Should special ed be for students with behavioral issues?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]OP here. We have worked a lot with DC and there has been much improvement since kinder. But this is FIRST grade and immaturity should not come as a surprise. There have been other children recently being pushed into special ed as part of what seems like a wave at the school. But my intention was to ask a much broader question. Allow me to rephrase:

Do you think a school should be able to use special education as a tool to segregate the well behaved from the ill behaved if there is no danger of physical harm? Yes I understand the argument of affecting others. But special education was never intended as a tool to "help others". Perhaps something else should be in place for that like a BMP? Thanks.[/quote]

Op, they are not using it as a segregation tool. You sound a little naive and maybe a bit paranoid. It’s so rare that a school will actually offer services.

You sound out of your depth as how to help your kid. I don’t think you actually understand his needs. If his behaviors albeit non-violent are so distracting that the school has approached you about an IEP, that is not an issue of immaturity.

I pity your kid. Snap out of your denial.

[Anonymous]

Read this OP:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/howey/iep.special.factors.htm

[Anonymous]

Listen to the teacher and accept help!

[Anonymous]

OP,

What is the problem? I don't think you have ever been specific. Does your child throw frequent tantrums that disturb the others?
Is your child defiant? Won't go to lunch when it is time, for example, which requires effort on the part of the teacher.
Does your child cry all day? That is also distracting to the other kids and concerning for your child.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've already posted but can't help but make one more comment. Last year we fought to get our child services - and that was coming in with reports and recommendations from three professionals saying they needed supports at school. Your child can be gifted and good and kind and still need help. Having special education services doesn't change who your child is - but it could very well make school easier for your child. Schools don't generally go around offering services, so if yours is offering please at least meet with them and listen.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]OP here. We have worked a lot with DC and there has been much improvement since kinder. But this is FIRST grade and immaturity should not come as a surprise. There have been other children recently being pushed into special ed as part of what seems like a wave at the school. But my intention was to ask a much broader question. Allow me to rephrase:

[b]Do you think a school should be able to use special education as a tool to segregate the well behaved from the ill behaved if there is no danger of physical harm?[/b] Yes I understand the argument of affecting others. But special education was never intended as a tool to "help others". Perhaps something else should be in place for that like a BMP? Thanks.[/quote]

YESSSSSSSS.

[Anonymous]

As a mom of a a SN kiddo with behavioral issues related to his diagnosis, if the school is offering help, take it. It's not a scarlet letter. Some of us have HIRE LEGAL HELP to get the school to provide services, and, in your case, they are offering you the help your child most likely needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't forget that a BIP isn't just a tool for managing your child's behavior, it's also a protection from your child because it sets out a plan for how everyone involved, not just your child, will manage your child's behavioral needs. If, for instance, your child becomes prone to throwing things when he gets too antsy in his seat, the BIP might provide that your child is allowed to get up and move around as needed within prescribed limits. If a teacher then refuses to allow him to move around as provided in the BIP and your child throws something that hits and injures another person, the teacher's failure to comply with the BIP leading to the known result gives your child some protection from the normal consequences that kind of behavior.

This will also protect the other children and the teacher from your child. That will help prevent you from being sued as a parent because of your child's behavior.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher. One of my students a few years ago was so disruptive that it affected the entire learning process the whole year. I had very little support. I begged, I documented, I tried. Well, my students did poorly on their benchmark testing. I was given a low rating because of this. The school was cutting staff that year and the lowest performers were being let go. (yes, in a union school) I had documentation of every.little. thing including emails reaching out, etc, etc. And even as non tenured teacher, I hired a lawyer through the union, fought it and won. Now I'm suing the district. This will take years, but I'm happy to fight it.

So, to the OP, thanks for doing your part in helping your child (dripping sarcasm). You just might play a part in getting a good teacher fired. You are a dangerous idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not OP, but do see OP’s point of view, depending on what these behaviors are. Wouldn’t all these behavior issues be solved by having less students student to teacher ratios and less academic pressure to test and reach a score versus actual fluid learning? I think the parents that resist see it this way. My husband is big law today and back then he would be a behavior problem-special needs. He wasn’t because it was a different environment. Part of his arguments (with teachers-pushing limits-learning) make him a successful lawyer today and IS a wnat d trait.

+1

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the responses (mostly). I did not intend to seem like I was asking advice for my personal situation. I was trying to ask a more general question based on trends I see in my child's school and in many other schools as well. But it seems regardless many of you think a special education designation should be applied for mere behavior problems to minimize disruptions to others and maybe help the offending child too.

