Do ya’ll remember the whole speech therapist/dentist issue we had this past school year? Well I revoked that IEP entirely (since speech delay was the eligibility category, it was basically “revoke speech, revoke it all”. After that was done and signed, I requested a new initial IEP, which involved all of the evaluations plus specific testing for learning disability. It turns out, he qualifies under a whole new category, so we set out to create a new IEP. Speech services are on the new IEP. I agree with them being on the IEP and agree that the services are needed and recommended by the whole team.
Even though a different therapist did the EVALUATION, she may or may not be the therapist who actually works with Brenden.
By signing the IEP, I not only agree to everything it contains, I agree that the services will be carried out by whatever professional is assigned to the case. And since “crazy lady” herself still has plans to be at this school, it will be her.
BUT. If I choose to remove the speech services, I can do that. I am allowed. BUT. If I remove the speech services now, at this initial IEP, they may not be added back on in future revisions (because that’s what’s done every year, just a revision to focus on new goals, not a whole new thing) SO, I either roll the dice and sign the IEP and accept the fact that it may be her who works with Brenden or it may not be, but I won’t know that until school starts more than likely or I remove the speech services from the IEP and prohibit the addition of them later, if he may still need them. BECAUSE – the clinical eligibility (as in, URS) is different than the public school criteria – SO, he could “graduate” from URS, but still be eligible based on the school criteria. Make sense?
But even if he was eligible on the school level, I can’t just get speech added to his IEP. And even if I DID, it could wind up being “her” who works with him.
So the options are – a) sign the IEP and let the chips fall where they may
b) open enrollment – which the deadline is June 1st (just two days away), but there is no busing provided for open enrollment and this option is out based on that and lack of transportation.
c) private education – which has special needs scholarships available
d) remove speech from the IEP
I told hubby maybe we should just hire a private tutor and have someone ELSE do the ‘homeschooling’. Not even sure if that’s possible.
I’m just so frustrated. I was NOT expecting this to be brought up today, and I was so caught off guard and frustrated that of course I cried. I felt stupid, like I should have known this was going to happen.
I signed the IEP. See, I AGREE with everything in it, I just don’t want this specific person to be working with my child. Why the district can’t just provide somebody else is beyond me. I guess we’re going to look into our private school options. I think. I don’t know.