Are you the parent of a child with autism or dyslexia, that knows what educational services your child needs, but do not know how to communicate them to special education personnel? A parent input statement, that is written before the IEP meeting, can help you be an effective advocate for your child, and bring up needed educational services that will help your child learn.
A parent input statement is a one page statement, where you can give written input into your child’s education. You can include: things that work for your child, things that don’t work, academic struggles that they have, behavioral difficulties, any educational or related services that you believe they need, extended school year (ESY), assistive technology (AT).
Tips for writing input statement
1. Keep it short, maximum one page.
2. Use facts as much as possible.
3. State what educational and related services you think your child needs, and why.
4. Discuss academic progress or lack of academic progress, and what you think needs to be done about it.
5. Include any adaptations, modifications, educational or related services that are helping your child learn.
6. Discuss any behavioral difficulty your child has, and what the school has done about it. Also state if you feel that they are not handling the behavior/discipline according to IDEA.
Parent Input Statement 9-6-29xx My son Tommy is 9 years old, is in fourth grade, and receives special education services under the category of Learning Disability. I have received the results of his Woodcock Reading Mastery test from his teacher, Mrs. Jones. Tommy’s Word Identif ication at a grade equivalent of 1.7, word attack (decoding)of 2.7, and a basic skills cluster with a grade equivalent of 1.9. This means that my son Tommy’s reading is at least 2 years below his grade appropriate peers. I am very concerned that if Johnny does not receive appropriate instruction in reading, his life will be negatively altered, forever.
IDEA and No Child Left Behind state that curriculum must be “scientifically research based.” What this means is that their is research to show that the program works to teach children to read. The Orton-Gillingham Methodology of simultaneous multi sensory instruction has many years of research to back its effectiveness with teaching children to read. I have information on this methodology that I would like to share with the IEP team.
Tommy, not only needs an Orton-Gillingham reading program, but the person who is teaching him must be trained in this area. My son also needs to receive the program for the recommended length of time, not less. Tommy is currently receiving 30 minutes a day of reading instruction while the Orton-Gillingham program recommends xx amount per day of instruction. Thank you for working with me to help my son Tommy learn to read.
Miss Smith
Mention at the beginning of your meeting that you have a parent input statement to share with the IEP team.Bring up the parent input statement when you think it is an appropriate time.Bring enough copies for everyone at the meeting, and make sure that it is attached to your child’s IEP.
A parent input statement will help you clearly state what educational or related services that your child needs. Remember that for your child to receive an appropriate education the instruction they receive must “give meaningful benefit” to your child.
By: JoAnn Collins
Posts Tagged ‘Educational Services’
How to Use a Parent Input Statement to Benefit Your Child’s Education
January 7th, 2010Posted in Article
Tags: Academic Progress Adaptations Behavioral Difficulties Dyslexia Education Personnel Educational Services Fourth Grade Grade Equivalent Input Statement Learning Disability Mrs Jones Parent Input Reading Mastery Related Services S Education Son Tommy Special Education Services Statement 1 Woodcock Reading Mastery Test Word Attack
Special Education – How to Use an Independent Educational Evaluation to Benefit Your Child
November 6th, 2009
Do you have a child with a learning disability or with autism that is
not making academic progress, even though they are getting special
education services? Would you like to know what educational and
related services your child needs in order to learn how to read, or do
other academics? This article will discuss what an Independent
Educational Evaluation (IEE) is, and how you can use one to benefit
your child with a disability.
The definition of an Independent Education Evaluation (IEE) is:
An independent educational evaluation is an evaluation conducted by a
qualified person, who does not work for the school district. Parents
of children with a disability often get IEE’s so that they understand
what educational needs their child has and what services they require.
Most independent evaluations are parent initiated and paid for by the
parent.
Once you have decided to get an IEE, there are several things to
consider about the evaluator:
a. Make sure that they are qualified to perform the educational
evaluation. For Example: a registered Occupational Therapist could
conduct an Occupational Therapy evaluation. If sensory processing
disorder (used to be called sensory integration disorder) is an issue,
make sure that you find a registered Occupational Therapist who is
SIPT certified. If your child has autism, make sure the evaluator
specializes in educational evaluations for children with all types of
autism.
b. Whether this person is now, or ever has been an employee of
your school district. Talk to the person, and make sure that they do
not have a relationship with your school district. Be careful, even if
they used to work for another school district, make sure they are
truly independent, and willing to make recommendations for what your
child needs.
c. Make sure that the evaluator is willing to write a detailed
report, to include recommendations for related and educational
services. Ask the evaluator if they are willing to recommend specific
amount of minutes of service and specific methodology for educational
and related services. If they are not, consider going to a different
evaluator.
