Let me know, please!!!!!

This is a letter I am sending to the super., because I have not gotten solutions or answers at my last meeting. I’d appreciate any feed back before I send it, let me know if I need to delete or add anything. I’ve decided if this doesn’t get me the answers I want, I’m asking for a due process hearing, but I’m not really sure how to do that. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
I deleted names and such, in case you’re wondering why the letter looks weird. Thanks again

This letter is in reference to the meeting held on January 2, 2002, at The wonder school, concerning issues that I had concerning the free appropriate public education of my son, Triangle in a square box. Unfortunately, very little was resolved. My concerns were addressed to ?????, Director of Special Education, whose response on most issues, was that she would have to check with you and get back with me. But, to date, I have yet to hear any solutions.

For your convenience, I will list the concerns I brought to the attention of Wendy, along with the solution or response, that was discussed:

1. Overcrowding in the LD classroom. Mr. D G tested Brad on 2-1-00, one of his suggestions was that Brad receive 20-30 minutes of phonics instruction daily. However, school personnel has indicated this isn’t possible, due to time constraints with the LD teacher. Thus, it seems Brad is being denied a free appropiate public education due to overcrowding in the LD classroom.

Response: “Charla is working on this, we will get back with you”

2. Accomodations in the regular classroom. Brad is reading on a 4th grade level and his writing skills are that of a 1st grader. It is impossible for Brad to independently complete 7th grade assignments. Accomodations need to be made so that Brad can complete assignments in the least restrictive enviroment.

Response: Wendy will make sure that Charla knows I do not want Brad transferred to the DH classroom for History and Science, as suggested by the principal.

3. Punishments for incomplete assignments, without remediation being offered. Brad has had good behavior points taken away, been sent to detention and been threatened with being sent to the alternative school, in part, because of his inability to complete assignments. Punishment without remediation will not enable Brad to complete assignments. This situation needs to be seriously approached, so that his civil rights do not continue to be violated.

Response: Wendy will discuss with Charla, but in the meantime, Brad has had to spend the last two weeks in detention, because of these issues.

4. Accomodations listed on IEP not being provided. Specifically, shortened assignments, modified tests, spelling aids and a copy of notes being provided. These accomodations have been determined as things Brad needs to receive a free appropriate public education. They are not simply things that Brad would like or that would be convenient, school personnel are legally required to provide these accomodations.

Response: Homework assignments will be faxed to Mrs. Square daily. 50% of homework is all that will be required to be completed, and Mrs. Square will help with that at home.
Wendy called on January 10, and discussed purchasing a Franklin Speller and Homework Aid for Brad, she was placing the order for those.

5. Being denied the oppurtunity to play organized school athletics. Brad is not being given the opportunties to academically achieve the required GPA to partcipate in sports. I have contacted Deborah Moore, from the Ohio High School Athletic Association, and was informed that each school system has the right to waive the requirement of achieving academic elgibility for individual students. Futhermore, the IDEA states, that school districts shall take the steps to provide non-academic and extra-cirricular services in such manner to afford children with disabilities and equal opportunity for participation in those services and activities. Therefore, since Brad is not being given obtainable academic goals, and accomodations are not being carried out as planned in the IEP, the school system should take whatever steps are necessary to have the academic elgibility waived for Brad.

Response: Wendy will discuss with Charla, possibilites are that maybe only LDclassroom grades will count toward required GPA, or that work will be modified, so that he can accomplish the required grades.

It was my hope that after a review of these issues, we could, together as a team, find workable solutions, in a timely manner, that would prove benefical to Brad’s education. But to date, I have yet to receive a response of any kind.

I would also like to bring to your attention another concern. I have consistently been told , by administration ofWonderful County Local Schools, that giving Brad one on one help with his learning disability is not possible, due to not having sufficient staff. However, after reading the article concerning proficiency test results, in the Sunday Times Sentinel, on January 13, 2002, I find the staffing problem has evidently been resolved. The article mentions that students at The High School, of the GCLSD, will be provided with “peer tutoring, small groups with teachers, individuals with teachers,and computer software”, to enable them to pass the state proficiency tests. I hope that I am wrong in my assumption that passing the proficiency tests is of more importance than ensuring that my son becomes literate. I feel certain that when President Bush released the Executive Order on Excellence in Special Education, on October 3, 2001, he didn’t have those priorities in mind. In fact, I believe his idea was to make school districts accountable for educating children who are more challenging to educate as well as those who have fallen behind.

I will look forward to hearing from you by February 4, 2002, in the form of written correspondence, with plans on how you plan to remedy these situations I have addressed. I trust that we can solve these problems on a local level, as I’m sure we all have the same common goals– to help a child succeed by providing a free appropiate public education and by complying with special education laws. Let us work together and see that “no child is left behind”.