AutMomJ314

Thanks for your response. It never bothered me until last school year when, for the first time, my son had major issues at the school. He loved school, but was begging to stay home. Having been in the district for 15 years, I had peers check in on him. What I heard was outrageous... isolation, talking down to him, using his accommodations as leverage, and so on. A staff member even asked him why he came to school and that he should stay home. When I got the proposed PLAAFP you could feel the angst they had for him. The "staff observations" stated that he could not do what the goal said... when he could and it could be proven. Their emotions got in the way of their objectivity. That is the reason I hoped there was another way to collect that data. I don't have another suggestion, that is why I came to this forum. So you know, I did contact the counselor, principal, etc. and literally got no response. I am aware I have the law on my side, but the law can't make the teachers like him...well, at the least, be fair to him. I can't worry all day every day. I pulled him out and homeschooled him since I am not currently teaching. He made several request for school during the summer which mean a lot since he is verbally limited. He has autism, Tourette's, speech delay and IDD. I have him in another school now and everything is back to normal. I am trying to trust, but it's hard after what we went through (there was so much more I didn't share). I didn't mean any disrespect to teachers who do data via observation. I have mad respect for all educational staff, especially in the special population. I am trying not to let last year affect my moving forward, my question about the observation data was a result of it creeping back in to my thoughts...but I'm working on that one day at a time. Again, thanks for responding. You actually gave me the idea and asking for the chart/documentation in which they track the observations (something I may have thought of at the annual IEP, but I pulled him before it happened) ... THAT would give me some peace of mind. I pray we never have to worry about it again. Just gathering knowledge and opinions just in case we do.

Is it ok for a goal to be measured "by staff observation" only? For example: By the end of the 9 weeks, he will follow staff directives 80% of charted opportunities. Success will be measured using staff observation. If it's legit, I digress. Doesn't please though. I will ask for something more concrete, but still want to know in your opinion if it's acceptable. THANKS

Thank you for your response. He is already in SPED with ASD, intellectual disability and speech delay label. His teacher, the SPED director and I discussed multiple evaluations. In early Feb. I had already signed for a FBA and we discussed my desire for him to go to the in-district facility. On Feb 12 I singed permission to do FBA, but the same person who hasn’t know what to do with him since last August is the one who administered it, so I wasn’t backing down on the other evaluation. I reminded them on Feb 26 I was wanting to move forward with the other evaluation and was told the district was contacted to do this. I even contacted the counselor on the matter and said I was willing to do anything to help my be successful even if it meant home bound or homeschool. I tried to keep him at school so they could perform the evaluation, but On March 4th and 6thI find out that his behaviors had escalated, but now they weren’t even contacting me. I found out from another student that Dax had an issue those days. When I asked about it, they came clean and admitted they should have called me. I now believe they had not called for the evaluation and worried for my son’s safety and those around him. We had an IEP meeting on the 8th and I asked what that had done already to prevent these behaviors and what plans did they have from this point on so that I might feel comfortable bringing him to school and they had no answer. Just gaslighting. Spring break began on the 11 and after watching his behaviors get worse at home I decided they couldn’t have him another day to do worsen his mental state. I’ve withdrew him the 15th. So although I’m now not entitled to any assistance, he is beginning to act like my son again and I don’t regret my decision. With that said, I’m still very disappointed that he’s not gonna be around any peers, even a small ratio in the in-district facility. But I did what I had to.

Hi, you do not need to respond, but I just wanted to clarify that the facility I speak of is within the district. It would not cost them an extra dollar and they would still get my son's funds from the state. The school simply dropped the ball on following the protocol and my son was expected to continue going to an environment that was causing daily meltdowns until they did. I just could not stand by and watch my child go through this any longer. Waiting for the "right way" was not an option for me at this point. I sent a letter to the principal so that she would be aware of what happened and why I felt I must withdraw him and she has not replied. I guess it's just not important to anyone at the school. It's a done deal now, so I don't need advice. Like you, I just like to know everything I can about the law and school policy/procedure. I never wanted a dime from them. I wanted them to follow his IEP, accommodate for him and communicate with me. If they couldn't. I wanted to transfer him in-district to a place that could. This seemed to be impossible because I had to wait, wait and then wait some more. I allowed them too gaslight me and I was too nervous to rock the boat. I know more now than I did at the beginning of this and wish I had learned about your site sooner. Maybe I could have accomplished more last September when this began. Thanks for your input. The information on unilateral moves was still good knowledge to have. I thought I had read the Safeguards, but guess I didn't do it as well as I thought and plan to give it another good read. THANKS

