Do you think schools/teachers are *formally* told to try to reduce/limit IEP services?

[Anonymous]

I'm just wondering if teachers and service providers are actually *told* this.

[Anonymous]

I am a case manager. Let me tell you. Schools are short staffed. Students are certainly not getting all of their services. However, in many cases IEPs are carried over mostly, and services rarely reduced. Students that are getting new IEPs will have greater scrutiny in terms of assigning students. Kids that aren’t getting there services looks really bad in principle, but they probably don’t need everything that is assigned to them. Teachers are definitely not explicitly told to reduce service. Schools fear lawsuits- a formal statement is pretty bad. Do schools turn a blind eye….yes.

[Anonymous]

100% yes, at least in APS.

[Anonymous]

Not always explicitly told to reduce services I’d say it’s more a denial of services to begin with or just giving unprepared parents the runaround to the point that they give up asking. Again not always explicitly, if it is explicitly done it’s kept hush hush in passing and no one would admit to it due to legality issues.

[Anonymous]

I don't think they are told that in so many words, but their caseloads certainly give that message. It's common for a special ed teacher to push in to work with, say, 5 students for an hour and count that hour toward all of their service hours, even though she is necessarily splitting her time among all of them.

[Anonymous]

Not in FIOA-able, discoverable writing. But also I don’t think anyone needs to. It’s like telling someone lost at sea to preserve drinking water. They know.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if they are explicitly told to deny IEPs, whenever possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:100% yes, at least in APS.

+1 They didn't even hide it in an IEP meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a case manager. Let me tell you. Schools are short staffed. Students are certainly not getting all of their services. However, in many cases IEPs are carried over mostly, and services rarely reduced. Students that are getting new IEPs will have greater scrutiny in terms of assigning students. Kids that aren’t getting there services looks really bad in principle, but they probably don’t need everything that is assigned to them. Teachers are definitely not explicitly told to reduce service. Schools fear lawsuits- a formal statement is pretty bad. Do schools turn a blind eye….yes.

This is fair and the reality we're seeing.
Everyone knows students are not receiving the services but no one is doing anything about it. In a lot of cases it's due to staffing and just overload but we have also seen resource teachers take advantage of the situation to not do very much.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. I’ve never been told to do this. I will admit that it can be overwhelming. In a typical year, I may have 150 student overall. 40 of them may have an IEP or 504. I’m overwhelmed. It’s hard to respectfully follow each student’s plan. For example, one test may require 6 different versions to accommodate different needs. I have to create those tests. Some need to be given under different scenarios. (This student needs me to write for them. This student needs me to read all questions out loud.) I have to stay after school to accommodate that. I’m already working 60+ hours a week. Yes, some things slip through the cracks. I’m trying. I’m always trying. I’m just one person, however, and I’m being asked to do the work of three. No, I’m not ignoring IEPs and 504s. I just can’t do it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I’ve never been told to do this. I will admit that it can be overwhelming. In a typical year, I may have 150 student overall. 40 of them may have an IEP or 504. I’m overwhelmed. It’s hard to respectfully follow each student’s plan. For example, one test may require 6 different versions to accommodate different needs. I have to create those tests. Some need to be given under different scenarios. (This student needs me to write for them. This student needs me to read all questions out loud.) I have to stay after school to accommodate that. I’m already working 60+ hours a week. Yes, some things slip through the cracks. I’m trying. I’m always trying. I’m just one person, however, and I’m being asked to do the work of three. No, I’m not ignoring IEPs and 504s. I just can’t do it all.

This rings true at my school, too. (MS SpEd Para) And kids routinely refuse accommodations to not stand out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I’ve never been told to do this. I will admit that it can be overwhelming. In a typical year, I may have 150 student overall. 40 of them may have an IEP or 504. I’m overwhelmed. It’s hard to respectfully follow each student’s plan. For example, one test may require 6 different versions to accommodate different needs. I have to create those tests. Some need to be given under different scenarios. (This student needs me to write for them. This student needs me to read all questions out loud.) I have to stay after school to accommodate that. I’m already working 60+ hours a week. Yes, some things slip through the cracks. I’m trying. I’m always trying. I’m just one person, however, and I’m being asked to do the work of three. No, I’m not ignoring IEPs and 504s. I just can’t do it all.