But at least a few see things as I do-that special education should be reserved for children who struggle academically due to disability. After all, if school standards are being raised, extra support and behavior management techniques should be standard for the general education classroom to deal with all the variations of normal. Children shouldnt be suddenly classified as "disabled" just because Kinder is the new first grade.

As for my personal situation, we will continue working on the issues at home and waiting for maturity to kick in. If there is not enough improvement by 2nd grade, private school might be our best option.

Food for thought:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kars4kids.org/blog/when-to-keep-your-child-out-of-special-education/amp/

Again, thanks for the different pespectives.

[Anonymous]

OP what are they offering?
Supports in the general ed classroom? Take it.
Or are they pushing you out to a special day class or just out of the school, claiming they can’t provide the support you need?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school is trying to push DC-1st grade into special education. DC is very bright, two grades ahead in some subjects and above grade level in all the rest. DC has some non violent behavioral issues. I'm not even sure what services they would try to push because obviously the issues are not affecting ability to access the curriculum. I dont think special education designation should be applied for kids who simply have behavior problems. I think a common behavior plan is all the informal accomodation needed. I could post in the special need forum but most there really want the iep. We dont. What do u think?

The 'common behavior plan' you reference may be the catch. The teachers often need a 504 (accommodations even without an IEP) to be able to devote that extra time or have some extra help from another teacher/specialist to devote any extra time to a single child - which may equate to just what you are looking for to support your kid. These can be things that seem simple like preferential seating in a class room, little check ins with the kid, redirection, etc. Think about it from the perspective of the teacher who may just want to be able to have the time or extra support to devote to having 20 or however many kids in the classroom - and from the perspective of the other kids who also all need attention/support. That extra attention may also end up benefiting your child who is very bright and can benefit from that support to actually have more of an individualized experience (there's a lot of kids where they are gifted/advanced which can be hand-in-glove with some of the behavior issues). There is a whole 'twice exceptional' thing these days where special ed actually supports the kids who are advanced too.

It sounds like you feel like a designation or label of having special ed is a knock/stigma or handicap for your kid or that it is equated with being not as bright or slow. Special ed is not what it was in the 80s or 90s. In many cases it really is the difference of just having a little extra attention and support for your kid without adding any particular stigma. In fact, it often helps change what is seen as behavior issues with a different frame that the kid isn't being difficult vs. they need different support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the responses (mostly). I did not intend to seem like I was asking advice for my personal situation. I was trying to ask a more general question based on trends I see in my child's school and in many other schools as well. But it seems regardless many of you think a special education designation should be applied for mere behavior problems to minimize disruptions to others and maybe help the offending child too.

But at least a few see things as I do-that special education should be reserved for children who struggle academically due to disability. After all, if school standards are being raised, extra support and behavior management techniques should be standard for the general education classroom to deal with all the variations of normal. Children shouldnt be suddenly classified as "disabled" just because Kinder is the new first grade.

As for my personal situation, we will continue working on the issues at home and waiting for maturity to kick in. If there is not enough improvement by 2nd grade, private school might be our best option.

Food for thought:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kars4kids.org/blog/when-to-keep-your-child-out-of-special-education/amp/

Again, thanks for the different pespectives.

OP, what so many people here are trying to tell you is that "mere behavior problems" don't get schools calling parents saying we'd like to offer your child special education services. Behavior issues big enough to get school talking about special education services are a big problem for your own child, who needs your help. If your child is having behavior issues this big, they're not accessing the curriculum as well as they could with help. Special education does NOT equal academically behind. Please get your child the help they need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the responses (mostly). I did not intend to seem like I was asking advice for my personal situation. I was trying to ask a more general question based on trends I see in my child's school and in many other schools as well. But it seems regardless many of you think a special education designation should be applied for mere behavior problems to minimize disruptions to others and maybe help the offending child too.

But at least a few see things as I do-that special education should be reserved for children who struggle academically due to disability. After all, if school standards are being raised, extra support and behavior management techniques should be standard for the general education classroom to deal with all the variations of normal. Children shouldnt be suddenly classified as "disabled" just because Kinder is the new first grade.

As for my personal situation, we will continue working on the issues at home and waiting for maturity to kick in. If there is not enough improvement by 2nd grade, private school might be our best option.

Food for thought:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kars4kids.org/blog/when-to-keep-your-child-out-of-special-education/amp/

Again, thanks for the different pespectives.

What private school do you think is going to accept your kid? They ask for report cards and teacher reports from the previous school. The reason many parents leave public school is they are tired of their kids' education being held hostage by students with massive behavior problems and their clueless parents. Your solution is to wait for maturity to kick in?