Is it typical for elementary to group all IEP kids together in the same class
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Anonymous
| And so many students have IEPs these days (or 504s), I would venture to guess that unless you are talking HS AP foreign language or HS AP high level math, EVERY classroom has at least 1, if not more than 1, with an IEP or 504 |
Anonymous
Even in those; both my SN kids took AP classes. |
Anonymous
OP here. The above poster is not me. What I was wondering about is whether it is typical for elementary schools to have all the IEP students in one class rather than spreading them out across the different classes for the grade. It sounds like a lot of schools do this, which is helpful to know. I have concerns about how this model will impact my child, but understand this is not something I would have a choice about. |
Anonymous
My son had an IEP from 2nd through 12 grade for dyslexia and dysgraphia. He took 8 AP and two post AP classes. |
Anonymous
Well, you might have a choice, it depends on the school and the content of your daughter's IEP. But some schools don't give anyone a choice of classroom for any reason. Try to understand, the school is trying to meet the students' needs staffing-wise and that's what drives this. So if there's a class with a special ed co-teacher or a certain type of paraprofessional or whatever, it's not necessarily the case that all the students with IEPs are in that class. It's all the students with a certain *type* of IEP, like all the students who get speech therapy, or all the students with ASD, or whatever it happens to be, so that the staffing can be done to provide them services and the classroom is designed with their needs in the forefront. This can be a really good thing. It's not like everyone with an IEP for any reason gets put in the same class automatically. I'm not sure what you're concerned about specifically, but try to give up on the idea that your child will not be in class with other children with IEPs. Your child is definitely, definitely going to be around other children with IEPs regardless of the school's policy on classroom assignments and regardless of whether your child has an IEP. Because even in schools with a co-teaching inclusion program for chlidren with certain types of IEPs, there are plenty of children with other types of IEPs in the other classrooms. You might not be aware of it, but they are there. Yes, it can feel stigmatizing or be complex to be in an inclusion classroom, and yes there can be behavior problems or kids getting upset or kids who are below grade level, or whatever. But your child could be assigned to that classroom with no IEP at all, and you're going to have those kinds of problems no matter what type classroom you're in. |
Anonymous
adding including AP BC calculus, AP Chem, both AP Physics C. |
Anonymous
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OP, here is the description of an inclusion preschool classroom from some DCPS materials. Is this what you're concerned about?
10:6 Early Childhood Inclusion Classrooms Students Served: Students with disabilities served in the general education setting Grades: PK3-PK4 Contact: Tiffany Galloway, Director, Special Education Inclusion The 10:6 Early Childhood Education Classroom represents a type of inclusion model used to students with disabilities in DCPS. Unlike DCPS academic programs like Early Learning Supports (ELS), Communication Education Supports (CES), and Medical Education Supports (MES), the 10:6 Early Childhood Education Classroom is a general education classroom and does not constitute a more restrictive environment. The classrooms are staffed with a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a paraprofessional and maintain a student ratio of ten general education students and six students with special needs. Typically, these students have a Developmental Delay (DD), Other Health Impairment (OHI), demonstrate delays in cognition, communication, social/emotional, motor and adaptive skills. Curriculum and Instruction The Tools of the Mind curriculum allows teachers to work at each student’s individual developmental level and help the student reach his or her academic goals to ensure that the student is prepared for kindergarten. Children in the inclusive classroom also have the advantage of increased opportunities to develop their social-emotional skills such as empathy, tolerance, and understanding of differences as they interact and learn with children who have different abilities. At the PK3/PK4 level, children with special needs benefit greatly from peer modeling. The typically developing peers also benefit as they provide support and coaching to their classmates. Children in this setting are likely to be better problem solvers and more accepting of differences. Instructors and Staff Students receive the service hours designated on their IEPs while in a classroom with their peers. Related service providers support students within the classroom, as outlined on their IEPs. The inclusion classroom is staffed with either one teacher who is certified in both early childhood education and special education and two trained classroom instructional paraprofessionals, or one general education teacher and one special education teacher and two trained classroom instructional paraprofessionals. Early Childhood Tools of the Mind Classrooms and Ratios Students (general education/special education): Teachers: Classroom instructional paraprofessionals Grades: PK3/PK4 (Mixed Age) 16 (10/6):2:1 • Amidon-Bowen • Cleveland • Garrison • J.O. Wilson • LaSalle-Backus • School Without Walls @ Francis-Stevens • Burroughs Related Services Related services are available as identified and outlined in students’ IEPs. |
Anonymous
OP, they aren't getting what you are asking. Yes, at this particular school, it is and it really varies by school. It is very difficult to get your child out of that classroom and they lump all IEP's regardless of what it is for in that room and mix a few other kids in as well. Depending on your child's needs, they will probably get ignored for the kids who need more support. The academics are also watered down. Get advocate for K. |
Anonymous
This isn't the issue or what she is asking. In ES, some schools put any child with an IEP in the same classroom. It doesn't matter why the child has an IEP and then they mix in a few other kids. It works great for some kids and not so great for other kids. They don't allow classroom choice and you are forced into this classroom and the only way out is to get rid of the IEP. |
Anonymous
In my son's case it was a disaster for him. He has dyslexia and really needed and OG program. I had no issue getting the IEP because he was first eligible under speech then Specific Learning Disability. By the end of first he couldn't read and didn't have pre-reading skills like being able to rhyme, orally blend, or say the beginning or ending sounds of words. They stuck him in second grade in a class where all the students who had IEP's were placed (there were a few kids who had speech only IEP's in other rooms). There was an aide assigned full time to the class and the special ed teacher pushed in part of the day. My son did NOT get what he needed which was OG reading and spelling help. The class was so loud and there were so many behavior issue. They placed a couple of students who needed IEP's in that room but didn't have them perhaps because an aide was in there. My son barely ever got pulled to do reading and when he did he was grouped with kids who had different issues - ID, ADHD, etc. The classroom had to be evacuated regularly because of two really disruptive students. In the end I had to have him exit special ed so he wouldn't be placed in that type of classroom for third grade. I had him switch to a 504 plan and he got help from the school reading intervention teacher who was SO much better than the special ed teacher. He didn't qualify to get help from the intervention teacher when he was in special ed. |
Anonymous
I'm not against my child being in a class with other children with IEOs. You are confusing me with someone else. My concern is around concentrating the highest needs students in one classroom and how that will affect my child. I get why the school does it. I really just wanted to know if this is a typical practice in elementary schools, and it sounds like it is. My child is not in school yet so this isn't about what I am personally perceiving. |
Anonymous
+plus 1. My child is a peer in a home school model classroom. Her classroom is better behaved then other classrooms. Many times the kids with IEP's are grouped together because they are put with a strong experienced teacher. Also, it makes it easier for supports to push in and for specialists to pull without completing schedules of kids in different classes.
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Anonymous
Well, it just depends on the school. Some have lots of high nerds children in every class. Some offer special programming for certain types of needs. Others have special classrooms for certain children with high needs, and moderate and mild needs are mainstreamed. You'd have to ask your school. It sounds like what you want is for your child not to be around children with higher needs. And try to be sensitive how you talk about that on this board. Many of us are the parents of children with higher needs, you know. Remember, you could be assigned to the inclusion class without an IEP. And if there were not an inclusion class, you would likely be in a class with some of the children with higher needs and less support for them. Would that be better? I don't know. It really just depends. |
Anonymous
That's not what I am saying, and I'm sorry that's how it has come across to you. |
Anonymous
It sounds like you are okay with one or two, but not more. Is that right? Or what is it that you are concerned about? |