For your MCPS child with disabilities, how well is your school implementing IEP / 504?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students with disabilities were denied access to the curriculum during online learning because MCPS was quick to restrict accommodations and services. Now that school is in person, is your child receiving the accommodations and services formalized on an IEP or 504 plan?

OP what do you mean by "quick to restrict"? What was your experience?

NP. They did not provide any of the hours in the IEP during virtual learning. We never actually heard from them that they were or were not doing anything. They just didn't talk to DC for the year.

[Anonymous]

None. Teacher did not even seem aware the reasons for DS's 504, and consequently did not implement it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None. Teacher did not even seem aware the reasons for DS's 504, and consequently did not implement it.

What did the teacher say when you brought it up?

[Anonymous]

My child struggled with DL but it wasn't for lack of IEP implementation. Now that DC is back in person, I feel as though the IEP is being followed quite well, at least from what I'm able to see. DC names off the other teachers that work with them, and I know these people as the special ed teacher and special ed paras. Often work that comes home has two parts, with the "regular" version that is blank, and then DC's modified version which they have completed. I know the speech teacher works with them because she emails follow up work to both mine and DC's email addresses, referencing what they worked on during that session.

Overall, I've been really pleased. DC's IEP was developed in spring 2020, so right as we were all switching to virtual. It was a frustrating process at first, but once we got to a good place, things have been smooth. DC is in 5th grade now, but we have been trying to get supports since K/1, so I wouldn't say IEP/504 is easy to get.

[Anonymous]

I have 2 children with IEP at early ES, and I think IEP has been implemented well. They both had IEP in place when they were under age 2, and we paid thousands every year for private testing/follow up and weekly therapies on top of IEP. Because they have IEP early at their young age, I think it is easier for MCPS to continue to give them services and provide support. Both children have multiple medical diagnosis that need IEP, and they never consider 504 for them.

I have one child mainly with behavior/social problem (academic is not an issue), and IEP implement well because they need to address that issue to help for less classroom disruption. I think IEP has done its job well so far.

The other child mainly has academic issue (learning problem), and the standard for school considered failing in grade is so low, and DC is far behind than that unfortunately. So, they have implemented many strategies to help DC to learn. I don't think IEP is failing, but DC's learning problem is quite difficult to deal with due to failing grades. We are keeping an eye to see if DC could be mainstream or need to go to special school.

Btw, we send both kids to private schools during DL, so we cannot comment on IEP services/implementation during DL. I am only commenting on IEP since Sept 2021 when mcps is in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a 504 and about half is implemented, the other half only when I push.

Who is "we"? Your child has the 504 plan, not you. Half (or more) of the accommodations on 504s are not needed, and only written on the plan to get attention-seeking parents like yourself to shut up. Most parents who pursue 504 plans do so in order to cheat their way to extra time for their kid on the SAT, a need for attention, or both.

Thank you MCPS teacher! This is why we bolted from the joint… criminal culture with attitudes like this PP.

This is exactly the narrow minded attitude we're encountering. No, my child's IEP is not being followed at all.

File a state complaint and an OCR complaint.

MSDE complaint would be the IDEA violation for not implementing the IEP. State complaints look at violations one year before the date of filing.

US Department of Education complaints only will look at the past 180 days. File quickly so you meet the deadline. OCR would consider the failure to implement the IEP as a Section 504 violation.

Your child is due compensatory services for the failure to implement the IEP.

[Anonymous]

Cabin John Middle was great with my child's 504. They met with me twice a year. They gave my son a copy of his accommodations so he could self-advocate. He had an extra teacher in math and English. They did very well during distance learning. It's not the same as in person, but I bow to the teachers, particularly the resource teachers. Just adored them.

Switched over to Magruder High and it's been rough. He does have extra teachers. Two teachers have checked in with me pretty regularly and are so understanding. They try different approaches and take my suggestions, and he gets back on track.

One teacher has been horrid. Just horrid. Demeaning, insulting, mocking him. So much for them caring about mental health and wellness. I got him transferred out of that class and all his grades in every other class shot up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cabin John Middle was great with my child's 504. They met with me twice a year. They gave my son a copy of his accommodations so he could self-advocate. He had an extra teacher in math and English. They did very well during distance learning. It's not the same as in person, but I bow to the teachers, particularly the resource teachers. Just adored them.

