How will MCPS handle my child with disruptive behavior due to anxiety?

[Anonymous]

My child has severe anxiety at school which has impacted his ability to perform work. He is now on medication and going to therapy. The work is slowly getting better, but he has started some disruptive behavior now that the demands are back on him. While the school knows our story, I'm now getting contacted repeatedly about his negative behavior. Does this mean they might suggest another placement? I'm just wondering what might happen and if any of you have gone through this with MCPS. He already has an iep and a behavioral plan.

[Anonymous]

They can suggest placement in the ED program or you can ask for them to update his BIP. Both of those take time and I would not be worried right away.

Do you feel they have enough support at the school to meet the needs of your child?

[Anonymous]

Op here - I'm honestly not sure if they have enough support. His special ed teacher speaks with our psychologist, but I think they are kind of exhausted from all this. What exactly is the ED program? Is it temporary? Do they bus your child there?

[Anonymous]

You should look online at the mcps guidelines for disciplining kids with disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here - I'm honestly not sure if they have enough support. His special ed teacher speaks with our psychologist, but I think they are kind of exhausted from all this. What exactly is the ED program? Is it temporary? Do they bus your child there?

ED is Emotional Disability. They would bus your child to the nearest school that has an ED program. Temporary or permanent depends on your child's progress. As PP suggested, it would likely take a while to set up. You can add accomodations to the IEP if the present IEP isn't working. We found frequent breaks to be helpful.

[Anonymous]

I don't think your child sounds appropriate for an ED program. He has disruptive behavior, not an emotional disability.

Your child needs a functional behavior analysis (FAB) to help the school come up with better strategies for dealing with his behavior that are more suited to his particular situation and the anxiety that drives it. Ask the school to perform one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think your child sounds appropriate for an ED program. He has disruptive behavior, not an emotional disability.

Your child needs a functional behavior analysis (FAB) to help the school come up with better strategies for dealing with his behavior that are more suited to his particular situation and the anxiety that drives it. Ask the school to perform one.

Anxiety as the primary diagnosis is an emotional disability and that is probably the IEP code (unless the child is still under DD). If the behaviors related to the anxiety are such that the OP is getting a lot of calls and the school does not have the support needed to help the child, an ED placement might be the best outcome for both the child and the parent that is always getting called.

OP- are you being asked to come into the school or are they just calling you to let you know about the behaviors? What do the disruptive behaviors look like and how long does an issue last before your child is able to return to work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think your child sounds appropriate for an ED program. He has disruptive behavior, not an emotional disability.

Your child needs a functional behavior analysis (FAB) to help the school come up with better strategies for dealing with his behavior that are more suited to his particular situation and the anxiety that drives it. Ask the school to perform one.

Anxiety as the primary diagnosis is an emotional disability and that is probably the IEP code (unless the child is still under DD). If the behaviors related to the anxiety are such that the OP is getting a lot of calls and the school does not have the support needed to help the child, an ED placement might be the best outcome for both the child and the parent that is always getting called.

OP- are you being asked to come into the school or are they just calling you to let you know about the behaviors? What do the disruptive behaviors look like and how long does an issue last before your child is able to return to work?

Apples and oranges. Yes, anxiety is an emotional disability. That does not however mean that OP's kid would be appropriate for an ED program. Kids in ED programs have much more continual, severe, disruptive behavior. Behavior so disruptive that they cannot be in an inclusion setting, ever, and need constant intervention.

[Anonymous]

OP, FWIW there are a lot of disruptive kids in every school and many of them get contacted repeatedly, but exceedingly few of them get recommended for the ED program or another program.

Even if the parents want it. Some parents want the change of placement do because the kid may be getting no work done and they are worried how the child will be going into higher grades and when the report cards matter for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think your child sounds appropriate for an ED program. He has disruptive behavior, not an emotional disability.

Your child needs a functional behavior analysis (FAB) to help the school come up with better strategies for dealing with his behavior that are more suited to his particular situation and the anxiety that drives it. Ask the school to perform one.

Anxiety as the primary diagnosis is an emotional disability and that is probably the IEP code (unless the child is still under DD). If the behaviors related to the anxiety are such that the OP is getting a lot of calls and the school does not have the support needed to help the child, an ED placement might be the best outcome for both the child and the parent that is always getting called.

OP- are you being asked to come into the school or are they just calling you to let you know about the behaviors? What do the disruptive behaviors look like and how long does an issue last before your child is able to return to work?

