had the IEP meeting - please read and advice. Thanks

How frustrating! Isn’t it illegal not to follow the IEP???
If so, I think you should find a lawyer who specializes in special education,if you can afford it; and check out that legal rights for special ed. web site (Wright’s law) referred to on other posts. The uncooperative school staff may be more cooperative when confronted by a lawyer or other legal sanctions.
Regarding homework that is done but not turned in, I only have my own experience to relate, no studies. I constantly felt utterly confused as I watched my child do homework that she did not turn in. Years later, she said it was because she thought the homework was poorly done. She also feared that the teacher would have other students grade her work (as they often do, by having students exchange papers and grading it in class as a learning exercise.) She felt fear and humiliation about the comments and judgments of other students on her wrong answers, spelling errors and poor handwriting.
Never give up, though. Since dyslexia remediation training, my child, now in college, does all her homework and extra work due to the pure joy of learning.

Here are my concerns. With everything that was said, they are still placing all responsibility into your son’s lap. He has to chase down the teacher, etc. What is going to happen when he tries to get the book signed and they say not now? I’d bet alot on the fact that this will happen.

Yes. Your son needs to learn responsibility. It will take time and baby steps. Probably some home deterrents also. However, it seems you have a bunch of teachers that are slacking in the responsibility area also (not updating on-line, not meeting accommodations).

You definitely need to get them in line. The comment that she has other kids on IEPs has no relevance to your child. You need to make them aware of that. There is an I in IEP for a reason.

Also, what about those goals? Are they just for extra pages to make the IEP look better. They had to be based on a PLOP that showed extra specific work was necessary. Homework does not work toward goals unless you are teaching him those goals at home during homework time. Specific instruction does.

Document your meeting with a nice letter to a stranger that includes all of your requests, their responses, what actions are going to be taken, etc. Do not make it emotional. Make sure it ends with please let me know if I am mistaken and how on any of these issues. Send one to each member that was at the meeting. Send it so that you get sign-off that the school recieved it.

Keep a close eye on what is going on. Daily. Correspond via e-mail. If they don’t start following IEP or accommodations. Report them.

Wright’s Law has some good books and advice. Sounds like you may need them.

Nothing worse than a school that expects the LD child to dot the I’s and cross the T’s when they won’t do their part.

I agree with always. I would add just a few things.

Ask them who wrote the goals and objectives if they didn’t. If it was from a previous school, then it is their job to retest, develop a PLOP and new appropriate goals/objectives.

Textbook online information should have been given to you without an issue.

Failure to accommodate properly or in accordance with the IEP is a voilation. Start writing a State Complaint.

Get an educational advocate or lawyer. Show them that you mean business in getting an appropriate education for your son.

I have been in touch with MPact and they are helping now. Ifi the lady at MPACT thinks we need to call another meeting we will- I will talk to her and find out how she thinks we need to handel this. All your advice and been comfort to me knowing I am on the right track. Thanks so very much- I will take all the advice I can get because I feel lost in all this. I am at teacher my self- I teach music so the core teachers dont think of me as a real teacher. I do have certifications in K-6 7-8 science 9-12 psychology - so I can teach other things besides music -
thanks again.

Gary,

Wow! My heart goes out to you. I understand a lot of what you’re going through. My child (8th) grade has a 504 not an IEP so I’m not as familiar with them as I am with a 504.

I think the first thing to do is start from where you are now. The planner and homework folders seem to be your biggest administrative problem at the moment. We struggled with the planner last year and it didn’t work BUT this did. I give my son what we call a tracking sheet everyday. It is just a planner page written on a single sheet of paper. It has seven rows and several columns for teachers name, prepared yes or no, stayed on track yes or no, assignments due and signature. This has helped a lot. At first I was worried that he would loose it too BUT he’s learned to do it and not loose it. The consequence we tied to not getting this filled out and brought home was a trip back to school to see if he could get it signed and not being able to hang out with friends that day. I think the thing that really keeps him doing it though is that he finally sees the value in getting the tracking sheet filled out. The one thing the teachers do is fill in the sheet if he has left something off. It is his responsibility to get it signed though. Keep in mind we only have a 504 and not an IEP. We do struggle with the same thing that always_wondering mentioned. Sometimes they aren’t available to sign the tracking sheet. This is frustrating because there are no consequences for them it they don’t do their part.

The other thing is getting the homework finished and turned in on time. We prioritize by doing the work for the inflexible teachers first and the flexible ones second. I’m familiar with the vaporizing homework. What has worked for us is an all-in-one with file folder pockets, looseleaf paper and pencil holder that zips shut. We tried the in and out pockets and it didn’t seem to work. I thought it was much easier but he prefers this system and it seems to be working. Another thing I do when he is overwhelmed is write a note at the end of each day that lists what questions he needs to ask his teachers and what homework he needs to turn in for each class. This helps. Mind you it hasn’t been a silver bullet. There are always the days he says he forgot but it works more often than not.

