DS Mike's IEP Today - Asking Your Help........
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DS Mike's IEP Today - Asking Your Help........
I know that I should have posted this in prayer requests. I also know that it is trivial, compared to some of the things that we pray for together, as a MV "family". However, if prayers can go up at 1:00PM (EST) today, we would really appreciate it.
Mike has been at an alternative learning school since Jan 2003. When he first moved in with us in Aug 2002, as a pre-adoptive placement, his IEP stated that he had always been in a self-contained classroom. Mike and his brother had suffered horrible abuse at the hands of their birth mother and her husband, so they were removed and put in CPS custody. Eventually, the birth mother's parental rights were terminated.
Long story short, we adopted Mike and Shawn in Feb 2003.
Our local school district VIOLATED Mike's IEP from day one, and mainstreamed him. It was disastrous, and ended up with him being placed in an out-of-district alternative learning school. He has FLOURISHED there. It is such a LOVING environment, and they have nurtured Mike. He has A's and B's, and now reads for pleasure. He feels safe and calm, two things that he difinately did NOT feel in the public school.
Since the school district pays to send him, this is where the problem lies. The district has now implemented an alternative learning program. It was put together quickly, and hasn't even been in existaence a year. The district intends to bring ALL out of district children BACK to THEIR program.
We have letters from Mike's psychiatrist and clinicians, recommending that Mike stay where he is. However, the district has ignored reccommendations made on behalf of other students, and returned them. They intend to do the same with Michael. The tuition cost is too prohibitive for us to pay ourselves, and the school district IS responsible for the children from 3 to 21.
We HAVE retained an attorney that is costing us dearly, but that is how strongly we feel about it. He will be attending with us today. DH and I feel that ultimately, it is the PARENTS who know what is best for their children. And, in Mike's case, we have a relatively SHORT time to help him. He is 15. He was 13 when we got him.We don't want Mike's best interests sabotaged by the desire of a few to save money. There are societal costs to be paid if the best thing is not done early on. You pay now, or you pay later.
Please PRAY that the Lord will touch the hearts and minds of the school district representatives, and they will agree to fund Michael to STAY where he is. Otherwise, we go to court, which will be a long and expensive ordeal, and not in his best interest.
THANK YOU, dear friends.
(((Hol))) I will pray for all involved. I take it, that your son is not the only one affected by this.
Hol,
I will be praying for you. When you go up against the school system where the administration is more concerned with the bottom line than the education of the child it is infuriating. I'm glad you've retained an attorney. Is he/she a specialist in education law?
You are doing the right thing to fight for your boy. In this case it seems that it's not just the parent who knows best, but all of the professionals involved in Mike's life. I just hope the school system will get on board.
Please let us know what happens.
Ame
Hol, I know this may be too late, but I'm sure your attorney knows all this (if he/she's a education law specialist like Ame said), but this is a website that may help. Even if you have to appeal you could use some of the info. I'll say a prayer for you and Mike. Let us know.
Wrightslaw
Prayers just sent!
I am so glad he has parents like YOU BOTH!
(((((Hol)))))
Holly, I just saw this and realize that the time for the meeting already has passed. I am hoping and praying, though, that everything will turn our for the best. Keep us updated please.
Sending prayers!
In no way is this a "trivial" request. I may be late but I am prayer for his best interest to be served. Best of luck!
Holly, how did it go???
I know I'm late, but I'm praying that the meeting went well.
Prayed late, but God is a time traveler.
Hope everything worked out.
The IEP meeting was SO infuriating! We brought our attorney. The LEA/Special Ed Director came from the school district, as well as the psychologist that they have contracted to provide services in the DISTRICT'S alternative program.
We walked in, and neither of them looked up at us, or said hello. The staff from Mike's school,
an independent spec ed liason, and DH and I poured our hearts out for an hour and a half. Our attorney corrected the school district on several points.
Bottom line; when it was all done, they stated that they will discontinue funding for Mike to keep attending the alternative school past June.
They told us that they would not sign the IEP drawn up by the alternative school, and that they would file for due process immediately.Our attorney told them that it was clear that they went in with their minds already made up, and nothing we said was going to make any difference.
I spoke with an attorney at our state Dept of Education this morning who informed me that if THEY file, we lose our "stay put" clause, which allows Mike to stay where he is until a decision is rendered. He said that the petition had not yet reached him, so he faxed me a form for us to file by fax, so we did. It is SUPPOSED to be resolved in forty five days.