If you can’t do it all, then why aren’t general education teachers advocating for students to have more para educator and special education teacher hours? Those hours would supplement the time spent administering the tests with appropriate accommodations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I’ve never been told to do this. I will admit that it can be overwhelming. In a typical year, I may have 150 student overall. 40 of them may have an IEP or 504. I’m overwhelmed. It’s hard to respectfully follow each student’s plan. For example, one test may require 6 different versions to accommodate different needs. I have to create those tests. Some need to be given under different scenarios. (This student needs me to write for them. This student needs me to read all questions out loud.) I have to stay after school to accommodate that. I’m already working 60+ hours a week. Yes, some things slip through the cracks. I’m trying. I’m always trying. I’m just one person, however, and I’m being asked to do the work of three. No, I’m not ignoring IEPs and 504s. I just can’t do it all.

If you can’t do it all, then why aren’t general education teachers advocating for students to have more para educator and special education teacher hours? Those hours would supplement the time spent administering the tests with appropriate accommodations.

We are! We’re always asking for more support. The problem is there aren’t enough special education teachers or para educators. We are facing massive shortages. That means these responsibilities fall on us, the general educators. I am a meticulously organized person, yet I can’t keep up with the demands of my classroom. One test equals about 15 hours of accommodations that I have to meet. I’ll be completely honest: I’m always looking for other jobs. I love what I do, but I can’t give of myself more than I already am. This job takes, and then takes more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I’ve never been told to do this. I will admit that it can be overwhelming. In a typical year, I may have 150 student overall. 40 of them may have an IEP or 504. I’m overwhelmed. It’s hard to respectfully follow each student’s plan. For example, one test may require 6 different versions to accommodate different needs. I have to create those tests. Some need to be given under different scenarios. (This student needs me to write for them. This student needs me to read all questions out loud.) I have to stay after school to accommodate that. I’m already working 60+ hours a week. Yes, some things slip through the cracks. I’m trying. I’m always trying. I’m just one person, however, and I’m being asked to do the work of three. No, I’m not ignoring IEPs and 504s. I just can’t do it all.

If you can’t do it all, then why aren’t general education teachers advocating for students to have more para educator and special education teacher hours? Those hours would supplement the time spent administering the tests with appropriate accommodations.

We are! We’re always asking for more support. The problem is there aren’t enough special education teachers or para educators. We are facing massive shortages. That means these responsibilities fall on us, the general educators. I am a meticulously organized person, yet I can’t keep up with the demands of my classroom. One test equals about 15 hours of accommodations that I have to meet. I’ll be completely honest: I’m always looking for other jobs. I love what I do, but I can’t give of myself more than I already am. This job takes, and then takes more.

+1 uhhh yeah please point me in the direction of these available personnel

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I’ve never been told to do this. I will admit that it can be overwhelming. In a typical year, I may have 150 student overall. 40 of them may have an IEP or 504. I’m overwhelmed. It’s hard to respectfully follow each student’s plan. For example, one test may require 6 different versions to accommodate different needs. I have to create those tests. Some need to be given under different scenarios. (This student needs me to write for them. This student needs me to read all questions out loud.) I have to stay after school to accommodate that. I’m already working 60+ hours a week. Yes, some things slip through the cracks. I’m trying. I’m always trying. I’m just one person, however, and I’m being asked to do the work of three. No, I’m not ignoring IEPs and 504s. I just can’t do it all.

If you can’t do it all, then why aren’t general education teachers advocating for students to have more para educator and special education teacher hours? Those hours would supplement the time spent administering the tests with appropriate accommodations.

We are! We’re always asking for more support. The problem is there aren’t enough special education teachers or para educators. We are facing massive shortages. That means these responsibilities fall on us, the general educators. I am a meticulously organized person, yet I can’t keep up with the demands of my classroom. One test equals about 15 hours of accommodations that I have to meet. I’ll be completely honest: I’m always looking for other jobs. I love what I do, but I can’t give of myself more than I already am. This job takes, and then takes more.

If you can’t keep up you’re violating federal law, or the school is. I’d write the principal and superintendent a nicely worded letter telling them you will no longer be part of that and they need to give you help or you’re going to regular Ed effective x date. Or just quit like everyone else has.