I would not be so quick to think the LADs are going to disappear. When we graduated PEP three years ago they were saying then that the PEP structure was going to change, that all the class types were going to be rejiggered and the names would also change. AFAIK, not a thing has changed since we left.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Home School Model is going to replace all LAD programs. I'm not sure of the timeline. But eventually, MCPS wants all kids who would have been placed in LAD to be educated in their home school.

Thanks to all the PPs. The teacher's perspective is so helpful. It is what I imagined to be true for the most part. The teacher wants to be helpful, but with 25-28 kids in a class, what can s/he really do for a child with 20+ hours on an IEP? I'm really sad about this situation, but every time I bring this up with MCPS, they always say that a gen ed teacher can deliver the supports with some additional pull-pit/push-in time.

When are we going to be able to call them out on this obvious lie? I'm not blaming the teacher at all. I am very sympathetic to their situation.

If you go to a title 1 or focus school, there will be much smaller class sizes. No child is getting the amount of support that the IEP's say in less they have a 1-1 paraprofessional. My child is the one with the multiple teachers/staff and I don't get the impression outside of the therapy sessions that there is any more support provided looking at the work that gets sent home. If your child is very severe, the focus goes on them to deal with the behaviors or help catch-up. If your child is on the mild side/doing ok, then don't expect much. Either way, plan to get therapy outside school and supplement at home.

LAD is being changed to Home School Models, however I do not think that will be a big change for the children. At least at our LAD (Beverly Farms) it is already like a home school model. All children are already fully included in the mainstreamed class with just a little pull out. When LAD originally started it was a self contained class that spent part of their day in the smaller classroom and part in the mainstream class but this has not been true for years. It is this model (and it doesn't matter what you call it) that is not working for so many children because they struggle with the large class and lack of attention.

As with anything, it really depends on the child and the teacher. If your child will struggle in a large class, then this model will not work and yet you will have a very tough time fighting for a different placement.

This is OP. Home School Model is going to replace all LAD programs. I'm not sure of the timeline. But eventually, MCPS wants all kids who would have been placed in LAD to be educated in their home school.

Thanks to all the PPs. The teacher's perspective is so helpful. It is what I imagined to be true for the most part. The teacher wants to be helpful, but with 25-28 kids in a class, what can s/he really do for a child with 20+ hours on an IEP? I'm really sad about this situation, but every time I bring this up with MCPS, they always say that a gen ed teacher can deliver the supports with some additional pull-pit/push-in time.

When are we going to be able to call them out on this obvious lie? I'm not blaming the teacher at all. I am very sympathetic to their situation.

Are all LAD's going away??

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I would give it a try. Our mixed class has a regular teacher, special ed teacher, 2 paraprofessionals and one floating para. They also have a student teacher. Plenty of staff. If you can afford it and are concerned, why not stay at the private?

Which school is this? Sounds like a nice supportive enviornment.

Many families are pleased with it, we are not. If we had a better option, we'd move quickly. My child despite all the adults doesn't get much help or attention from the impression I get.

Oh okay gotcha. Can you share the school or no?

Not comfortable sharing. We had no collaboration in the IEP and there is very little teacher/parent communication. All the things important to us are lacking.

This is a public school? I've never seen a class like this except for the ED programs in MCPS.

The home school model is not available everywhere. It's what Bethesda Elementary has and that everyone speaks so highly of but I guess that's because of a principal who would be on board.

Anonymous wrote:I'm fairly certain that no MCPS home school model can implement 22 hours. But even if the school says they can do it, the service quality will vary greatly depending on the teacher. My child is in his home school with a fairly minimal IEP (1 hour pull out, 5 hours inside gen ed). His teacher last year was phenomenal and he made excellent progress. His teacher this year barely implements his accommodations.

The first line of this message is most important. Having any general education teacher in charge of an IEP over 15 hours is almost impossible, yet that is what is asked of them. I am a teacher and I truly try my best, but when you have several students in the class that have such large needs, it is really hard to have the time to dedicate all that is necessary to make the child successful. I knew this as a teacher, but now that my son also has a large IEP, I see it from both sides. I have tried so hard to get him in another placement, but they will not budge, yet the teachers do so little. Then when we come to meetings, they jsut say he is having a great year. Ummmm, no, he is not having a great year!

