CIEP in Montgomery County
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Anonymous
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Hello. I had a CIEP meeting this week in MCPS. They let me know that they are sending out referral packets to 4 schools and that we would be contacted by the individual schools for interviews. We actually got called by our first choice today and setup an interview for early next week.
My question is what happens after we pick a school and she gets accepted? If she gets accepted to the first one, we would like to just go with that one and not worry about the other three. Would she just be able to start after she’s accepted or are there more steps that need to be taken to finalize things? Does she need to interview at the other 3 if we are happy with the first? Is it unreasonable to think if she interviews next week, that she could start by the end of the month? Thank you. |
Anonymous
| You sound like you are waiting for other people to tell you what to do and that's the wrong approach to take. When we went to CIEP we had already toured and made a decision about which school we wanted and came with a letter of acceptance to CIEP to speed things up. You need to make a decision about where you want your kid to go and be able to explain why. You are also a part of the IEP team. Don't let other people decide your kid's fate--you know her best. There is no harm in touring multiple schools as multiple site visits will often prompt you to ask questions of all of the schools you may not have thought of. Also don't assume that if something or someone is standard in public a private school will offer it--I got burned that way. The hard part is over. Congratulations. |
Anonymous
| OP here- we did previously tour the schools and have one we definitely feel would be best. She has an interview there next week. I’m just more wondering the timing if she does get admitted to that school? |
Anonymous
NP—i tried to do that but couldn’t get an interview with the schools without the referral packet. OP— if you’re first choice admits your child they will let you and CIEP know. Then there is the final placement meeting where everyone signs the IEP for the new placement. If you have an interview next week, being in a seat by the end of the month is not unrealistic. |
Anonymous
This is me again. Even trying to be speedy it was still a month's wait. |
Anonymous
| Arranging for bus transportation can also slow things down. Would you be able to drive at first? |
Anonymous
| I hadn’t thought about transportation! I can definitely see how that would make things more complicated as it’s the middle of the year. |
Anonymous
FWIW, that was completely a non issue for us. We got the start date and I informed MCPS. Then I reminded them a few times the week before. Everything went like clockwork. |
Anonymous
The bus for a private placement is a big deal. My kid is on the bus for an hour in the afternoon even though the school is 30 minutes away. Routing determines everything. In the past when our route has been too long I have had help from our placement officer--that's the official MCPS person who works with the private school and the person who will run your IEP meetings from then on--but I have heard that some of them will not intervene. I have always said that it's not my kid's fault that MCPS does not have a program that can educate him and he should not be penalized by two hours on the bus. The other fun fact is that MCPS has a program that allows private pay students to come to your house and catch the bus. For three years I have had strangers coming to my house for the bus (and for sticklers out there it is indeed my house because I've had people on my front porch; running through my yard and asking to use my bathroom because seemingly some people don't know how a bus stop is supposed to work). No one asks your consent and no one tells you anything. People will just show up one day and act like they are supposed to be in your driveway. |
Anonymous
"Hello...this is a private residence and driveway. The bus stop is at the curb. That is where you need to wait." |
Anonymous
| So what should I do then when someone asks to use my bathroom? Remember these are people I see at school;people who have a kid with SN just like me who might have bathroom issues. How about when they ring the bell in the morning when you are busy getting your own kid ready? |
Anonymous
Decide how disruptive it is and how much you value the school community and act accordingly. For the times that it's just too disruptive to let people in, put a sign on your door that says, "We are busy getting ready for school and can't answer the door." That way you don't have to interrupt yourself or say no in person. |
Anonymous
Hopefully it will not be. We started during the school year and MCPS transport was right on it. I had actually planned to drive DS on his first day mid-week (and more as needed) so I could bring him into the school office, join him as he was"escorted" up to his new classroom, etc. AND THE BUS CAME DAY ONE! I met the bus driver and explained that I was driving Day 1 and that he'd see her at the end of the day. Good luck OP! We matched with our top choice of 3 initial options, after interviewing there and 2 classroom shadow days. Choice 2 agreed with us that it was not an academically challenging fit at that age for DS. And following a review of our referral file and an introductory phone conversation, choice 3 and I (and DH) were in agreement that there was no need to visit, as they agreed choices 1 and 2 were more in line with DS' profile and needs. |
Anonymous
I am sorry to hear you've had this experience! One day there was a little boy and his nanny standing in our driveway apron a few weeks into the new school year. I'll admit that I was surprised and went down to see what was up. That's when I learned about the whole private-pay use an existing "bus stop" thing. As it turns out, boy was new to the area and in my child's class. They became great friends and within a week, from that point forward while each attend this particular school, the boy came to our house, knocked on the sidedoor to our mudroom and waited in there with my son for the bus. Very structured. For us, it was great -- having a friend to chat with and grab the bus together, just like NT kids going to school have every morning! I realize that we were so fortunate in our case, and the added benefit of a friendship that blossomed. Random people of differing grades on my porch, running in the yard, and using the bathroom?? That would be added stress that no family needs in the morning, esp. one trying to get a SN child out the door. |
Anonymous
| I am the pp quoted and every year I think maybe our situation will happen like that but it never does. SO I start out the school year nice and friendly and then the situation devolves because some of the things I've seen are egregious--especially the year we had much older kids at the same stop as my young kid. And then it's hard to take a more aggressive stance about what I'm comfortable with. What's more in three years the parents (different every year) have never shown any interest in getting to know us but I shouldn't be surprised because I don't find that our school is particularly social compared to other placements we've had. I'm sad about it. My kid is outgoing and would love to have a friend for the duration of the ride. |