It’s been a hard week. School wanted me to attend an IEP meeting and all of the test results weren’t ready yet and wouldn’t be until June. I called OSPI to see who at the school I could complain to and sent a message to everyone, saying I was not going to sign that I attended an IEP meeting when all the test results were not in. I asked for an extension and was told there is none for IEPs, they are due in June, it seems what most likely will happen is they will send in an IEP that I don’t consider valid. Everything is up in the air at this point and I am irritated and confused.
Re: IEP before test results viewed
I’d go ahead and attend the meeting to make tentative plans and ask for another IEP team meeting as soon as school starts to review the testing and revise the IEP if necessary. You can have team meetings at any time. You are not locked into goals for a year.
Janis
Re: IEP before test results viewed
It seems like I am being pressured into completing an IEP that I don’t feel we have sufficient information to complete. Last year my IEP was sent in before I could sign to accept or reject it , I only signed that I attended the meeting. It also seems like a waste of time as I revised last years 3 times (they had wrong birthdate,name mispelled, had them put back in some accomodations).If I had all the information I needed and able to discuss it before writing up an IEP it would save everyone alot of time. I am also still wondering about her low test scores that we did get. E-mailed learning support teacher as to what happened,but did not get a response on it, but was invited to meeting to go over information they do have. I will now have this test score on my mind for a week. I was told that I could reject the IEP, so as I sign that I am attending the meeting I will reject at the same time, so it doesn’t get sent in before I reject it. Yes, I am looking for more services as they are bringing in an OT, finally. Hopefully I can get it documented and get typing in her IEP which my learning support somehow refuses to put in because its not measurable? Hopefully, I can get the speech pathologist, school psychologist, and OT to get what my child needs from learning support.
IEP Before Test Results Viewed
Dear Mom,
I have a decade of experience with IEPs and have spent a ton on lawyers. I hope this is not too late for you, but here goes:
1) Our lawyer advised us, unless you are satisfied with your IEP as written, you should sign your name and also write “Disagree” next to your name. Contrary to the way the forms are usually composed, your signature indicates that you are there AND that you agree with what is written. I know it sounds crazy, but that was what she said… If, after the dust settles, you genuinely need binding arbitration or legal proceedings, your next step will be to formally request in writing a “Notice of Action” which presumably would be a way for the school district to formally reject a request you have made. Needless to say, you should have made the request (s) in writing, because all the verbal back and forth does you no good at all…
2) You can call as many IEPs as you like. If your kid needs services now, GO TO THE IEP, get whatever you can, sign Disagree, and then ask for another meeting after all the data is in and you have had time to do your homework.
3) Summer is not a good time. Law or no law, you’re not going to get meaningful participation if you have to call the meeting in the middle of the summer. Try like the dickens to get something meaingful on paper BEFORE the school year is out. Once again, you can ask for more later. The critical thing is to have all this in the works at the start of the next year.
Good luck!
Dan
I havent been following your recent story so forgive me if this isnt in line with what you’re looking for
Can you take advantage of this to get what you want? Are you looking for the testing to suggest more services or less?
If you are hoping for more, this is a great opportunity to insist on them. If they balk, remind them you can reconvene in August and take services back a notch. But make it clear you are not going to sign an IEP that is giving your child LESS than she may possibly qualify for. And they are in this position because of THEIR poor planning
It will be far easier to reduce services than increase them!!!!!! DO NOT let them tell you otherwise! I am a service coordinator for Early Intervention and this is a golden rule
Does your district provide ANY services over the summer? Our pre-K program, for example, sets up a few dates for testing over the summer but they reserve these for ‘emergencies’ . This is not generally known-perhaps there is something similar in your area should you begin to look like an emergency?