If you are a parent of a special needs child, read this. We had so many ongoing battles with our child's school, it was unreal. I just wanted to pass this information on to make someone else's journey a little bit more bearable.
First of all, if you do not have an advocate for your child who is on and IEP, please get one ASAP! As I have stated so many times before, you would be blown away by what the schools CAN actually do and how much IEP funding they are receiving PER CHILD. I know because I have been there! I have been to meetings and we sit and pull straws as to what to do until the very obvious feeling that the school is giving up on your child overwhelms you. If I only knew then what I know now, my son would not have fell behind! When the district acts as if they have the child's best interest at heart, yet are doing nothing to accommodate to their Individualized Education Plan, what is that saying about the district? It's all about money, this is true.... But these schools are funded through the government based on the disability, severity of the child. The school administration does not want parents to know this either! Trust me on this. It's not the teachers, it's the administrative, the "business" end of the school. Your teachers are in a catch 22 so to speak.. They know what's best, yet they cannot put their jobs on the line. The information that I have been told by not one but several teachers and school staff over the years, all in "secret" would blow your mind away. Finding my own advocate was the best thing I ever did. I have actually had a principal try to silence me for giving this information to another parent in the school only weeks ago. As I touched base with my own advocate, I was informed that I was very correct and she was 1. mislead or 2. shutting me down. If you wish to know the exact amount a school district is receiving for your child and a generalized view of where it's being spent on your child, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW THIS! You can get it through the department of education! It's your right to know and no school will tell you this.
My advice? Stay focused, keep mental and written notes of everything, never let the school put anything back on you! It's THEIR responsibility to educate your child!! That is your child's legal and entitled right, to receive a proper education! Do work with them, but use common sense within reason. Know your rights and the rights of your child. If you feel the walls closing in, call a meeting. Bring your advocate to the meeting, not an advocate appointed through the school district either.. They work for the schools best interest, not your child's. So make sure your advocate is a good one and from an outside source.
I can help you find an advocate in your area or you can contact www. autism-society. org to get in contact with the Autism society in your area, who will assign an advocate to you.
Sometimes we as parents need a backup of force to make things happen for our kids. You are your child's biggest advocate! No one will fight for your child harder than his or her own parents! I have read some true horror stories from some of you about some schools. First, get an advocate then in the most extreme rare cases, if need be get an attorney who specializes in special education and IEP laws. Don't wait until you start having trouble, bring them in when all things are "good". You deserve that back up.
One other thing, if your child is on and IEP and you transport your child to school, something many parents do not know is the school district must pay you for your travel to and from school for every day your child attends.
Anything your school puts on YOU that pertains to the child's education and is based in the IEP, they MUST reimburse you so keep your receipts. And do know that by law, you do not have to cater to the school when they are requiring something of cost. When something is worked into a child's IEP plan, it's the schools responsibility to pay for it. Of course they would like to push it off on you.... But they owe you if they do.
When the school becomes to desperate it shows. Because they become overly dependent on the parent to change any problems with that child. However, it's their responsibility to FIND SOMETHING that works, if that means restructuring the entire program designed for that child, then by law they have to. They have to find something that works or they must hand over funds to other sources of education that can help. If you don't have an advocate, they will convince you otherwise. The goal is not to trash schools, some of these districts are Excellent districts for the typical child, so it's not about degrading schools. It's about making them do what they are required to do by law and the facts are schools are ran like a business, if money is involved they will become greedy. Your child on an IEP is bringing a nice chuck of cash to that district, so they need to use it for YOUR child.
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