Educational Advocate?

debsey

Sun, Nov 30 2014, 9:37 pm

marina wrote:

section 504 funds for a child with anxiety shouldn't be a blip on the school budget's radar.

None of us here are qualified to decide whether the child needs services, accommodations, modifications, and, if so, through what mechanism.

That is for the Section 504/ ETR/ IEP team, of which the mother is an important part, to decide.

I feel like I don't know the whole story here. Does the immigrant parent have a translated copy of your state's special education laws? Does she have an interpreter to assist her?

Her English is very good. It's broken, but good. She understands everything. I really honestly am confused by the principal's stance. First of all, half of what she wants should be super simple to grant.
Also, her psychiatrist speaks both her language and English, and says that these accommodations are par for the course for kids like her daughter.
The school has a "lunch bunch" and supervised recess for kids with IEPs. She wants her daughter to be part of it.
Her daughter has speech in a group that has 5 kids. She is a selective mute. She wants her daughter to have at least one speech session a week 1:1.
Her daughter does not have counseling at all. She wants her to have counseling.
Finally, there is sensory gym for kids with IEPs. She wants her daughter either part of it, or not in gym at all, since the current gym situation is not monitored well and her daughter was bullied.
Nothing here sounds outlandish.
But this is not my area of expertise.
So I gave her the number of a special ed lawyer in Lakewood who is expensive but is really, really effective (the Boards of Education cringe when they hear his name) and the name of another lawyer who is more affordable, speaks her language (or at least, has someone in her large office who does), and who is not quite as "famous"
We'll see. I have no vested interest in this case, except that she and I have children with similar diagnoses, mine has made extremely major strides, hers seems to be going backwards.
She NEEDS cooperation from the school.

marina

Sun, Nov 30 2014, 9:39 pm

A selectively mute child should be evaluated for an IEP not just a 504.

Has she formally written to the director of special education and asked for a special education evaluation in writing for her child, along with a signed parental consent?

There should be forms and documents available in her language. Even if she understands everything, she may be more comfortable reading and signing documents in her language. That will empower her.

Why is she going to the principal? Why is all this verbal? Who cares what the principal said?

What is this woman's native tongue? Is this in NYC?

I am more and more confused every time I read this.

debsey

Sun, Nov 30 2014, 10:01 pm

marina wrote:

This is in Brick. She asked for an evaluation and was told it is not necessary, she has a psychiatric diagnosis. So she went to the guidance department. Somehow, the principal got involved, told her she is eligible for nothing, and left it at that. To me, the whole thing feels like a runaround. The letter really WAS nasty.
I agree - the whole story is confusing, and I don't speak her language. It is not a common language around here. I'm not being specific because I don't want to reveal my identity, but the point is - the letter she showed me from her principal made no sense to me. It made no sense to the psychiatrist. It made no sense to a few other co-workers she showed it to, one of whom is savvy in education law. At this point, we are all agreed - she needs to talk to a lawyer to get a handle on this.
debsey

debsey

Sun, Nov 30 2014, 10:18 pm

marina wrote:

Has she already reviewed all the forms and information in these links?

http://www.nj.gov/education/sp.....e.pdf

http://www.state.nj.us/educati.....form/

Thank you. I went over the first one with her, read it for my own DS. The second one I never saw, but I can go over it with her.
Again, it seems obvious to me that she is being given a runaround. A friend of mine who teaches in public school in Brick says this principal has a reputation of not being so supportive of special education kids.
My friend also suggested she file an HIB (Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying plan) with the school, which would require them to do something about the bullying during gym.