SPED Budget cuts

[Manuela]

With all the budget cuts are ieps changing? My non verbal autistic  granddaughter starts Kindergarten next year. I need her to have a one on one aid. Is that even still a consideration?

[Lisa Lightner]

Short answer is, IDEA is not changing. But I would make my IEP as airtight as I could.

read: https://adayinourshoes.com/how-to-prepare-for-possible-changes-to-idea/

[JSD24]

Does your granddaughter currently have a preschool IEP?  Does she have an aide at preschool?  If she's currently getting an aide, you have data showing an aide is FAPE for her.  That would make it easier to show that an aide is going to be needed in kindergarten.

[Manuela]

She doesn't have an aide this year. It's 7 kids and 3 teachers which works great right now. I asked several times about an aide and it was brushed off. Her kindergarten class will be way bigger and I need her to have an aide. She elopes, is not potty trained and has a hard time sitting still. Academically she is very advanced, but doesn't want to draw or write. She uses her iPad to communicate. 

[Carolyn Rowlett]

First, always keep in mind that budget cuts, financial constraints, etc., should never be a factor in deciding whether or not a child needs specific services.  The team determines needs based on data and then figures out how to meet those needs (sometimes has to think outside the box).  From a practical standpoint, yes, you may need to give the school district some grace in figuring out how to provide services if finances are an issue.  But bottom line, as Lisa would say, "That's not your problem."

Does she have an IEP?  If not, that's your first step.  I would suggest that before this school year ends you reach out to the kindergarten principal and request a special education evaluation.  This will be conducted at the beginning of the next school year.  If she does have an IEP, request a transition meeting with the pre-school and new grade school teams towards the end of this school year to talk about her transitioning to a new school - specifically going from a 7:3 ration to 20 (or more):1 and what her needs will be.  Also ask about the expectations of Kindergarten.  If there are some she cannot meet, discuss what services need to be in place for her to access FAPE.  If it will have been a year since her last evaluation, I would also request a re-evaluation once school starts next fall.  You might also request a Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) to determine the why's and when's to her elopement so that can be addressed in a Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP).

[Lisa Lightner]

Ha ha Carolyn... "Not my problem to solve." And it's not. I'm not unsympathetic to the large issues, but I spend a significant amount of time lobbying for that.....anyway......

Right now the ratio sounds manageable, but you’re right kindergarten will likely look very different with a larger class and less adult support per child.

Since you’ve already asked about an aide and felt brushed off, this is a good time to put your concerns in writing. When you ask in an email or at an IEP meeting, you can focus on why she needs the support, not just that you want it. For example:

• Safety (because of elopement and toileting needs)

• Access (she can’t fully participate without support for communication and staying engaged)

• Independence (the aide can prompt, fade support, and help her access academics on her level)

You don’t necessarily have to use the word “aide” either....you can describe the support she needs and let the team decide how that’s written into the IEP. Sometimes it shows up as “1:1 adult support,” “parprofessional assistance,” or as specific services tied to toileting, communication, and safety.

Also, make sure her IEP reflects her strengths (advanced academics) while addressing the areas that impact her learning (toileting, sitting, writing/drawing, communication). If those needs are clearly documented, the school has to show how they’ll provide the support whether that’s an aide, assistive tech, or other services.

It’s great that you’re noticing what works now and planning for what’s next. Getting it into the IEP before kindergarten will give you a much stronger footing than waiting until problems start.

 

Also, read this... https://adayinourshoes.com/iep-kindergarten-transition/