I have never seen more poorly designed IEPs and 504 plans.

[Anonymous]

Most parents would say that admin is NOT afraid to stand up to parents and is not catering to us. I’d like to go to the school where they give me everything I ask for in the IEP. Please tell me where that is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most parents would say that admin is NOT afraid to stand up to parents and is not catering to us. I’d like to go to the school where they give me everything I ask for in the IEP. Please tell me where that is.

Seriously!! Please give me names of schools/school districts. My kid has horrible dyslexia and (had) speech delays and I had to fight tooth and nail to get her current services - 25 minutes per day of reading services and 20 minutes twice a week for speech. The only reason she came out of elementary school somewhat literate is because of the huge sums of money we spent on outside services.

[Anonymous]

Everyone should start saving their money because in one generation from now, public schools will only be attended by the poor and special needs. Literally everyone else will have given up.

[Anonymous]

My favorites are the ones that say the kid is allowed gum/a figit toy/extra screen time/etc even though any other kid in class would get in trouble for those things.

[Anonymous]

It’s such a catch 22. You want the school to act in the best interest of your kid and you think you can expect that…and when you can’t your only recourse is a 504 or IEP. It’s really frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most parents would say that admin is NOT afraid to stand up to parents and is not catering to us. I’d like to go to the school where they give me everything I ask for in the IEP. Please tell me where that is.

My guess is admin doesn't stand up on ridiculous stuff that is a teacher time suck but doesn't impact them (the notes, the heating food) but does stand up on anything that is actually hard, probably very meaningful to kids, and might mean just a little more work for the bureaucracy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone should start saving their money because in one generation from now, public schools will only be attended by the poor and special needs. Literally everyone else will have given up.

💯

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrators don't stick up for general ed or special education teachers. The easiest thing for them to do is to go along with what the parents and advocates want for accommodation if it isn't going to cost them anything. But it makes it miserable for teachers.

For example, one advocate loves to tell parents they should be getting a daily note home telling all about the students day. This isn't for someone who is nonverbal, this is for high functioning kids who certainly could tell their parents what happened that day. No teacher has the time to write that up each and everyday. Then the parents email back about what was in the note, which sucks up more of the teacher's time.

Another accommodation was that the student could have his food brought from home heated up. Why? No idea, the student could get hot food from the cafeteria but just doesn't like it. The parents could warm up food and send it in a thermos or wrapped in something, but nope a teacher is supposed to do it.

All of the accommodation demands mean less time for a special education teacher to actually deliver direct instruction. So in the end the students who need services miss out.

the food one is ridiculous.

when my kid was having big self regulation problems, home-school communication was really important, as was 1:1 daily check ins. But overall, I agree that accommodations are generally poorly thought out. And having been a parent whose kid was a legitimate user of services the last thing I want is services he doesn’t need.

one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit.

"one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit."

This!!! I went to a top private school and they absolutely just incorporated executive functioning skills both specifically and throughout the curriculum. They taught us to enter everything in to planners, check things off, schedule our time, etc. How to organize our notebooks and binders. They also gave us clear syllabi. We are paying an executive function coach to teach our kid these skills. Most kids' parents can't afford that. ALL kids need to be taught these skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrators don't stick up for general ed or special education teachers. The easiest thing for them to do is to go along with what the parents and advocates want for accommodation if it isn't going to cost them anything. But it makes it miserable for teachers.

For example, one advocate loves to tell parents they should be getting a daily note home telling all about the students day. This isn't for someone who is nonverbal, this is for high functioning kids who certainly could tell their parents what happened that day. No teacher has the time to write that up each and everyday. Then the parents email back about what was in the note, which sucks up more of the teacher's time.

Another accommodation was that the student could have his food brought from home heated up. Why? No idea, the student could get hot food from the cafeteria but just doesn't like it. The parents could warm up food and send it in a thermos or wrapped in something, but nope a teacher is supposed to do it.