Apples and oranges. Yes, anxiety is an emotional disability. That does not however mean that OP's kid would be appropriate for an ED program. Kids in ED programs have much more continual, severe, disruptive behavior. Behavior so disruptive that they cannot be in an inclusion setting, ever, and need constant intervention.

I was the PP that you are quoting.

My child is in an ED program- 3rd grade. He had anxiety that led to behavior issues. He had 1-2 meltdowns a year k-2 that the teacher could not handle, but many other issues like work avoidance (sitting under a table when the work gets frustrating), taking "bathroom breaks" to get out of the classroom, and getting upset for no reason. We got called all the time- so frustrating! We were and are thrilled that the principal asked us if we felt the large 26 kid classroom was too much for our child. We said yes and she helped us get him switched to ED- an 8 kid classroom. My child is mainstreamed most of the day. He is calmer and likes school better. We never get called. His does not have disruptive behavior now that he is in the right program.

When I mentioned the ED diagnosis and program- I am not stating it as a bad thing. For us, it has been a great change. If OP's child is having trouble and his behavior is more than the school can handle, ED might be the best placement for him. It takes a long time to make changes so it would be a good idea for OP to start researching the program and finding out if it would or would not be a good fit for her child so that she can advocate in either direction as needed. But OP- please know that not all of the kids in ED are continually having issues all day. Once they are in the right placement with the right teachers, the kids make great progress and can actually learn- at least in the program we are at in mcps.

It is not an easy path. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

PP is right that the ED program can be life changing for some kids! There is an ED program at a nearby school and several parents whose children are not in it have told me on separate occasions that they could not tell which kids were in the program and which ones were not. One parent said one of her child's best friends was in the program and that this child placed out after several years and is doing well. They let him stay at the same school until 5th.

PP, can you tell us how often these issues like work avoidance, bathroom breaks and getting upset were occurring? Our child has these issues occasionally but the ED program has never been suggested to us. I'm interested in learning more. I know it doesn't have the best rap on this board but IRL have heard only positive things for elementary.

[Anonymous]

Op here - thank you all for your input. My son is exhibiting behavior very similar to 8:28's child. The school is telling us that it is disrupting the other students. He's also gotten a bit disrespectful to teachers. I know it is a response to his anxiety about having to do work as we have slowly tried to out demands back on him. We do not have an ED school in our MCPS cluster. If we did look at one on another cluster, would he then proceed with the same kids to middle school? We only have one year left of elementary. I'm worried that an ED program would not give him any social continuity, although I realize that may be secondary to academics.

[Anonymous]

8:28 - is this your home school?

[Anonymous]

OP how old is your child and what is his diagnosis? There are other programs that may be appropriate depending on diagnosis, if any. For example, Autism Resource Program, Aspergers Program, GTLD.

What can really help anxiety is backing off on demands. The school should be doing that--you may have to ask where they can back off--you will see your child relax. Perhaps your IEP needs to be modified with extended time, shortened assignments or reduced work requirements, breaks, flash passes for when student is overwhelmed, behavior charts /sticker charts, behavior contracts, time with the counselor, etc. You might consult a good special education advocate. They aren't cheap but they can help you get the most out of your IEP and help identify the best placement (which might be where your son is right now) with the best support plan. Michelle Davis comes to mind as an advocate, as she seems to have experience with students with problem behaviors. I've seen her speak and have looked through her book but have not worked with her. But there are dozens of such advocates in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thank you all for your input. My son is exhibiting behavior very similar to 8:28's child. The school is telling us that it is disrupting the other students. He's also gotten a bit disrespectful to teachers. I know it is a response to his anxiety about having to do work as we have slowly tried to out demands back on him. We do not have an ED school in our MCPS cluster. If we did look at one on another cluster, would he then proceed with the same kids to middle school? We only have one year left of elementary. I'm worried that an ED program would not give him any social continuity, although I realize that may be secondary to academics.

If he switched into an ED program for 5th I think the special ed supervisors for the district would try to help your child have some social continuity as you called it for MS. They consider this critical to a child being able to do well and I know they have gotten COSAs for children to remain at their school even after they leave the ED program and even if that school is overcrowded already. I don't know of a specific case involving a transition to MS but I would think the same philosophy applies. It's also possible you may want your child to continue in a program while in MS and he might have some classmates from the program go with him.