Reply to Confessions/secrets from Sts, OTs, PTs, special ed teachers, administrators, etc

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Veteran sped teacher here.  It is the job of all teachers to constantly review data and discuss student progress.  That is how we plan instruction, determine who is meeting/exceeding expectations and who needs more intervention.  We have weekly team meetings to discuss instruction and student progress.  It is no different when we are assessing students for special education or developing IEPs--we may need to discuss a test result or brainstorm with a fellow IEP team member about a behavior plan--this is what we are supposed to be doing!  I always discuss a draft IEP with the student's other service providers...as in, I think he needs goals in these areas, or can you do a pragmatics goal, etc.  I also run them by the gen. ed. teacher before sharing them with the parent to make sure they are on target and consistent with what he/she sees in the classroom.  The IEP is a draft until it is signed by the parent, and it is our job to make sure we are presenting the best draft to the parents.  We are professionals working in a collaborative setting with administrators and general education staff.  Would you really have us NEVER discuss students without parents present?  That would make it very difficult to do our job.  We send our draft goals home to the parents at least 3 days before an IEP meeting so they can review them beforehand, just as the psychologist meets separately with parents at least 3 days before an elig. meeting to discuss the test results.  If we meet before the official meeting, we are not plotting or hoarding resources--we are sharing our assessment results, discussing similiarities or interesting findings, considering possible factors in student performance, etc.  All of which is intended to improve the outcome for the students, AND make sure the meeting is run in a professional and informed manner.

I'm pretty sure attorneys and physicians discuss cases amongst themselves without clients and/or patients present...again, it is their job to have all the information they need before meeting with their clients and/or patients.  Just as it it our job as educators to have all of our data ready.  Parent input is a crucial part of the process, just as it is for medical histories, depositions, etc.  But you are paying for the expertise of the professionals.  We are charged with taking all of our data and developing interventions plans and IEP proposals.  The school-based team members should never be officially predetermining a placement or level of service, but they should have a good idea of what they think will work best based on the data they have, and then present that proposal that to the parents.  That is the expectation.  Would you expect to be included in every consult or records review your doctors engage in about you?  Would you be upset to learn that they had reviewed lab results and consulted with colleagues about possible diagnoses without you present?

Parent consent is required for many components of the eligibiity and IEP process, but parent consent is not required (or expected!) for day to day interactions between teachers, or for student specific discussions between the appropriate staff members--I would hope that this would be understood.  [/quote]

This sounds fine! Good! But I have not gotten IEP drafts 3 days ahead. And I did not get a chance to meet with the psychologist 3 days ahead. That's the source of the problem. Yet it's legal in DC, unless this past year's new special Ed law changed that, not sure of new rules.[/quote]

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