One thing we do is copy or scan work done at home so if it gets lost it can be resubmitted without redoing it. Another thing we do is type it for him as he dictates it and submit it this way. It shortens the time we spend doing homework. Will they accept this?

If your son is capable of doing the work without the modifications why does he have an IEP? It sounds like the teachers, counselors and principal are telling you they don’t want to be bothered with honoring the IEP. I think this is your biggest hurdle. Here I don’t have any great advice. I’ve done a lot on my own in the past and I’m to the point that I’m going to start looking for professional help (an advocate or something.)

I had a counselor tell me that I couldn’t request teachers because they all provide accommodations. I explained to her that I’ve been doing “this” a long time and the reality is they don’t! She finally caved and gave me the requested teacher. I think the schools are required by law to provide accommodations. The problem is being able to get help from outside sources to see that what they are required to do gets done. There needs to be accountability on their part too.

We used to be using a wheel chair now we’re using a walker. Someday, hopefully, he’ll be doing it all on his own. I use this analogy with people who don’t get it.

Majaw said:
If your son is capable of doing the work without the modifications why does he have an IEP?

You have to be careful with this statement. Modifications and accommodations are very different. Modifications take the curriculum and alter it in a significant way. Accommodations are aids that allow a student to successfully access the curriculum.

Using your example of the wheelchair, the student apparently has strong arms because they can now use a walker. But they could have gone down the hall by dragging themselves along in the army crawl. Since they could get down the hall, do they need the label or documentation of being disabled? The example is extreme, but in alot of cases, once partially remediated, these kids can get by, but not using the level of effort of their non-disabled peers. Also, not always in the same manner.

Again, I say, I would be concerned that there are goals in the IEP not being addressed. They had to be based on some level of performance that is not on part with age/grade level expectations. That doesn’t just magically change. Also, the schools have always brought their list of goals and almost always ignored mine. So, I am assuming (bad idea) that these goals were not generated by Gary.

The goals were written by the LD teacher in the 7th and 8th grade. WE had problems when he was there too - same type we are having here except with his Math teacher. They made up a folder for him to put his homework in when he completed it for his afterschool tutoring - that way it was turned in and not lost. This really helped him a lot and the teachers did this for him. This was when he was in the 8th grade last year. Now he is in the high school 9th grade with different everything. They said it was time for his 3 year re-evaluation and they are starting the testing again for him. They said that they would re-write his goals based on this new testing - but meanwhile I still think the goals and accomodations of his present IEP should be in place. They are just not wanting to follow it. The LD teacher stated that he may not need any accomodations if his grades go up and he can get his work turned in. I think they are going to try to remove his IEP - if they do- can it be modified to a 504 plan. I dont know engough about all the to even ask intelligent questions ( at least that is the way I feel) Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much for all the feed back so far. THANKS!

Everything should be in place. Try to find out how they are implementing the goals and accommodations. Do it in writing. Accept only a written response. If they won’t give written response, follow up with a letter stating your understanding of what they said.

If you are unhappy with re-eval, request an IEE - independent evaluation at their expense. They cannot kick him out without Prior Written Notice. If you are not happy with their decision, you can file a complaint.

Careful about the grades going up comment. It is amazing how a grade can be padded and assignemnts magically show up….

If your child has ADD or ADHD and it is documented by a physician, he may qualify if the disability is significantly impacting his education. The key is how do you show the impact….

good luck.

I sometimes ‘lurk’ on a different board called schwablearning.com. If you are not familiar with that site, the posters there are VERY knowledgeable in how to advocate and what exactly you should do in your situation.

Like you suspected, what they are doing is completely illegal. (although very difficult to battle) I think even on this ldonline site and then check wrightslaw.com and you can find some good articles on an IEP vs. a 504. An IEP is enforced under IDEA and it not only should have goals, but you are suppose to legally be getting every progress reporting qtr how your child is progressing against those goals. If they are not providing that to you, that is a reason in itself for filing a state complaint. An IEP also typically has some kind of RSP services that he is suppose to be getting either inclass or outside of class to remediate or help him accomplish his goals. Next it will have modifications to the curriculum or accomodations. A 504 is different and not governed under IDEA (meaning you don’t have as many legal requirements) and is mainly accomodations to access the curriculum. If his current IEP calls for additional time and his teachers are not following it - that is against the law. (I recall a case on wrightslaw where the teacher is held accountable and can be actually taken to court if they refuse to follow the IEP. )

Along the way somewhere, because he has an IEP in place, he was tested and documented with a learning disability (you don’t say what he had been diagnosed with?). LDs do not just go away.

Do you feel like the only reason he is failing in school is because he is disorganized and cannot find or complete his homework? Does he actually understand the material? If they want to take him off his IEP, I would want to know what kind of progress he made on his current goals? If he has not achieved the goals they cannot say he is ‘cured?’ and take him off?

On the other hand, do you even feel like the current IEP has helped him (or would help him) if it was followed? Educate yourself on ‘how to write an effective IEP’. Again this site and wrightlaw has some good articles.