Anonymous wrote:If the above is true then maybe there’s hope for my child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

I was thinking that too. More manageable for the teacher and for learning.

They created this with the input of their general counsel - it is so much harder to win a sped lawsuit than most recognize. DCPS fights every private placement tooth and nail these days (anyone citing anything beyond the past 4 yrs Is out of date) And DC has a horrendous record on serving special needs to start with. The best you can do is call your school (lea and principal) and require an immediate IEP meeting - and be the sqeekiest wheel possible about them not meeting the IEP or kids needs - so they can use one of their 2 discretionary school slots per grade on you. And regardless calling an IEP mtg to adapt to distance learning is worth doing. Don’t sign anything that takes anything away - only things that add to what you have. And document everything that is not meeting your kids needs. (Them not meeting needs during a global pandemic is not ever going to get you private placement or even damages - but negotiation for the future when you will need intensive catch up services).

That’s not going to help. The exceptions have to be in to central office by Sunday for the two discretionary spots.

Do you mind letting me know the source of this info? I don't want to bother our principal on the weekend without knowing. I didn't see it written anywhere, but maybe you have an internal source?

I work in central office.

Thank you central office person If 11 seats are filled by lottery and the principal appeals for 2, that makes a class of 13 plus teacher. How is that doable?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

I was thinking that too. More manageable for the teacher and for learning.

They created this with the input of their general counsel - it is so much harder to win a sped lawsuit than most recognize. DCPS fights every private placement tooth and nail these days (anyone citing anything beyond the past 4 yrs Is out of date) And DC has a horrendous record on serving special needs to start with. The best you can do is call your school (lea and principal) and require an immediate IEP meeting - and be the sqeekiest wheel possible about them not meeting the IEP or kids needs - so they can use one of their 2 discretionary school slots per grade on you. And regardless calling an IEP mtg to adapt to distance learning is worth doing. Don’t sign anything that takes anything away - only things that add to what you have. And document everything that is not meeting your kids needs. (Them not meeting needs during a global pandemic is not ever going to get you private placement or even damages - but negotiation for the future when you will need intensive catch up services).

That’s not going to help. The exceptions have to be in to central office by Sunday for the two discretionary spots.

Do you mind letting me know the source of this info? I don't want to bother our principal on the weekend without knowing. I didn't see it written anywhere, but maybe you have an internal source?

I work in central office.

Anonymous wrote:So at least some people have heard from Brent, SWS, Van Ness, Janney, Lafayette, Hearst, Mitch, Shepherd per this and other threads. Any others?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it safe to assume that if you didn’t get an email by now that you didn’t get a spot?

You didn't get an initial spot. Some people will turn down spots so there will be a small amount of movement. Also, CARES emails will go out next week.

I'm not 100% sure this is true yet. I am well-connected to folks w/ IEPs at 2 schools where I have heard nothing about folks getting slots yet. I think there's a chance that some schools haven't been informed yet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

I was thinking that too. More manageable for the teacher and for learning.

They created this with the input of their general counsel - it is so much harder to win a sped lawsuit than most recognize. DCPS fights every private placement tooth and nail these days (anyone citing anything beyond the past 4 yrs Is out of date) And DC has a horrendous record on serving special needs to start with. The best you can do is call your school (lea and principal) and require an immediate IEP meeting - and be the sqeekiest wheel possible about them not meeting the IEP or kids needs - so they can use one of their 2 discretionary school slots per grade on you. And regardless calling an IEP mtg to adapt to distance learning is worth doing. Don’t sign anything that takes anything away - only things that add to what you have. And document everything that is not meeting your kids needs. (Them not meeting needs during a global pandemic is not ever going to get you private placement or even damages - but negotiation for the future when you will need intensive catch up services).

That’s not going to help. The exceptions have to be in to central office by Sunday for the two discretionary spots.

