Thursday, October 16, 2008

IEP What good are you anyway?

It's not like the team of professionals even know how to help my daughter.

We were actually told that because she's not receiving services, she isn't eligible for an IEP.

She's not receiving services because last year, YOU didn't believe or accept her autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.

After five professional diagnoses to "prove" something is challenging my daughter, and a teacher along with the school's psychologist telling us that the only thing wrong with Savana is her mother who needs counseling and needs to stop sending her child to get tested so frequently, the committee finally agreed that my daughter did have Asbergers.

Now.

Now after she has gone a year without any services to help her, been bullied and misunderstood on the playground because of her social deficits. She has developed severe depression, at the age of 6.

We brought an IEP over from Illinois for Development Delays. This was before I had even heard the word Autism regarding my own daughter. She had minutes allotted for OT and Social Services. When we reviewed the IEP in new state, the committee laughed at the term Social Services, "What are Social Services? We don't even know what those are."

At yesterday's case conference, my husband and I told the committee that we weren't going to sign their recommendation and we were going to keep the IEP as is. They replied, "IEP? You don't have an IEP."

Well then. That explains everything, crystal clear and surreal like the Twighlight Zone.

5 comments:

Shash said...

I had the same thing happen when we moved from Connecticut to Florida. My son lost ALL of my Behavorial Services. If she has an IEP, and has Accommodations, her IEP can still be in effect and should be enforced. Even if she is diagnosed with ASD, it usually falls under an Autism diagnosis so she should still get assistance. Email me at crazedmommyatgmail dot com if I can help in any way.

Shash

Anonymous said...

You need a lawyer and you need one now. Your school district is in violation of so many laws it isn't even funny.

It costs districts money to comply with these laws so they don't want to. So sometimes they have to be forced to.

I know you probably can't afford a lawyer but even getting one to draft a quick letter for you might get their attention for you. Or look for an advocacy group - or a legal aid office - that would be able to offer services for free.

A district not drafting an IEP for a child they acknowledge has Asperger's is completely unacceptable and a violation of IDEA.

AC said...

Nancy, Here's the deal... my daughter has straight As and the school personnel claim they see NOTHING troubling or interfering with my daughter being successful at school.

Our state mandates changed two months ago. The case conference committee now has more rights than the parents alone. If the committee overall recommends that my child's education is suffering, than they aren't obligated to give services. I was only applauded for getting my daughter on meds and counseling on my dime.

Reed said...

I hear ya! By law, they have to grant you an IEP. Fight for your rights :)

Elizabeth Channel said...

Gracious! This is complicated...