Avery's preschool teacher has been basically "hinting" to me for the past week that the IEP meeting I have scheduled for Avery this Thursday is going to be tough for me. She has told me on more than one occasion "I can't find a single thing to put on Avery's IEP as a goal" and "I don't know if he's going to qualify on Thursday, since speech is his only issue." and also "He's a smart cookie! He knows everything! There's nothing on the 4 year curriculum that he needs to work on next year on his IEP"
What?!?! Are they serious??? That's awful funny, because both his private therapists and I disagree with that!
He has social issues! He wouldn't be in a social skills therapy group if he didn't have a problem socially with other children! Even the preschool teacher has said that Avery will choose where I wants to play and with who he wants to play with. He doesn't play WITH other children, but will play NEXT TO the other children. But because he'll go over to the same play area with them there's no social issues??
Avery's private therapist has said she would write up a paper to say what goals they need to include on his IEP for social issues, but we all know the school doesn't HAVE to accept her evaluation.
Avery has a diagnosis of Apraxia. But according to the school they don't accept any "diagnosis" until the kindergarten year. So are they saying that because they won't accept the diagnosis they don't have to give Avery the therapy he needs on his IEP?? I don't think so! "Speech isn't enough to qualify him" No "Speech" isn't, but APRAXIA is! His speech therapist at the school claims Avery is hitting sounds with "80-85% accuracy." Which would means he's met his "IEP goal" because they're "goal" is 80%. Except the fact that that is completely UNTRUE! The way they have worded it makes it seem that he's met his goals. In reality yes he does make certain sounds with 80-85% accuracy in a face to face therapy setting. In spontaneous speech and in more than 2-3 word sentances that drops DRAMATICALLY!
And I don't know how to argue anything they say because I don't know what they are going to say!! They sent home a "draft" of Avery's IEP for me to review before the meeting. But what they sent me is the same exact IEP I have from last years IEP meeting! I can't bring "proof" or any evidence to back what I'm saying if I don't know what proof or evidence I'm going to need!
Grr I'm so frustrated and feeling totally unprepared for his IEP meeting thursday.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
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7 comments:
Perhaps see if his private therapist can attend with you as an advocate for Avery!!!!
It's interesting about speech because services are available from age 3+, so why wouldn't they want to help him improve...
I really think you need an advocate to attend with you and MOST DEFINITELY his IEP should NOT be identical to a year ago.
Good luck!!
xoxox
There are many parts to speech: pragmatics, syntax, phonetics, articulation, social, etc. I am sure that they can come up with multiple goals for all of these! An with apraxia being a MOTOR-PLANNING issue, then motor-planning can also be a goal. Is his tongue in the correct place for beginning and ending sounds? Bet they can't say "yes" to that one! Yes, it would be beneficial if your provate SLP could attend. And an advocate who knows IEP Law would be a plus, too! Good luck and let us know how it goes!
I hope it goes better than you are thinking!
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Oh, that's frustrating! I hope it went well.
Thanks for sharing these important information.
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