Yes, High Schools Have to Follow IEPs Too

When kids transition to high school especially, teachers (general education teachers mostly, but certainly not all) have a tendency to try to convince parents that if their kids are going to be in general education classes, that they are expected to all of a sudden behave independently. It’s hard to tell sometimes if they themselves actually think that some miraculous transformation happens over the summer before high school, or if they use that as a way to not have to provide the support that kids have needed, and still do.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t ever become independent with anything unless I had either a good instructor that knew how to guide me step by step, or I suffered and struggled for so long that I was finally able to grab onto the last dangling thread that gave me that Oprah Winfrey “a-ha moment” – but those are few and far between.

The expectation that a student would make the transition into high school and all of a sudden have this ability to think and act independently is a bit illogical to me. This is why students with disabilities have IEPs – so that what they need is documented in this legally binding plan. So, while you might have a teacher who doesn’t think your child should have a copy of notes from lectures and study guides to prepare for tests and quizzes, if it’s on the IEP, they must provide it.

We all want our kids to be independent. I’ve never met a parent who didn’t wish they could back off and let things naturally work themselves out. BUT, when you have a child with a disability, #1 that’s hard to do because you want to help them and have the best life that they can, and #2 chances are that they might always need some level of support. Not everyone becomes fully independent. I know plenty of people who don’t have disabilities who come out of one relationship, just to jump into another one because they cannot imagine doing life on their own (but that’s a whole other topic :o)

IEPs Are in Charge

Your child’s IEP has goals. If your child is spending some, or all, of their day in a regular classroom setting, the general education teacher should be an implementer of the goals – and sometimes they’re on all of the goals. This means that they are responsible for working on the goals, just like the special educator. Sadly, I have had general education teachers tell me that they don’t even know how to read an IEP, let alone implement it within their classroom. It’s the responsibility of the LEA (local education agency) representative at your school to ensure that all teachers understand their role in the IEP. If you were to file due process, all persons on the IEP will be held responsible, including the general education teachers.

There is an accommodation section on each IEP. In some school districts it’s called Classroom Accommodations, in others it’s referred to as Supplementary Aids. Either way, these are the classroom accommodations that can and should be provided to help your child access their education. A few of the most important ones for high school, and these just so happen to be the same ones that some teachers tend push back against, are:

• Class notes and study guides
• Reduced assignments
• Change class 3 minutes before the bell rings (for sensory kids)
• Lessons broken down into smaller segments
• Reporting/Collaborating with the parent (on a set schedule)
• Peer assistance (setting up the student with good peer models)
• Access to reference sheets for math

There’s tons more that are important, based on the needs of the student, but these are the ones that I find extremely helpful to high school students who are doing their education in regular classroom settings.

What Do You Do?

If you are one of the many parents out there who are being told that this is high school, things are different here, they're expected to be independent, that's not fair to give your child this accommodation when no one else gets it, that’s not the way things are done in high school, how is giving them notes preparing them for college, etc etc, know that the law is on your side. Schools are required to follow the IEP no matter if a particular teacher agrees with the accommodations on the plan or not. Same thing goes for the goals.

• Read your IEP and look to see who the implementer is of the goals
• Write those people a note and ask how the goals are being implemented in their classroom
• If you see lack of progress, ask for data regarding the goals by the implementers. This is not the Progress Report that comes out quarterly. Ask for the raw data to show the growth or lack of growth on a weekly or monthly basis. I like graphed data, personally.
• Ask the ESE specialist (LEA in most areas) if the teachers have been trained in following IEPs
• Document your concerns if they continue

As in almost any field, when no one questions the status quo, most people end up feeling this is the way we've always done things, and this is the way things will continue. However, just because things have always been done a certain way, doesn't make it right. If you want your child to get the education that they deserve, with whatever support is necessary, then you must be actively engaged in their education. There is no way to ensure that your child receives a great education without your involvement.