Gen ed teacher overseeing special ed hours = you may as well not have the hours in our experience.

I'm fairly certain that no MCPS home school model can implement 22 hours. But even if the school says they can do it, the service quality will vary greatly depending on the teacher. My child is in his home school with a fairly minimal IEP (1 hour pull out, 5 hours inside gen ed). His teacher last year was phenomenal and he made excellent progress. His teacher this year barely implements his accommodations.

It will definitely depend upon your child. Some might thrive while others may not. How does your child learn best? What kind of environments are better and worse for him? How is he with distractions? I know my son would not do well in a classroom with that many kids and so many distractions regardless of how much time he got w/ the SE teacher!

Can you actually VISIT the school and see things in action?? That might help you make the decision.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would give it a try. Our mixed class has a regular teacher, special ed teacher, 2 paraprofessionals and one floating para. They also have a student teacher. Plenty of staff. If you can afford it and are concerned, why not stay at the private?

Which school is this? Sounds like a nice supportive enviornment.

Many families are pleased with it, we are not. If we had a better option, we'd move quickly. My child despite all the adults doesn't get much help or attention from the impression I get.

Oh okay gotcha. Can you share the school or no?

Not comfortable sharing. We had no collaboration in the IEP and there is very little teacher/parent communication. All the things important to us are lacking.

This is a public school? I've never seen a class like this except for the ED programs in MCPS.

Yes, public. I was surprised by the amount of staff.

OP, on the principal comment you made... The principals don't really have control over their budgets and staffing in the way that you seem to think but I have found over the years that those that do not value special ed kids will randomly reassign special ed resources to do other tasks in the building like lunch duty or filling in as a substitute in a different class or work on newsletters. In this example I'm talking about paras assigned to help certain kids according to their IEPs who are suddenly not there a few days a week.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. We have been in SN private for a while now. The issues are cost and commute and not having friends for our child in our neighborhood. We have to drive 45 minutes for playdates. It's been a long slog for the whole family.

My child is probably ready to be with neurotypical peers. It may be hard at first. And I feel like we are going to need a lot of support to make it work. But I'm not getting a good vibe from the school.

My homeschool only has 2 special ed teachers. They each are assigned multiple classrooms. How can they possibly provide kids with the supports they need at these staffing levels? I know they say a gen ed teacher can do it... but really? My child has 22 hours on an IEP.

IMO, there is no way they can provide 22 hours of support within the home school model by using the gen ed teacher for most of those hours. My child has 1 hour of support by the gen ed teacher in his IEP (plus a half hour of pull out services). ONE! And the gen ed teacher cannot manage that. She has provided my child with no additional support beyond what she gives the other children. How can she when she is alone with no para and has 27 other children in the class. As a result, my child is failing the subject related to his disability. I wouldn't do it, OP. I would start with the Asperger's program and if your child does well ask to switch to the home school model the following year or to increase the number of hours in general education with the gen ed teacher providing support. I would not do it the way they are suggesting.

The home school model is a way for them to save money, nothing more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would give it a try. Our mixed class has a regular teacher, special ed teacher, 2 paraprofessionals and one floating para. They also have a student teacher. Plenty of staff. If you can afford it and are concerned, why not stay at the private?

Which school is this? Sounds like a nice supportive enviornment.

Many families are pleased with it, we are not. If we had a better option, we'd move quickly. My child despite all the adults doesn't get much help or attention from the impression I get.

Oh okay gotcha. Can you share the school or no?

Not comfortable sharing. We had no collaboration in the IEP and there is very little teacher/parent communication. All the things important to us are lacking.

This is a public school? I've never seen a class like this except for the ED programs in MCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would give it a try. Our mixed class has a regular teacher, special ed teacher, 2 paraprofessionals and one floating para. They also have a student teacher. Plenty of staff. If you can afford it and are concerned, why not stay at the private?

Which school is this? Sounds like a nice supportive enviornment.

Many families are pleased with it, we are not. If we had a better option, we'd move quickly. My child despite all the adults doesn't get much help or attention from the impression I get.

Oh okay gotcha. Can you share the school or no?

Not comfortable sharing. We had no collaboration in the IEP and there is very little teacher/parent communication. All the things important to us are lacking.