IEP deadlines and summer

[Anonymous]

My kid has an IEP for speech and we just got an ADHD diagnosis privately, which we provided to the school yesterday. The SLP asked if we could wait until fall to update the IEP with ADHD accommodations since it is so close to the end of the year. She splits time between schools so she only has four more work days this academic year at our school.

I am torn - on the one hand, I get it. On the other, I was really hoping to get this in place before next year.

WWYD? Do the legal deadlines apply during the summer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an IEP for speech and we just got an ADHD diagnosis privately, which we provided to the school yesterday. The SLP asked if we could wait until fall to update the IEP with ADHD accommodations since it is so close to the end of the year. She splits time between schools so she only has four more work days this academic year at our school.

I am torn - on the one hand, I get it. On the other, I was really hoping to get this in place before next year.

WWYD? Do the legal deadlines apply during the summer?

Yes they still apply. However if the meeting is held over the summer it may not be with your school team. Some schools systems, like MCPS, have summer referral teams if no one from the school team is available. Teachers and speech pathologists do not work summers, so they are paid hourly if they are available for a meeting. It may be a good idea to wait so that your child’s new classroom teacher and your school staff are present at the meeting.

[Anonymous]

Are they only doing accommodations?
Is there a reason no goals? Does the ADHD impact child's ability to access the curriculum? Would your child services beyond SLP?

[Anonymous]

Short answer, yes, same rules still apply regarding parent request for a student support team meeting or IEP, even though it is the end of the year.

However, so many questions. Is your child eligible for the IEP under SLI? Does the ADHD impact the child’s ability to access the general curriculum? If yes to both, you would be potentially be looking at re-evals to discuss a change to the eligibility category and add goals to meet identified needs. This is a longer process that would likely include testing over the summer/preservice week. PP is correct about trying to get all this done over the summer. It can happen, but not likely with your school team or input from current teachers. Maybe schedule the referral and if testing is indicated plan for preservice/early in the school year based on the timelines.

Are you just trying to have accommodations from the private report added to the IEP? Schools can consider private documentation, but aren’t obligated to add such recommendations to an IEP unless indicated by the data/their testing.

[Anonymous]

Diagnosis is one prong of the test. You also need to show an adverse impact on the ability to access the curriculum along with a need for services. Yes the rules apply in the summer. But think about what you want to accomplish and what is the best way to accomplish it. A crappy IEP developed over the summer is probably worse than a great one developed in October.

I’ve done summer IEP work for my kid twice. First was to get evals completed. That didn’t require any input from teachers or school staff. The second was to complete touring for a nonmainstream placement and making decisions on which placement it would be and all of the relevant people worked over the summer. But I don’t think I would have developed a plan like you are seeking. In fact, IMO, end of September or beginning of October is the best time to start. Kids have been in the class long enough to have settled in. Out of the norm behaviors and deficits have been identified through both the beginning of the year assessments and observations by those that will be working with your child. It’s not a race and undoing a bad plan takes time and causes it’s own level of damage.