Recognizing And Responding To Anxiety In Children With Special Needs

 Although most of us don’t need hard-core evidence on the topic, Dr Lawrence Fung from Stanford Medicine states, “Anxiety is a very common co-occurring condition in the neurodiverse community. About 20 to 30% of male adults on the spectrum have anxiety disorder. Females with autism spectrum condition have even higher rates of anxiety. The prevalence of anxiety is up to 40% in females on the spectrum. In some clinics the prevalence of anxiety in patients on the spectrum is even higher (up to 80 or 90%).”

While this study was specifically focused on autism, we know that people who learn and process the world in a different way than most, experience higher levels of anxiety. After all, why wouldn’t they? Everywhere we go we hear that anxiety is off the chain! Sometimes we forget that kids with disabilities deal with the same crazy world as the rest of us, but oftentimes without the knowledge of why things happen the way they do, which could make the world a whole lot scarier.

Signs of Anxiety

When we consider what would be noticeable in the average person who’s experiencing anxiety, we might see:

• Recurring fears and worries
• Irritability
• Trouble concentrating
• Strong desire for sameness (sometimes to an obsessive degree)
• Extreme self-consciousness or sensitivity to criticism
• Withdrawal from social activity
• Avoidance of difficult or new situations
• Chronic complaints about stomachaches or headaches
• Drop in grades or school refusal
• Repeatedly seeking reassurance
• Sleep problems

Sound familiar? I am guessing your answer is, “Yes.” If we know that the average person is experiencing these things, imagine what a child who cannot express themselves must be feeling. It is important, however, to separate behavior that’s part of typical child development from an anxiety issue, such as a 2-year-old having a tantrum when their parents go to work or when there’s an unexpected loud noise. Not feeling well also needs to be ruled out before assuming your child is dealing with an anxiety issue. A quick trip to your pediatrician is a good first step.

Take the ABC Path

When a behavior analyst starts to consider the development of a positive behavior intervention plan, the first thing they do is look for the antecedent/behavior/consequence, or ABC. If you can identify what is causing the anxiety by looking at the antecedent, or the thing that came before the expression of anxiety, this should help you create the interventions that will help your particular child. In the same manner that not all kids like the same foods, not all strategies are gonna work for everyone. Sometimes a trial-and-error process is required.

Some of the things that could very easily cause, or grow, anxiety in children with disabilities are their need for sameness, poor communication skills, inability to process information at the rate that the teacher is delivering the instruction, fine motor skills that are not yet adequate enough to get paper-pencil tasks done, deficits in understanding socially appropriate behaviors and how to engage with other children in a way that is expected. With all those barriers in place, how could they not have anxiety?

Where to begin…..

The good news is that there are strategies that can be implemented in both the home and the school to help reduce the feelings that lead to anxiety. Start by identifying activities that bring a sense of relaxation or calm. Chances are good that you yourself already use some of these when you get stressed out in traffic, or during IEP meetings 😮 Practice these coping strategies together when you and your child are calm, so you’ll be familiar with them when anxiety strikes. You do NOT want to push your child to breathe deeply when they are in a full-blown episode of anxiety. Here are some things you can try:

• Model the behavior you wish to see – if you’re stressed out, your child is HIGHLY likely to be the same.
• Grab some headphones to block out sounds or listen to music.
• Use less words at a quieter tone and more visuals than usual. How many of us turn the car radio off when we are in a dangerous driving situation? There’s a reason for that.
• Go for a walk (down the hallway or around the block)

• Count up or count down.
• Teach emotions. There’s a great program called Little Spot that I see working well with kids, and no, I don’t make any money by recommending it. Lol
• Squeeze a stress ball or therapy putty (OTs are great with regard to self-regulation strategies)
• Give hugs, cuddles or a weighted blanket or vest.
• Think about a favorite thing or place.
• Draw.

• Use social stories for anything that you think they might not be sure of. These are especially helpful when there are changes in routine (ideally before the change takes place).
• Identify and label a “safe space” or “quiet area” where they can catch a break but be sure to build in parameters (amount of time they spend there), or it could easily be used as an escape.

