figure? Would a college or ACT accept a Service Plan -- versus an IEP? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylk in tx Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I'm also in Texas, Houston area, and my son received speech services through our local district for 5 years. A service plan is basically the same thing as an IEP, just what they call it for a walk-on student as opposed to one who is enrolled full-time. They may also take the reports from the testing you've already had done and use that information instead of re-testing. We did that when my son first qualified for speech services. We'd had speech and language testing done at the U of Houston before going to the school district. Since you're not really wanting services from them, they probably won't do a full-on service plan, just give you a document specifiying what services he would qualify for IF you were to enroll him. The service plan/IEP is really for THEM, so they know exactly what they should be doing with this particular kid. That's been my experience in Texas, both as a parent and a ps teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhjmom Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Awesome advice!!! We have numerous Neuropysch testing for my son -latest being in Nov 2010- and ironically the ACT/SAT will not accept it for acommodations. Go figure? Would a college or ACT accept a Service Plan -- versus an IEP? :confused: In our district they write an IEP as if the student would be attending the public school, then base the service plan on the IEP, depending on the setting. They note in the IEP paperwork that the parent has chosen private placement and you have to sign that you are refusing the "free and appropriate public education" offered by the school district. This is to cover their behinds so you can't come back and say they didn't offer appropriate accommodations to meet your child's educational needs, but it works in your favor since you just need the documentation that he does need those accommodations in a typical setting. Obviously some services that are school based that would be provided in the PS are different if the child is homeschooled or attends private school and so they develop a service plan to cover that. I am not sure if all districts do it that way (IEP first) or not, but I would think so. If not, a service plan is very similar except that it only covers the services provided by the district. You might have them include wording about the need for standardized testing accommodations in the service plan, even if he isn't going to take any with the district, as a "just in case". ;) I would think that a college would accept the service plan - there has to be students coming out of private schools in the same situation and they would have a service plan instead of (or in addition to) an IEP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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