Our attorney, who it turned out wasn't nearly as helpful as we thought he would be, sent us a bill for $350.00. He also sent us a letter stating that if we want to retain him further, we have to send him a check for $1,170.00, that gives us six hours of services.
We called some other attorneys whose names were given to us by the RI Parent Information Network.
And, yes, we DID learn that IEP law is SO specialized, that only six lawyers in all of RI do it.
We have an appointment tomorrow with one of the specialists. He will give us a half hour consultation for free. His hourly rate is $200.00. I guess due process hearings go on for several days, and we have to pay expert witnesses, like Mike's psychiatrist and therapist, to appear. This lawyer was frank and said that it could be anywhere from $6,000.00 to $16,000.00! If we win, we can petition the court to reimburse our legal expenses, but he said that school districts frequently fight it.
I already home school Shawn, and if all else fails, I will home school Mike. However, they are two very different boys. Mike is harder to teach. However, I would rather put the thousands of dollars away for tech school for him.
We adopted these boys, hoping to give them a future. We are getting no support from the school district that we support with our taxes.
However, thank you all, dear friends, for your prayers and concern. We appreciate it very much.
I feel bad for you - it's hard for fight a school board - they usually do already have their minds made up on things and just kind of ignore what the parents are saying. It's really (to them) all about the bottom line in the school budget. Special Education is a tough subject in our town too - the school pays a good portion of their budget to send the kids to the schools they need to - mainly because we don't have that kind of education in our regular school district. Good luck to you.
(((Hol))))
Thanks for the update...I've been wondering how it went. I'm so sorry that it went the way it did. It has to be SOOO frustrating. Is there any way you could get financial assistance to be able to leave him in the alternative school? Mike is very blessed to have someone that is willing to fight so hard for him. I'll continue to pray that, no matter what, things will all work for the best. {{{Hol}}}
I'm so sorry the IEP meeting didn't go your way. It is so frustrating!
Can you get any funds from the agency where you adopted your son?
I fought the school when my son was in Kindergarten through 2nd grade and it was horrid. He is ADHD/LD and the school couldn't begin to deal with the LDs. I took a loan out to pay for a private school that is only for ADHD/LD kids and it's just amazing. No more stupid IEP hassles and schools that only look at the financial bottom line.
Holly, I'm so sorry that things didn't work out as you wanted them to and that it is going to be so costly for you to fight it further with no assurance of how things will work out. I am going to continue to pray that God will intervene for you and that His will be accomplished in this matter.
((((HOLLY))))) Keep us posted.
Holly,
I am overwhelmed by the love and caring you have for your boys. There are so many parents out there who wouldn't go this route for their biological children, let alone their adopted children. This is such a heart wrenching, touching story that the RI news media might be interested in covering it. Go to the papers and the local TV. Show the taxpayers what the district is trying to do. Maybe the publicity will force the district into dropping the whole thing and signing Mike's IEP. Good luck and I'll be praying for you all.
Ame
Read your post earlier, but was so upset to even reply. Still can't believe it. Hugs to you guys. I will pray it still works out for you.
Oh, Hol! This is horrible. BTDT. It is SOOOO hard to win an out of district settlement if the district is claiming they can provide the services. We tried that at the beginning with my oldest ds and gave up when my dad (a lawyer) told me he's seen so many people lose so much money (like 40,000) only to lose to the district. We chose to SPEND our money positively on helping our son (we send him out of district) instead of focusing our energy on fighting the school district. It was just too draining. I've also found that when you need something, it's much better to just DO it yourself (or get the service for your child yourself) than to FIGHT to get it. It's way too time consumming and emotionally draining. Good luck!
I think I agree with Laurem. Home schooling might be good too if you can do it.
I am speechless about the school district. Beyond contempt.
You really do tell the story well. I think the newspapers might be interested in hearing it like Amecmom said . I would be interested if people in my school district were being treated like this.
Hol, I'm so sorry it didn't go well. I know how frustrating IEP meetings can be (btdt). A newpaper story might be a good idea. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I commend you for doing everything you can for your son(s). {{{{{Hol}}}}}
(((Hol))) This must be taking a huge toll on you all. At least you are doing the right thing and fighting hard for what is best for your son. I admire you.
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