• Teach deep breathing. For some of us, closing our eyes during deep breathing makes this a 3-pointer. And if your kids can visualize a place they love to spend time, even better!
• EXERCISE. I’m a huge proponent of this one. I don’t know how I would function without my gym time. When my son was young, 10 jumping jacks would be all he would need to regroup his focus, reduce his stress, and get his juices flowing again.
• Role-play any or all of the above. Carve out time each day, or even once a week, to practice ways to reduce anxiety and deal with the stressors of everyday life.

Here’s a BONUS – We know that kids who spend more time on tech have higher levels of anxiety. Research tells us that it causes reduced attention spans, decreased patience, less social development, public judgement and compare and despair via social media, and insomnia, each of which can easily increase irritability and anxiety. If you’ve got a child who loves to watch the same videos over and over again, be mindful that they can become very obsessive (play-rewind-play-rewind), which in itself can cause increased anxiety. Monitor your child’s use of technology and ensure that there is an equal dose of outdoor play each day.

No one wants to suffer through bouts of anxiety, but in today’s world, it’s difficult to escape. However, with some sound strategies and loving support, we can all learn to deal with some of the hurdles that lie before us.

10 Ways to Have a Blasting Good Time

The summer can be filled with endless hours of monotony and self-stimulatory behaviors for those kids who aren’t in camp or Extended School Year (ESY). To offset the times of less structure, there are a variety of activities that parents can do with their kids that won’t break the bank.

1. Have a Scavenger or Treasure Hunt: Create a list of 10-20 items that you know your child can identify. It would be great if you can gather siblings or neighbor kids to play along to make it a social activity. Each child can have their own list to keep it less competitive.

2. Visit the Library: Tons of free entertainment can be found at the library. There’s story time for the younger kids, computers with web access and DVDs and CDs for check-out if you have a movie kind of kid. Movies are great for those stormy summer days.

3. Nature Trails: There’s bound to be trails at local parks that you didn’t even know existed. To get into the mood, find some old boots to wear, transform the school book-bag into a hiking backpack and load it with a few snacks and lots of water.

4. Water Play: What kid can turn down running through a sprinkler on a hot summer day? If your kid is a swimmer, check out local water slide parks, beaches and public pools to make it even more exciting. Call first to make sure a life guard is on duty for extra protection.

5. Put on a Play: Dig up old Halloween costumes, 20 year old clothes still hanging in your closet, and some of dad’s oversized work shirts and get ready to ham it up! Kids with autism are super talented at memorizing lines from videos, so here’s their chance to use them functionally.

6. Visit a Local Playground. Since most, if not all, of the school playgrounds in your area don’t have swings due to safety hazards, and we know kids with autism LOVE the sensory input found from swinging, countless hours can be enjoyed at the park down the street.

7. Cooking Day: Plan out a meal, with your child as the one with the ideas. Find a recipe online, shop together for what’s needed and mix and measure your way to a fabulous entre or dessert. It’s a great way to learn a life skill and have fun at the same time.

8. Family Game Night: Be sure to have high interest games on hand. Games that involve cause and effect are generally more interesting to kids with autism than basic board games (Cookie Cop, Don’t Spill the Beans, Rockem Sockem Robots)

9. Neighborhood Ice Cream Sundae Party: If you don’t know your neighbors, this is a fabulous way to get acquainted! Buy a big tub of ice cream and have each of the neighbors bring a favorite topping. Who wouldn’t want to play with the kid whose mom buys the ice cream?

10. Build a Fort: Remember those days when you would grab the sheets from your mom’s linen closet and string them across the living room by wrapping their ends around chairs and tv cabinets? Well, forts, tents and tunnels are a sensory kid’s dream… and other kids (big and little) love them too!

