Reply to Seeking parents of children with DS/SN who attend Woodrow Wilson High Schoool

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[quote=Anonymous]Blunt again,

This is tricky.  On one hand, you're absolutely right, a kid who is able to handle an inclusive co-taught science class, isn't in their LRE if they're in a self-contained science class.

On the other hand, the way that the DCPS special ed drop downs are written, when you create an IEP you have the following options for specialized instruction.

Math "in general ed",  Math "out of gen ed"
Reading "in general ed",  Reading "out of gen ed"
Writing "in general ed",  Writing "out of gen ed"
Specialized Instruction (e.g. with no subject specified) "in general ed", Specialized instruction "out of gen ed"

There are no options for science, social studies, technology, world language, or the arts.

The result is, that if you write an IEP thinking that your child will get Math and Resource out of general ed, and English, Science and Social Studies in gen ed, the resource will be written in a way that lets them substitute a Science or Social Studies class instead, and you will have little recourse.  Similarly they can administer the hours you intended for Social Studies in P.E, and still be within the letter of the law.

Furthermore, DCPS feels that in order for specialized instruction to be delivered, all that has to happen is for instruction to be modified by a special ed teacher.  That special ed teacher doesn't have to actually be present.  Now, in theory I agree with this, in the sense that if a special ed teacher is co-teaching a reading class (just an example) and she's pulling her kids in dyads or small groups, and then sending them back to independent work with modified worksheets, a book that's related to the lesson she just taught, and perhaps a modified task list or behavior checklist to monitor their behavior, then yes, I'd argue that they're getting specialized instruction the whole time, even when they're not at her table.  However, DCPS takes this way too far.  They'll argue that if a special ed teacher gave the general ed teacher some general suggestions such as "get her the textbook on tape" or "have another student give her notes", that's specialized instruction even if the special educator never steps foot in the room, or adapts the materials.

Now, you could probably get an attorney, and could probably argue that your daughter is being deprived of her right to LRE.  But then what?  Generally when families win at hearing in DC, they look for private school placement, but if you're arguing that you want her in an inclusive class, then you probably aren't going to be happy with a private school where 100% of the kids have IEP's, and even if you would be happy, you'd have trouble convincing a hearing officer that the solution to LRE is to move her to a more restrictive placement.

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