All of the accommodation demands mean less time for a special education teacher to actually deliver direct instruction. So in the end the students who need services miss out.

the food one is ridiculous.

when my kid was having big self regulation problems, home-school communication was really important, as was 1:1 daily check ins. But overall, I agree that accommodations are generally poorly thought out. And having been a parent whose kid was a legitimate user of services the last thing I want is services he doesn’t need.

one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit.

"one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit."

This!!! I went to a top private school and they absolutely just incorporated executive functioning skills both specifically and throughout the curriculum. They taught us to enter everything in to planners, check things off, schedule our time, etc. How to organize our notebooks and binders. They also gave us clear syllabi. We are paying an executive function coach to teach our kid these skills. Most kids' parents can't afford that. ALL kids need to be taught these skills.

Just switched my kids to private school and I love that our school is doing this too. But you know what private schools - especially top ones - can count on that public schools can't? Parent back-up on all these skills. As a parent at private I have more I have to do in order to help my younger kids acclimate than I did when they were in public and had nothing to do after school. In the long run it's easier on me because I am supplementing less, but I have to do a lot more to help my kids deal with the syllabi and planners than I did when those things weren't part of my kids' lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrators don't stick up for general ed or special education teachers. The easiest thing for them to do is to go along with what the parents and advocates want for accommodation if it isn't going to cost them anything. But it makes it miserable for teachers.

For example, one advocate loves to tell parents they should be getting a daily note home telling all about the students day. This isn't for someone who is nonverbal, this is for high functioning kids who certainly could tell their parents what happened that day. No teacher has the time to write that up each and everyday. Then the parents email back about what was in the note, which sucks up more of the teacher's time.

Another accommodation was that the student could have his food brought from home heated up. Why? No idea, the student could get hot food from the cafeteria but just doesn't like it. The parents could warm up food and send it in a thermos or wrapped in something, but nope a teacher is supposed to do it.

All of the accommodation demands mean less time for a special education teacher to actually deliver direct instruction. So in the end the students who need services miss out.

the food one is ridiculous.

when my kid was having big self regulation problems, home-school communication was really important, as was 1:1 daily check ins. But overall, I agree that accommodations are generally poorly thought out. And having been a parent whose kid was a legitimate user of services the last thing I want is services he doesn’t need.

one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit.

"one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit."

This!!! I went to a top private school and they absolutely just incorporated executive functioning skills both specifically and throughout the curriculum. They taught us to enter everything in to planners, check things off, schedule our time, etc. How to organize our notebooks and binders. They also gave us clear syllabi. We are paying an executive function coach to teach our kid these skills. Most kids' parents can't afford that. ALL kids need to be taught these skills.

Just switched my kids to private school and I love that our school is doing this too. But you know what private schools - especially top ones - can count on that public schools can't? Parent back-up on all these skills. As a parent at private I have more I have to do in order to help my younger kids acclimate than I did when they were in public and had nothing to do after school. In the long run it's easier on me because I am supplementing less, but I have to do a lot more to help my kids deal with the syllabi and planners than I did when those things weren't part of my kids' lives.

You mean the ones who don't admit SN students?

[Anonymous]

OP even in the best school systems there's one or two schools in the pyramid that’s a dud. It sounds like you got one of the duds your best bet is to move or move your kid to private school.

[Anonymous]

[quote\] one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit.

Amen to that, PP! Executive function skills are lacking in all populations today, NT and SPED. Kids shouldn't have to be SPED to get EF skill attention. DC is ASD/ADHD with SLD in writing. We have seen DC literally transformed in organizational and executive function skills between early ES and today entering HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My favorites are the ones that say the kid is allowed gum/a figit toy/extra screen time/etc even though any other kid in class would get in trouble for those things.

A fidget toy is a very reasonable accommodation for a kid with ADHD. My daughter has been able to have one for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrators don't stick up for general ed or special education teachers. The easiest thing for them to do is to go along with what the parents and advocates want for accommodation if it isn't going to cost them anything. But it makes it miserable for teachers.