Procedural Safeguards – Don’t Just Sign Them, Know Them

Procedural Safeguards – Don’t Just Sign Them, Know Them

By Stacey Hoaglund

The Procedural Safeguards related to special education is a document that outlines parent’s rights and comes in a book format in most states. This book contains information that the states are required to give to parents of children with disabilities. Each state is permitted to set up this document based upon their state regulations, but ALL must fall in line with IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) law for the protection of children with special needs.

Parents must sign that they obtained a copy of the Procedural Safeguards and indicate whether they understand their rights or require an explanation of such rights.

IDEA 2004 states that school districts must give a copy of the Procedural Safeguards to parents once per year to eligible students with disabilities. In addition to the annual distribution (usually at the annual IEP meeting), school districts must give the Safeguards to parents when an initial evaluation of a student is requested by the parent or another person; upon the parent's request of a copy; and when a student with a disability is removed from his or her placement to an interim alternative educational setting as a result of disciplinary action.

The Procedural Safeguards include the following:
Prior Written Notice - Parents must be given written notice when the school district proposes changes to the identification, evaluation, placement or provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

Consent - Consent is an approval that a parent gives in writing for the initial evaluation, services, and re-evaluation of their child.
Independent Educational Evaluation - If a parent does not agree with the results of a school district evaluation, they can request an independent evaluation by a party not chosen by the district. When the parents request this independent evaluation, the district must provide them with the school district's criteria for evaluation and the name/s of potential independent evaluators.
Confidentiality - A child's confidentiality is guaranteed by federal law, and the procedural guidelines spell out state law and the precautions required.
State Complaints and Mediation - Each state has established intermediary step(s) before going directly to due process. That could include Mediation or Local Conflict Resolution. Districts are required to offer mediation, but the family of the child with a disability is not required to accept it.
Due Process - Due Process is a procedure by which a family can contest the decisions made by a school district related to such things as the evaluation, identification, placement or provision of FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education). An explanation of this process is outlined in your Procedural Safeguards.
Disciplinary Procedures - A Manifestation Determination is the process by which a child's behavior is reviewed to determine if it is due to his or her disability, or if it can be disciplined with a suspension or an expulsion.
Placement in Private Schools by a Parent - This section outlines parental right to tuition reimbursement, as well as evaluation and services provided to students attending nonprofit private schools.
 

Monitoring Your Child's Education Through Observation

Monitoring your child’s education through observation

 

Now that half of the school year is behind us, it may be a good time for parents to schedule an observation of their child’s educational setting.  In order to be proactive in your child’s educational progress, it’s important to know what’s occurring during the time they’re at school.

Here are some tips for conducting observations:

·                     Look at your child’s schedule and decide which time would be most productive.  If your child does well during math, but struggles during reading or writing, you might want to schedule a time during the literacy block.  This will give you an opportunity to offer input that may assist the teacher during potentially difficult times for your child.

·                     Be prepared to give your child’s teacher at least 48 hours notice as to when you’d like to visit the classroom.

·                     When you arrive, try to sit in a location that’s nonintrusive to the children.  If the children are grouped at one side of the room, try to sit on the opposite side.  Make every attempt to sit facing your child’s back.  If your child sees you watching him/her, their behaviors may be altered.

·                     Be prepared to take notes.  During the observation is not the time to point out concerns that may come up.

·                     Do not engage with the teacher unless she initiates the conversation.  You are there to observe his/her interaction with the students and the instruction that your child is receiving.

·                     Some things to look for:

o   Is your child seated in an appropriate location to benefit from instruction?

o   Is your child receiving the necessary amount of adult support to be included within the setting and activity?

o   Are all assistive devices being utilized (postural supports, graphic organizers, communication devices, pencil grips, technology, etc)?

o   Is the room organized and can your child tell what the schedule and expectations are?

o   Is your child given opportunities to engage in the lesson?

·                     Give yourself a few days to think about what you observed, then schedule a time to review your notes with the teacher.

·                     Thank the teacher for her time and being accommodating to your presence.  When meeting with her, find at least two things that were positive about what you observed.  You want to keep your relationship with the teacher as positive as possible, while still advocating effectively for your child.