Switched over to Magruder High and it's been rough. He does have extra teachers. Two teachers have checked in with me pretty regularly and are so understanding. They try different approaches and take my suggestions, and he gets back on track.

One teacher has been horrid. Just horrid. Demeaning, insulting, mocking him. So much for them caring about mental health and wellness. I got him transferred out of that class and all his grades in every other class shot up.

Does your child have two supported classes -English and math - like he did in middle school? Typically, a supported class is typically on an IEP but is not a 504 accommodation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Students with disabilities were denied access to the curriculum during online learning because MCPS was quick to restrict accommodations and services. Now that school is in person, is your child receiving the accommodations and services formalized on an IEP or 504 plan?

About the same as pre-Covid. In my son's case the disaster that was online "learning" was not because MCPS was restricting services but more that there was nothing that could be done remotely. We as a community failed my child and countless others by deprioritizing in-person learning. He had a sham of a "plan" but there was truly nothing that could be done. Completely lost year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students with disabilities were denied access to the curriculum during online learning because MCPS was quick to restrict accommodations and services. Now that school is in person, is your child receiving the accommodations and services formalized on an IEP or 504 plan?

About the same as pre-Covid. In my son's case the disaster that was online "learning" was not because MCPS was restricting services but more that there was nothing that could be done remotely. We as a community failed my child and countless others by deprioritizing in-person learning. He had a sham of a "plan" but there was truly nothing that could be done. Completely lost year.

My child has lost two years.

Last year, staff sent in reports that said his accommodations could not be provided online. Services could have been provided online via Zoom, however a State investigation confirmed that the school just didn’t provide the services. My child simply couldn’t keep up without the support. He fell behind in his classes and gaps in math are seriously impacting him this year.

This year, MCPS delayed discussing and providing compensatory services, teachers repeatedly failed to implement my child’s IEP, and staffing shortages impacted his access to special education services. Instead of helping my child make up progress lost last year, his school has been content to let him continue to decline. About halfway through the year, we started paying for private services that my child should be getting at school. We are preparing to take MCPS to Due Process for the harm that has been done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students with disabilities were denied access to the curriculum during online learning because MCPS was quick to restrict accommodations and services. Now that school is in person, is your child receiving the accommodations and services formalized on an IEP or 504 plan?

About the same as pre-Covid. In my son's case the disaster that was online "learning" was not because MCPS was restricting services but more that there was nothing that could be done remotely. We as a community failed my child and countless others by deprioritizing in-person learning. He had a sham of a "plan" but there was truly nothing that could be done. Completely lost year.

My child has lost two years.

Last year, staff sent in reports that said his accommodations could not be provided online. Services could have been provided online via Zoom, however a State investigation confirmed that the school just didn’t provide the services. My child simply couldn’t keep up without the support. He fell behind in his classes and gaps in math are seriously impacting him this year.

This year, MCPS delayed discussing and providing compensatory services, teachers repeatedly failed to implement my child’s IEP, and staffing shortages impacted his access to special education services. Instead of helping my child make up progress lost last year, his school has been content to let him continue to decline. About halfway through the year, we started paying for private services that my child should be getting at school. We are preparing to take MCPS to Due Process for the harm that has been done.

I will start by saying that we are generally happy with our school and especially my DC main early elementary teacher. She seems to be doing well enough but I’m starting to get the sense her case manager is not supervising things as well as earlier and a few things have slipped lately. I have to imagine this is due to overwhelming needs of other children and since so far my kid is mostly doing well I have not complained but am trying to keep a sense of what is actually happening so I can complain if necessary. I feel the her main teacher is doing extra things to help out but I’m worried if next year’s teacher will not be so amazing.

During distance learning we had to sign a virtual IEP which basically admitted most accommodations would not happen. She did have one weekly service virtually which was fairly useless because my child just can’t access anything virtually. It was absolutely a lost year. We just had a discussion about compensatory services but we had already paid for private extra services starting in the fall with in person providers so the case manager really discouraged us from pursuing additional compensatory services through MCPS. That was the first time I felt really upset with how our child’s IEP was handled. Virtual learning was a disaster and my kid really needed help to catch up so yeah we weren’t going to wait until spring to talk about how that might happen. I think most of my frustration is related to virtual learning and the fall out from that, so it will be interesting to see how the next couple of years go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cabin John Middle was great with my child's 504. They met with me twice a year. They gave my son a copy of his accommodations so he could self-advocate. He had an extra teacher in math and English. They did very well during distance learning. It's not the same as in person, but I bow to the teachers, particularly the resource teachers. Just adored them.

