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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a special ed teacher. Part of the problem is the programs we use - we have a long list of goals in each area to choose from and some of them are poorly worded, don't match our state's standards, or are missing (skills that should be taught but aren't on the list). After using them for two years I realized we can edit them and I now encourage others to tweak the wording so they are more logical and appropriate. Most schools just use them as is.

Which programs? Can you give examples of the poorly worded goals? Where do they come from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1

Public schools are dealing with kids throwing chairs across the room. No private school has anything close to the behavior issues public schools deal with. And that isn’t a criticism- no one paying for school is going to put up with disruptive behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should blame them, they are the ones half-a55ing it. Put your concerns in writing to the SpEd coordinator and principal. Document everything.

Don’t worry. Pretty soon there will be no special education teachers left!

This....it's happening right now. FCPS has so many teacher trainees in SPED and can't fill SPED IA positions.

Who in their right mind would accept $20-25/hour to spend the day with only the most challenging of children???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should blame them, they are the ones half-a55ing it. Put your concerns in writing to the SpEd coordinator and principal. Document everything.

Don’t worry. Pretty soon there will be no special education teachers left!

This....it's happening right now. FCPS has so many teacher trainees in SPED and can't fill SPED IA positions.

Who in their right mind would accept $20-25/hour to spend the day with only the most challenging of children???

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’m a parent and the team acts like I have two heads when I say “please send the IEP draft at least one week in advance so I can edit the goals. If you send it three weeks in advance we can exchange drafts and may only need to have one meeting. If you send it the day before the meeting I won’t be signing it and we will have to have another meeting.”

I don’t think they are against this approach but it’s amazing to me that it never seemed to have occurred to them to exchange drafts to avoid multiple meetings.

Your request absolutely makes sense.

It’s not being executed because of the case loads teachers carry. They’re barely keeping their heads above water with attending meetings and turning out IEPs and 504s.

[Anonymous]

Ours did not reflect the PLOP. Like the PLOP needs x, y, and Z. No goals matched the needs. I went through and highlighted that stuff and wrote goals and sent it back. Ridiculous.

Then one teacher said she “picked” that goal because it seemed best. Um - so you have a list of goals and you choose one? No, that is not how this works - write the goals the child needs. Ugh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I’m a parent and the team acts like I have two heads when I say “please send the IEP draft at least one week in advance so I can edit the goals. If you send it three weeks in advance we can exchange drafts and may only need to have one meeting. If you send it the day before the meeting I won’t be signing it and we will have to have another meeting.”

I don’t think they are against this approach but it’s amazing to me that it never seemed to have occurred to them to exchange drafts to avoid multiple meetings.

Your request absolutely makes sense.

It’s not being executed because of the case loads teachers carry. They’re barely keeping their heads above water with attending meetings and turning out IEPs and 504s.

We do the same!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a special ed teacher. Part of the problem is the programs we use - we have a long list of goals in each area to choose from and some of them are poorly worded, don't match our state's standards, or are missing (skills that should be taught but aren't on the list). After using them for two years I realized we can edit them and I now encourage others to tweak the wording so they are more logical and appropriate. Most schools just use them as is.

I’m a parent and the team acts like I have two heads when I say “please send the IEP draft at least one week in advance so I can edit the goals. If you send it three weeks in advance we can exchange drafts and may only need to have one meeting. If you send it the day before the meeting I won’t be signing it and we will have to have another meeting.”

I don’t think they are against this approach but it’s amazing to me that it never seemed to have occurred to them to exchange drafts to avoid multiple meetings.

It must be because you are so much smarter than those teachers (insert sarcasm)! Teachers always sent home drafts...but now with the shortage and out of control behaviors SPED teachers barely have time for lunch. Caseloads are huge-some days they don't have planning times. So stop with your condescending nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Parent here. We have a responsibility to look at these things and make sure they make since and are in the best interest of the child. I have one kid whose team wrote a wonderful IEP and accommodations list that was well thought-out. Another kid, same issues, has a case carrier whose...not that great at doing this. However, if I ask for an accommodation or a goal, explain why, using their data, she just adds it in.

Parents need to be active team members.

Now, I know many of you are and have to fight like a bear on cocaine for your child's education. I 'm not talking about you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach HS special education. This summer, I taught ES ESY. When I say my mouth dropped at reading the majority of the IEPs. From the goals (no IEP should have 10 goals), to the accommodations, to the very informal languages used in the PLOP and strengths and needs. I was embarrassed.