Once you have answered these questions, make an appointment and take
your child. Bring up any concerns that you have, and make sure that
you understand what tests will be conducted on your child. When the
report is finished, have the evaluator mail a copy to you. If you have
concerns about what is written, you may contact the evaluator and tell
them your concerns. Make sure recommendations are specific for
minutes, #of times per week, goals, methodology, etc.
Call the school district and set up an IEP meeting to discuss the
results of the IEE. If they request a copy up front, you can give it
to them. If possible, set up with the evaluator, a time that she or he
can participate in the IEP meeting by telephone. By having the
evaluator participate, special education personnel will have a harder
time not including the evaluators recommendations.
At the IEP meeting, if the school personnel will not put the
recommendations in your child’s IEP, they must give you prior written
notice (PWN), as to why they are not willing to accept, the evaluators
recommendations. This notice must include the reason that they are not
accepting the recommendations, and what evaluations they are using to
refuse. If at the IEP meeting the school personnel do include the
recommendations, ask for reimbursement of the independent educational
evaluation.
An independent educational evaluation can be invaluable to your child.
By understanding what your child’s educational and related needs are,
you may be a more effective advocate, for needed educational and
related services. If your child does not receive an appropriate
education their future may be in jeopardy!
By: JoAnn Collins
Posted in Article
Tags: Academic Progress Academics Child Autism Education Evaluation Educational Evaluations Educational Services Evaluator Iee Independent Education Independent Educational Evaluation Independent Evaluations Learning Disability Occupational Therapist Occupational Therapy Qualified Person Related Services Sensory Integration Disorder Sensory Processing Disorder Special Education Services Types Of Autism
Successfully Overcoming Special Education Deny Or Delay Tactics
October 26th, 2009
Does your young child with autism need applied behavioral analysis (ABA) treatment? Are special education personnel delaying making a decision or totally denying needed educational services? This article will discuss, how you can successfully overcome deny or delay tactics, by some school personnel.
Many research studies have shown how important early intervention is for all children with disabilities. But if you waste time waiting for special education personnel to give your child the educational and related services that they need, your child’s life will be negatively affected.
Below are a few ways, to stop the deny or delay tactics, of some school personnel:
1. Make school personnel accountable for IDEA time lines. Learn about the time lines because a lot of delays that some school personnel try and get away with, are because parents do not understand the time lines, or do not make special education personnel accountable for the time lines. After you learn about the time lines are, write school personnel a letter, telling them that you know what the time lines are, and you will be holding them to the time lines.
Some things are not covered by time lines. For these I usually use 14 days. For Example: I would like a written response to my letter. I expect to receive it within 14 days. On the 15th day I write them again, and give them a shorter time frame, 5 days. If they refuse to answer my letter in writing, I would file for a state complaint. Your complaint would be, that you school district is preventing you from being an equal participant in your child’s education and Individual Education Plan (IEP) process.
2. Get an independent educational evaluation (IEE) of your child. This evaluation will give you evidence of what services your child requires. The evaluation should include, testing on academic and functional progress, educational and related services that your child needs, and what placement they require. Once you receive the in depth report from the independent evaluator, set up an IEP meeting to discuss the results. Make sure if possible, that the independent evaluator can participate in the IEP meeting by telephone. This will increase your chances of have special education personnel accept the evaluation.
3. If the school district refuses to give your child the recommended educational and related services, consider filing for a due process hearing immediately. By getting an IEE before you file for a due process hearing, you will be able to use the independent evaluators report, as evidence at a due process hearing.
Some parents wait for months, negotiating with school personnel, only to find out that the school district refuses to give the child what they need. Do not waste your child’s precious time! File for a due process now!
While due process is not an easy thing and can be adversarial, the special education personnel will continue to delay a decision, if they know that you will let them get away with it. I have heard from some parents that have waited for years, while school personnel delayed a decision.
By using these advocacy strategies you will be stopping the deny or delay tactics, of some special education personnel. Remember all the time that you waste, waiting for a decision on whether needed services are going to be given to your child, will negatively affect your child’s life. Keep up the fight!
By: JoAnn Collins
Posted in Article
Tags: Aba Autism Child Education Children With Disabilities Early Intervention Education Personnel Educational Services Iee Independent Educational Evaluation Individual Education Plan Parents Participant Related Services S Education Special Education State Complaint Time Frame Time Lines Waste Time
