IEP Meeting

[Anonymous]

IEP meeting tomorrow. I am super nervous, as the school psych and teachers rated my kid at severe level. I do not believe he is severe, definitely high functioning mid-range. He is on IEP, but does well in school as a 1st grader. Any advice? We insisted on mainstreaming, but I am thinking school will say....we do not have resources and will recommend moving to special ed. Any recommendations?

[Anonymous]

1) Breathe.
2) You don't have to agree to anything in the meeting. Just listen.
3) If he already has an IEP, he's already 'in' special ed. Maybe you mean a self contained classroom? Just listen to what they have to say, take it one step at a time.
4) They don't say kids are severe without careful thought. You know your kid, of course, but they know lots of kids. It's expensive to identify kids as 'severe' so they don't do it lightly. Keep an open mind.

[Anonymous]

“Severe” is good in some ways - that means they will provide services. Don’t assume what form those services will take yet.

[Anonymous]

My DS only goes to the self-contained classroom for reading and math for small group instruction. Then he spends the rest of the day in GenEd. He started out in self-contained and did trial periods in GenEd for progressively more and more time until now, 4th grade. We are looking at him at actually doing everything in GenEd next year. None of the shifts were a shock to him because it was done gradually. You don't need to be scared of self-contained. It's not a one and done placement (at least it shouldn't be) and may be the best place for your child at present. Or not...keep your mind open and look at all available placements.

[Anonymous]

Hi there, I’m a mom to a first grader who was in a self contained classroom earlier this year. He was in LFI and recently moved to a general education classroom.

Based on your description of your son, there’s almost no chance that the team recommends for him to move to a more restrictive environment.

Remember, the point of the IEP is to help your son access the curriculum in the least restrictive environment. If he’s anywhere close to grade level, they will continue to provide support in a regular classroom.

Your IEP meeting will likely just update goals. And in the case that you are blindsided and they recommend something you don’t agree with—you don’t have to sign. The default is for him to stay in his current placement while you work it out in mediation.

[Anonymous]

Umm if your meeting is tomorrow, they should have given you a copy of his IEP 5 days ago…

What does it say?

I think recommended placement is on the first page. The options are home school, learning center or Learning for Independence.

IEPs are stressful enough. You don’t need to manufacture things to worry about. If the placement says “home school” that means he continues in his neighborhood school and continues to receive special education services in a general education classroom (like he is now.)

[Anonymous]

+1 14:09. And if you don't have a copy, I would get off DCUM immediately and ask for it either via email or phone - now, while the school day is still in session.

[Anonymous]

OP—all went well. Gen Ed and a revised IEP good for 3 years based on new rating of “other disability” not ASD. I am sublimely relieved. We’re in a really good public ES, just tough to navigate the IEP process. I have friends that hired attorneys to get the same result.

Thank you everyone for support messages and advice.

[Anonymous]

If you don't think the testing is accurate/reflective of his abilities, ask for an IEE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP—all went well. Gen Ed and a revised IEP good for 3 years based on new rating of “other disability” not ASD. I am sublimely relieved. We’re in a really good public ES, just tough to navigate the IEP process. I have friends that hired attorneys to get the same result.

Thank you everyone for support messages and advice.

Glad it worked out. Many years ago I remember the school wanting to put my son in a nonmainstraimed class - we’re MCPS so it was LFI. I didn’t know if they were wrong but it just seemed wrong to make such a life altering decision at such a young age. I too was able to keep my child mainstreamed until HS when for mental health reasons that changed. But he got a HS diploma, which is totally key for setting your kid up to be independent and self supporting.

There will be other tough IEP meetings. But you already know how to keep your eye on the prize (a HS diploma, which not all special ed programs lead to) and make things happen. Good luck with partnering with your team - that is one of the keys to success over the years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP—all went well. Gen Ed and a revised IEP good for 3 years based on new rating of “other disability” not ASD. I am sublimely relieved. We’re in a really good public ES, just tough to navigate the IEP process. I have friends that hired attorneys to get the same result.

Thank you everyone for support messages and advice.

This sounds like an eligibility meeting- not an IEP meeting. It sounds like he was found eligible in a new category, which can last for 3 years. The team can call a reevaluation meeting before three years if the team thinks that student has had a significant change that requires reevaluation to determine if student is still found eligible, and if so, in what category.

[Anonymous]

IEPs must be renewed every year by federal law. It sounds like you had an eligibility meeting possibly combined with an IEP meeting. You should always get all paperwork and drafts of IEPs several days before the meeting. Glad you are happy with the outcome.