There is no maximum number of goals. You are the one who needs retraining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a special ed teacher. Part of the problem is the programs we use - we have a long list of goals in each area to choose from and some of them are poorly worded, don't match our state's standards, or are missing (skills that should be taught but aren't on the list). After using them for two years I realized we can edit them and I now encourage others to tweak the wording so they are more logical and appropriate. Most schools just use them as is.

I’m a parent and the team acts like I have two heads when I say “please send the IEP draft at least one week in advance so I can edit the goals. If you send it three weeks in advance we can exchange drafts and may only need to have one meeting. If you send it the day before the meeting I won’t be signing it and we will have to have another meeting.”

I don’t think they are against this approach but it’s amazing to me that it never seemed to have occurred to them to exchange drafts to avoid multiple meetings.

It must be because you are so much smarter than those teachers (insert sarcasm)! Teachers always sent home drafts...but now with the shortage and out of control behaviors SPED teachers barely have time for lunch. Caseloads are huge-some days they don't have planning times. So stop with your condescending nonsense.

It's condescending for the parent to want to fully participate and not just take the drivel offered by the school? Okaaay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should blame them, they are the ones half-a55ing it. Put your concerns in writing to the SpEd coordinator and principal. Document everything.

Don’t worry. Pretty soon there will be no special education teachers left!

This....it's happening right now. FCPS has so many teacher trainees in SPED and can't fill SPED IA positions.

Who in their right mind would accept $20-25/hour to spend the day with only the most challenging of children???

Believe it or not, some people actually like our kids and enjoy working with them. Some of the most compassionate and best people working with my kid have been aides and paras.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I’m a parent and the team acts like I have two heads when I say “please send the IEP draft at least one week in advance so I can edit the goals. If you send it three weeks in advance we can exchange drafts and may only need to have one meeting. If you send it the day before the meeting I won’t be signing it and we will have to have another meeting.”

I don’t think they are against this approach but it’s amazing to me that it never seemed to have occurred to them to exchange drafts to avoid multiple meetings.

Your request absolutely makes sense.

It’s not being executed because of the case loads teachers carry. They’re barely keeping their heads above water with attending meetings and turning out IEPs and 504s.

yeah well, then their failure to be organized justs means more meetings with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a special ed teacher. Part of the problem is the programs we use - we have a long list of goals in each area to choose from and some of them are poorly worded, don't match our state's standards, or are missing (skills that should be taught but aren't on the list). After using them for two years I realized we can edit them and I now encourage others to tweak the wording so they are more logical and appropriate. Most schools just use them as is.

I’m a parent and the team acts like I have two heads when I say “please send the IEP draft at least one week in advance so I can edit the goals. If you send it three weeks in advance we can exchange drafts and may only need to have one meeting. If you send it the day before the meeting I won’t be signing it and we will have to have another meeting.”

I don’t think they are against this approach but it’s amazing to me that it never seemed to have occurred to them to exchange drafts to avoid multiple meetings.

It must be because you are so much smarter than those teachers (insert sarcasm)! Teachers always sent home drafts...but now with the shortage and out of control behaviors SPED teachers barely have time for lunch. Caseloads are huge-some days they don't have planning times. So stop with your condescending nonsense.

well then enjoy having 2-3 IEP meetings with me because I won’t sigh the terribly written IEP you send hours before the meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a special ed teacher. Part of the problem is the programs we use - we have a long list of goals in each area to choose from and some of them are poorly worded, don't match our state's standards, or are missing (skills that should be taught but aren't on the list). After using them for two years I realized we can edit them and I now encourage others to tweak the wording so they are more logical and appropriate. Most schools just use them as is.

I’m a parent and the team acts like I have two heads when I say “please send the IEP draft at least one week in advance so I can edit the goals. If you send it three weeks in advance we can exchange drafts and may only need to have one meeting. If you send it the day before the meeting I won’t be signing it and we will have to have another meeting.”

I don’t think they are against this approach but it’s amazing to me that it never seemed to have occurred to them to exchange drafts to avoid multiple meetings.

It must be because you are so much smarter than those teachers (insert sarcasm)! Teachers always sent home drafts...but now with the shortage and out of control behaviors SPED teachers barely have time for lunch. Caseloads are huge-some days they don't have planning times. So stop with your condescending nonsense.

well then enjoy having 2-3 IEP meetings with me because I won’t sigh the terribly written IEP you send hours before the meeting.

Not me you couldn't pay me enough to deal with your BS and yes you sound condescending and rude.