For example, one advocate loves to tell parents they should be getting a daily note home telling all about the students day. This isn't for someone who is nonverbal, this is for high functioning kids who certainly could tell their parents what happened that day. No teacher has the time to write that up each and everyday. Then the parents email back about what was in the note, which sucks up more of the teacher's time.

Another accommodation was that the student could have his food brought from home heated up. Why? No idea, the student could get hot food from the cafeteria but just doesn't like it. The parents could warm up food and send it in a thermos or wrapped in something, but nope a teacher is supposed to do it.

All of the accommodation demands mean less time for a special education teacher to actually deliver direct instruction. So in the end the students who need services miss out.

the food one is ridiculous.

when my kid was having big self regulation problems, home-school communication was really important, as was 1:1 daily check ins. But overall, I agree that accommodations are generally poorly thought out. And having been a parent whose kid was a legitimate user of services the last thing I want is services he doesn’t need.

one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit.

"one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit."

This!!! I went to a top private school and they absolutely just incorporated executive functioning skills both specifically and throughout the curriculum. They taught us to enter everything in to planners, check things off, schedule our time, etc. How to organize our notebooks and binders. They also gave us clear syllabi. We are paying an executive function coach to teach our kid these skills. Most kids' parents can't afford that. ALL kids need to be taught these skills.

Just switched my kids to private school and I love that our school is doing this too. But you know what private schools - especially top ones - can count on that public schools can't? Parent back-up on all these skills. As a parent at private I have more I have to do in order to help my younger kids acclimate than I did when they were in public and had nothing to do after school. In the long run it's easier on me because I am supplementing less, but I have to do a lot more to help my kids deal with the syllabi and planners than I did when those things weren't part of my kids' lives.

You mean the ones who don't admit SN students?

My kid has ADHD and dyslexia. She’s at an extremely well regarded private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrators don't stick up for general ed or special education teachers. The easiest thing for them to do is to go along with what the parents and advocates want for accommodation if it isn't going to cost them anything. But it makes it miserable for teachers.

For example, one advocate loves to tell parents they should be getting a daily note home telling all about the students day. This isn't for someone who is nonverbal, this is for high functioning kids who certainly could tell their parents what happened that day. No teacher has the time to write that up each and everyday. Then the parents email back about what was in the note, which sucks up more of the teacher's time.

Another accommodation was that the student could have his food brought from home heated up. Why? No idea, the student could get hot food from the cafeteria but just doesn't like it. The parents could warm up food and send it in a thermos or wrapped in something, but nope a teacher is supposed to do it.

All of the accommodation demands mean less time for a special education teacher to actually deliver direct instruction. So in the end the students who need services miss out.

the food one is ridiculous.

when my kid was having big self regulation problems, home-school communication was really important, as was 1:1 daily check ins. But overall, I agree that accommodations are generally poorly thought out. And having been a parent whose kid was a legitimate user of services the last thing I want is services he doesn’t need.

one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit.

"one thing I wish was that there was a school-wide focus on teaching organization and executive function skills. All kids could benefit."

This!!! I went to a top private school and they absolutely just incorporated executive functioning skills both specifically and throughout the curriculum. They taught us to enter everything in to planners, check things off, schedule our time, etc. How to organize our notebooks and binders. They also gave us clear syllabi. We are paying an executive function coach to teach our kid these skills. Most kids' parents can't afford that. ALL kids need to be taught these skills.

Just switched my kids to private school and I love that our school is doing this too. But you know what private schools - especially top ones - can count on that public schools can't? Parent back-up on all these skills. As a parent at private I have more I have to do in order to help my younger kids acclimate than I did when they were in public and had nothing to do after school. In the long run it's easier on me because I am supplementing less, but I have to do a lot more to help my kids deal with the syllabi and planners than I did when those things weren't part of my kids' lives.

You mean the ones who don't admit SN students?

My kid has ADHD and dyslexia. She’s at an extremely well regarded private school.

Probably because she's inattentive rather than hyperactive and isn't disruptive to others.