Do you mind letting me know the source of this info? I don't want to bother our principal on the weekend without knowing. I didn't see it written anywhere, but maybe you have an internal source?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it safe to assume that if you didn’t get an email by now that you didn’t get a spot?

You didn't get an initial spot. Some people will turn down spots so there will be a small amount of movement. Also, CARES emails will go out next week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

The bolded phrase above tells us you have no idea WTH you are talking about. First, no one "knows" what will or won't survive a lawsuit. Second, no rational actor deploys anything like this without discrimination testing. I have no idea what you do for a living but I know for damn sure it isn't the practice of law.

P.S. Which is good for those of us in the Bar.

Actually it is, and in this area. You are right there is no certain outcome. The point is that DCPS could easily have made determinations based on need within the IEP group, just like they have made determination based on need overall. But they have chosen not to.

My point is that they chose not to intentionally, in order to make the classes functional for a single teacher.

My point is that they chose not to intentionally, in order to make the classes functional for teacher and students

Anonymous wrote:Is it safe to assume that if you didn’t get an email by now that you didn’t get a spot?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

The bolded phrase above tells us you have no idea WTH you are talking about. First, no one "knows" what will or won't survive a lawsuit. Second, no rational actor deploys anything like this without discrimination testing. I have no idea what you do for a living but I know for damn sure it isn't the practice of law.

P.S. Which is good for those of us in the Bar.

Actually it is, and in this area. You are right there is no certain outcome. The point is that DCPS could easily have made determinations based on need within the IEP group, just like they have made determination based on need overall. But they have chosen not to.

My point is that they chose not to intentionally, in order to make the classes functional for a single teacher.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

The bolded phrase above tells us you have no idea WTH you are talking about. First, no one "knows" what will or won't survive a lawsuit. Second, no rational actor deploys anything like this without discrimination testing. I have no idea what you do for a living but I know for damn sure it isn't the practice of law.

P.S. Which is good for those of us in the Bar.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

I was thinking that too. More manageable for the teacher and for learning.

They created this with the input of their general counsel - it is so much harder to win a sped lawsuit than most recognize. DCPS fights every private placement tooth and nail these days (anyone citing anything beyond the past 4 yrs Is out of date) And DC has a horrendous record on serving special needs to start with. The best you can do is call your school (lea and principal) and require an immediate IEP meeting - and be the sqeekiest wheel possible about them not meeting the IEP or kids needs - so they can use one of their 2 discretionary school slots per grade on you. And regardless calling an IEP mtg to adapt to distance learning is worth doing. Don’t sign anything that takes anything away - only things that add to what you have. And document everything that is not meeting your kids needs. (Them not meeting needs during a global pandemic is not ever going to get you private placement or even damages - but negotiation for the future when you will need intensive catch up services).

That’s not going to help. The exceptions have to be in to central office by Sunday for the two discretionary spots.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, dcps could have done a priority list based simply on the number of hours of help required and it would have stood up to a lawsuit. However, I think they very much didn’t want to have classes with the 11 kids with the most severe needs in a class. I think they know that such a class would be very tough to teach for one teacher, since the supports are still virtual. Using a lottery, they are able to keep the overall class needs down and more manageable for the teacher.

I was thinking that too. More manageable for the teacher and for learning.

They created this with the input of their general counsel - it is so much harder to win a sped lawsuit than most recognize. DCPS fights every private placement tooth and nail these days (anyone citing anything beyond the past 4 yrs Is out of date) And DC has a horrendous record on serving special needs to start with. The best you can do is call your school (lea and principal) and require an immediate IEP meeting - and be the sqeekiest wheel possible about them not meeting the IEP or kids needs - so they can use one of their 2 discretionary school slots per grade on you. And regardless calling an IEP mtg to adapt to distance learning is worth doing. Don’t sign anything that takes anything away - only things that add to what you have. And document everything that is not meeting your kids needs. (Them not meeting needs during a global pandemic is not ever going to get you private placement or even damages - but negotiation for the future when you will need intensive catch up services).