They were able to collect data from the first semester up until spring break of this current school year. I don't understand why they can't use the current data they have witnessed this year; Especially since they refuse to accommodate him. One issue is that the district wants to send their people to come observe, which I can't fault them for either. However, the school should have contacted them a long, long time ago... before he began to meltdown for hours. (In 15 years this child has never had a meltdown for more that 10-15 minutes) I have an email from Feb 26 saying that the district had been contacted, so I kept him there and was patient. When spring break arrived and they still had not come, I couldn't wait any longer. I do not believe that they really contacted the district and I wasn't willing to put my son through any more without proof the district was coming. Since I have been lied to on numerous occasions, I wasn't willing to take any chances. My son's mental health comes first.

My son had not found any success at school due to overstimulation of various things; things they did not intend to change. I understand they were supposed to, but I was not confident that things would really change behind closed door. My non-verbal son couldn't let me know either. I know this since I busted them on 3 different occasions not doing what I was told would be changed. The trust was gone so I homeschool now. Before I withdrew him, I asked about a facility in the district I only just heard about that specializes in exactly what I want for my son. They said the only way to get in is to bring him back to school so that he can be observed by district personnel to determine if he is a candidate. Issue is I refuse to let them have my son even one more day. Despite educational regression, his behavior has morphed into a child I barely recognize. My question is: if this school will help my child be successful, don't they have to at least consider it despite the data protocol? Why can't they use the data they took in the time his behaviors began and then escalated? It doesn't seem right that he must return to a place that hurts him in order to help him. As far as you know, and I know districts have different policies, is there a precedent that can show this data can be dismissed due to circumstances and parent agreement. ( I hear other parents don't want their child here because it has a MRE, but that is where my child thrives. LRE is over stimulating and an obstacle for him. So I understand the data is needed to prove the child belongs there despite parent resistance....but what if the parent supports it?) Your thoughts please. Do I have a chance in achieving this without sending him back for observation?....he's not a rat in a cage. Thanks

Thanks, I wrote that late last night and am horrified by my mistakes. You understood me well, though, and I appreciate your response. I am definitely looking into home schooling at least the rest of this school year. I had him transfer to that school because they HAD a good reputation. Many of them are new to teaching in the SPED dept., and although I'm compassionate to that (you got to start somewhere), this is my son. They could have reached out to the district, but I'm guessing they were hoping it would work itself out... but it didn't. Will I be able to re-enroll in him in the fall to our zoned school after pulling him out? Anything is better than the cartoons and coloring sheets he has been doing at his current school. Yes, you heard me right. This has been a not-so-good first year of high school. I feel I had a successful IEP (to determine standardized testing, not annual) with the help of an advocate and the information from you website. I was able to ask to them what they had planned differently to accommodate him after spring break, but they said they had nothing and asked ME for suggestions! And they DID try to gaslight me... apparently I am to blame for keeping him home after a meltdown, but they had nothing in place to make sure it wouldn't happen the next day. I'm not dropping my kid off for more of the same. That's why I can't take him back. I will checkout your info on homeschooling. I am able to do it right now, but he likes going to school so I will need to find one that is knowledgeable and better equipped for his needs. I wish I could afford a private school. Thanks again

I know that the school staff of various areas can come to collaborate for an FBA, but what happens when you find out only one teacher did the assessment (she did say other teachers sent her their observations). Furthermore, these teachers have had my son since August 2023 and don't know how to provide sensory integration or any other ASD key points). They don't even know what is normal for an autistic kid. They put in his PLAAFP, "When he has a bad day (inaudible sounds, laughing, mischievous grin) he attempts to run." Those are behaviors of an autistic child with no executive function. So they are considering him to be bad when he is being autistic???? They transition 7 times a day like the rest of the school and when I expressed it was too much, they said that he'll be fine... but he's not. He is more aggressive and defiant. So back to the topic... If these teachers haven't been able to get through to him since the beginning of school, should they people who don't know about autism be administering a FBA? How do you make a plan of action when you have had to success the last 6 months? They need support and an outside specialist to help, but will not. I asked for a formal FBA with someone else and they say I must wait until the annual ARD/IEP. Then school will be over. I want to pull him out of school now and home school0, but don't know if that is the best path. I is nonverbal and cant tell me what happens at school. any advice?