Switched over to Magruder High and it's been rough. He does have extra teachers. Two teachers have checked in with me pretty regularly and are so understanding. They try different approaches and take my suggestions, and he gets back on track.

One teacher has been horrid. Just horrid. Demeaning, insulting, mocking him. So much for them caring about mental health and wellness. I got him transferred out of that class and all his grades in every other class shot up.

Does your child have two supported classes -English and math - like he did in middle school? Typically, a supported class is typically on an IEP but is not a 504 accommodation.

He did in middle. Not in high school. Just math. A second teacher is not on his 504 so I assume they just schedule that way if possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cabin John Middle was great with my child's 504. They met with me twice a year. They gave my son a copy of his accommodations so he could self-advocate. He had an extra teacher in math and English. They did very well during distance learning. It's not the same as in person, but I bow to the teachers, particularly the resource teachers. Just adored them.

Switched over to Magruder High and it's been rough. He does have extra teachers. Two teachers have checked in with me pretty regularly and are so understanding. They try different approaches and take my suggestions, and he gets back on track.

One teacher has been horrid. Just horrid. Demeaning, insulting, mocking him. So much for them caring about mental health and wellness. I got him transferred out of that class and all his grades in every other class shot up.

Does your child have two supported classes -English and math - like he did in middle school? Typically, a supported class is typically on an IEP but is not a 504 accommodation.

He did in middle. Not in high school. Just math. A second teacher is not on his 504 so I assume they just schedule that way if possible.

If having a supported class helped, and your child is having difficulty without the extra support, you should ask for an IEP team to consider his needs. The supported classes would be considered special educational services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cabin John Middle was great with my child's 504. They met with me twice a year. They gave my son a copy of his accommodations so he could self-advocate. He had an extra teacher in math and English. They did very well during distance learning. It's not the same as in person, but I bow to the teachers, particularly the resource teachers. Just adored them.

Switched over to Magruder High and it's been rough. He does have extra teachers. Two teachers have checked in with me pretty regularly and are so understanding. They try different approaches and take my suggestions, and he gets back on track.

One teacher has been horrid. Just horrid. Demeaning, insulting, mocking him. So much for them caring about mental health and wellness. I got him transferred out of that class and all his grades in every other class shot up.

Does your child have two supported classes -English and math - like he did in middle school? Typically, a supported class is typically on an IEP but is not a 504 accommodation.

He did in middle. Not in high school. Just math. A second teacher is not on his 504 so I assume they just schedule that way if possible.

If having a supported class helped, and your child is having difficulty without the extra support, you should ask for an IEP team to consider his needs. The supported classes would be considered special educational services.

Thanks. I thought 504 is special education too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cabin John Middle was great with my child's 504. They met with me twice a year. They gave my son a copy of his accommodations so he could self-advocate. He had an extra teacher in math and English. They did very well during distance learning. It's not the same as in person, but I bow to the teachers, particularly the resource teachers. Just adored them.

Switched over to Magruder High and it's been rough. He does have extra teachers. Two teachers have checked in with me pretty regularly and are so understanding. They try different approaches and take my suggestions, and he gets back on track.

One teacher has been horrid. Just horrid. Demeaning, insulting, mocking him. So much for them caring about mental health and wellness. I got him transferred out of that class and all his grades in every other class shot up.

Does your child have two supported classes -English and math - like he did in middle school? Typically, a supported class is typically on an IEP but is not a 504 accommodation.

He did in middle. Not in high school. Just math. A second teacher is not on his 504 so I assume they just schedule that way if possible.

If having a supported class helped, and your child is having difficulty without the extra support, you should ask for an IEP team to consider his needs. The supported classes would be considered special educational services.

Thanks. I thought 504 is special education too?

No, a 504 plan is just accommodations a general education teacher provides. The need for a co-taught class is a need for a para educator or special education teacher to provide support. These are special education supports. To be guaranteed placement, a child needs an IEP where the support is specified on the IEP.

The decline in your child’s performance when the placement was altered would demonstrate the educational impact for his disability.