Parents of mainstreamed ASD kids, how long did your DC need an IEP?

[Anonymous]

We have an annual review meeting coming up and we've gotten the sense that the school is moving to take away our DD's IEP. She in 2nd and has had it only two years and it's mostly for social communications. The school keeps saying that she's on grade level for academics and well-behaved and hinting there is no need for the IEP.
If we lose the IEP now what are the chances she could qualify in later grades if she needs it?
If you have a child who is older did your child have an IEP every year or did you lose the IEP for a few years and then get it back for middle school or high school?

[Anonymous]

DS was on an IEP until the end of 6th grade. He is now on a 504. There was some adjustment period at the start of 7th, right after he came off the IEP and was moved to all honors classes. (He was previously in honors math and in the supported, regular class for the rest of the subjects.) He is doing okay now, though.

[Anonymous]

My DS was on an IEP from PreK to 6th to help deal with communication and socials skills. He is in high school and doesn't need it now, but he his school has a program with plenty of academic challenges (honors and AP classes). The school also has small class sizes. I'm not sure how he'd do in a typical U.S. public high school. Under that kind of pressure, he might need another IEP, but then large, sports and socially focused high schools stress most teens.

We're very lucky to have found the right fit for him, but let me add that he's very high functioning, and your DD may have a completely different experience at that age.

[Anonymous]

I suspect my DS with ASD/ADHD will need an IEP all though school if he remains at his current public school which goes from prek3-12. We are at an immersion language charter that feeds into DCI.

DS is currently in 3rd grade and tests above grade level academically across the board without supports but his IEP only addresses social communication issues and OT/fine motor - he gets keyboarding instruction and gets to use a laptop. Speech for pragmatics/social skills.

DS has friends at school including a BFF and loves his school. His school has never given any indication that an IEP is not needed even though DS does well academically. My understanding is that once you give up an IEP, it is very difficult if not impossible to get it back if your child is at or above grade level academically.

We will be switching to mainstream private with small class sizes for middle and high schools so are planning to give up the IEP then.

[Anonymous]

If you lose it, it's much harder to get it back. The child has to be failing or significantly behind. This is why we fight to keep it and get our own evaluations.

[Anonymous]

OP here with some follow up questions. Thanks to PPs for their help. How often does the school have to reevaluate? Do they need to evaluate DD to stop services?

When we got the IEP in K we presented our own neuropsych evaluation. Should we get another one right now since it's been about 2 years and present that to the school so they don't have to do their own evaluation? DD gets a lot of private services (ST, OT) so we know there are still needs but I'm not sure what a full neuropsych would show at this stage other than the same stuff as the one two years ago.

[Anonymous]

Schools have to reevaluate and renew the IEP every three years. The easiest way for a school to get rid of an IEP within those three years is for the parents to agree to get rid of the IEP.

The school can "hint" all they want about getting rid of the IEP. All you have to do is to tell them that you want to keep the IEP.

If your DD has met all of her IEP goals, you can always add new ones - that's what annual reviews are for.

[Anonymous]

If your DD got the IEP in K, her IEP renewal is 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with some follow up questions. Thanks to PPs for their help. How often does the school have to reevaluate? Do they need to evaluate DD to stop services?

When we got the IEP in K we presented our own neuropsych evaluation. Should we get another one right now since it's been about 2 years and present that to the school so they don't have to do their own evaluation? DD gets a lot of private services (ST, OT) so we know there are still needs but I'm not sure what a full neuropsych would show at this stage other than the same stuff as the one two years ago.

Every 3 years the need for an IEP must be reevaluated (it's called a triennial review). Whether you do your own or not, the school can decide to do one (and if they find different things having your own can be helpful). Or, as before, they can accept yours. I would start the process for getting a new one in about 6 months so you have it ready about 90 days before the 3 year time period is up.

[Anonymous]

You guys are great! OP here. We're in MCPS and I thought that they could make any changes to the IEP without us consenting but maybe they were counting on us not protesting.

So if they tell us that DD has met all her goals in the IEP, which we think they will, our strategy should be to come in with a bunch of new goals that address her current needs? The thing is sure she's progressed since the IEP was put in place but so have her peers and she's still struggling with socially and with communications and speech issues.

[Anonymous]

Yes, put in new goals that addresses her needs.

[Anonymous]

Please push the school to keep the IEP at least until it's 3 years old. Once they are off IEP, teachers don't exactly give that extra touch to SN children.

[Anonymous]

What we do is let them do the 3 year eval. If anyone even hints to me they may get rid of the IEP, I make it clear we want it and why. If they say my child is on target across the board, then I either get our private ST and/or OT to write something, and/or an eval and/or see if we can get in with our developmental pediatrician. I refuse to sign until I can get my peeps involved. Then I make it about the experts. Oh, your ST thinks DC is on target. Huh, our ST wrote this and did these evaluations. According to the data, DC is behind in A.B, and C. Note DC scored in the blah blah percentile to blah blah.

[Anonymous]

They can't take away an IEP before the 3 yr mark unless the parents agree to stop it. It's a legal document. If she meets the goals before the annual review (iep's must be reviewed and goals set at least once a year) either (a) the goals were too easy and/or (b) she's doing really, really well. Say, "Great! Let's meet and set new goals!"

[Anonymous]

OP here and another question for those who have been through this. If you have your own evaluation at the three-year mark does the school system have to do its own review or can they accept your evaluation?