GeoffM

(This is similar to something I previously posted but here are questions rather than just a rant)

DS has PDD (on the autism scale) and is in 1st grade at school. His previous school was great, got him an aide, did the IEP, etc etc. The health insurance provided therapy which also helped.

Since we moved we changed insurance and schools. He's been sent home 4 times in the space of 2 school weeks. Two of the occasions were serious; the other two not so much and he was already calm and ready to continue by the time we turned up to pick him up - but the school refused to let him attend. We have asked repeatedly for them to send work home if this happens but they rarely do.

He still has an aide in the new school but I've no idea what, if anything, she does. I say she - there have been numerous.

The school have called for another IEP meeting this week and I will be asking very direct questions. I've asked for the school district to be in attendance as well. Is there anything you can suggest to ask/tell them? I don't feel the school it doing enough and are just sending him home for the slightest issue.

Next, the health insurance. I haven't found anything to back this up but the Regional Centers told us that our new health insurance should have continued the ABA therapy per California law. Nine months in and all they've done is send us to a psychologist 60 miles away "because there's nobody local". What they mean is the 1-2 local psychologists on their books are fully booked and they won't authorise anybody else. And as for the therapy: not a hope in hell.

Again, if anybody can suggest what we need to tell the insurance company, or if there is a regulator or something (don't laugh), that would spur them into action? It's affecting my work (as I have to give up to look after him) and/or my wife's sleep (because she works nights), not to mention the general stress of it all!

Help please!

Bob

Don't know if this will be much help, but possibly read the school hand book and compare it to the district/state rules. Might be surprised how much out of whack the school could be and not keeping up with rules.

One thing we found out about MA, so no idea how relevant it is for you, but it's very difficult for a school to have a child sent/kept home.

They can't deny having a kid at school even if the kid has an infectious condition, pink eye, lice, anything. It's up to the parent to pull the kid.

If the school wants to suspend a kid for whatever reason, usually a fight, they have to tell a parent face to face at the school office before the end of the day for it to count but the bit they don't tell anyone, that the parent would receive a notice the following day that the parent needs to sign to say they understand what's happening and this notice needs to be handed into the school office by hand by the following day by a parent. If not, the school is kept liable for anything that the kid does or anything that happens to the kid.

So, dumb stuff like that, you might find something to throw at the school to spur them to pull a finger out.

AmerLisa

Do you mean the Sped director from the school district? Are they doing an FBA (Formal Behavior Assesment)? What does his IEP say? Is he in a regular Gen Ed classroom? Is the aide trained to work with autistic kids? Does she know when to pull him out if he starts getting frustrated? What are his triggers? What does the teacher do when this happens? What are they suggesting? Sending him home every time he has an episode isn't going to help anybody (as you well know) but if he gets to a point where he becomes a safety issue to staff and children, then they will have no other choice. Is he in the best placement?

I don't have a really good suggestion for ABA and insurance. My friend's son was given 20 hours a week for ABA from their insurance (Group Health - we were shocked) and they have luckily found a fantastic therapist that comes to their house and works with him (he will be a kinder kid next year)

GeoffM

Cheers Bob, will look into that.

Thanks Lisa. I'm hoping the special ed director or at least one of his minions will turn up. His IEP says he needs a 1:1 aide and speech therapy (no idea why on the latter but hey ho). He's in a general classroom but goes to special ed thrice a week for a couple of hours. Triggers vary according to the phase of the moon. Teacher isn't great but I've seen worse. The aide is not ABA nor do I know if they even have qualifications: this is an area I will be exploring on Thursday. Yes he can be a safety hazard but that's why the aide is there, supposedly - to pull him out and calm him down. For some reason that's not happening (maybe the former but obviously not the latter either). As for the best place... I don't know. It's supposed to be a good school and his grades are either average or way above average on everything despite all this. Academically great; behaviourally/socially not so great.

AmerLisa

What is the special ed class he's going to three times a week and why? Is there a pattern to the outbursts?The aide will be a para with maybe very little background (or maybe not) dealing with autistic kids. This may be the biggest problem and of course what is going on in the class. Is the teacher structured enough? We had a first grader that was in a classroom with a teacher who wasn't structured in the least, great teacher but room was chaos. If the class is not meeting his needs then you can look at other options. You carry a lot of weight as the parent and I hope you know that you can ask for a meeting whenever you want.

In the end they do want to make these things work (they being the school) but it all requires fine tuning...don't always expect them to do the fine tuning. You probably won't get the sped director, but one of his/her minions as you expect. Who is writing the IEP? When is his new IEP due? Same school district the current IEP was written in?

kins

Here's the link to your California Insurance Comissioner About the Commissioner and the page for getting help Getting Help.

GeoffM

Thanks kins, I wouldn't have even thought of a "commissioner"!

As for his teacher, I don't really know. Maybe I ought to go and watch one day. There's no pattern to the outbursts: that's the really maddening thing, otherwise we could try to avoid the situations. Giving him advance warning helps ("2 minutes then we'll do X") but not always. We would like to think we're proactive parents, trying all sorts of things, parenting classes, pushing for the right doctors/treatment/therapy (and failing but hey), learning about autism, etc.

His IEP was originally written by the previous school - well, together with us - and this has continued. This will be the 3rd IEP meeting at this school.

AmerLisa

When you say IEP, are they adding things to his original IEP or is it just a meeting to discuss his being sent home? It is on them to make things work, sending him home doesn't accomplish anything. How does the aide handle his meltdowns?

Sorry, I could probably ask you a ton of questions.... I know for parents and schools it isn't an easy road to travel. Where does he go three times a week when he's being pulled out for his special ed class, do you know? What do they do in there?

Also, you know if they're sending him home, they're suspending him, this is not something they should resort to in such a short period of time on a regular basis... At this meeting you all need to come up with a plan of action. They probably won't send work home if he's suspended.

Anyway, I'm interested to know how things go.

Englishmum

Just in case you may feel that you need to engage an advocate:

Advocates & Attorneys – Special Education and Regional Center - Autism Society Inland Empire

Home page: Autism Society Inland Empire - Autism Society Inland Empire

GeoffM

That's the thing, I don't think the aide is doing much, if anything. At his previous school the aide was the one who took him out of class, let him vent or whatever, and 5 minutes later they'd be back in class - worked 90% of the time. Here, there is a "pod" between two classrooms they go in to but something isn't working.

Newsflash: 9:22am "Please come and see your son". 9:25am "He's ok now, no need to come".

The last IEP meeting was just to add extra special ed time, to increase to 3x a week.

Separate classroom, fewer kids, I think more adults. The questions are useful - things for us to ask.

Indeed, and while he can't be hurting other kids or adults, he is also entitled to an education. I know at his previous school they stated they were not allowed to touch the kids unless absolutely necessary but I made it clear they have my full support to restrain him if that is what it takes. And they understood this and dealt with it. Yes he's older now but I get the feeling this school really is not going near him. When I picked him up yesterday he was in the principle's office being held at arm's length by somebody, trying to hide under a table, and he (the adult) practically jumped away when he saw me enter.

Thanks - those are helpful. I had a read through but I'm not quite sure how this works. Do you pay them to help you, are they means-tested, or free? Some say state/city funded, or not-for-profit, or whatever, but some are private companies.

Englishmum

I'm sorry I don't have a clue - I'd read on another forum that advocates are very useful when dealing with school and/or medical insurance issues. I guess you could send some e-mail or telephone enquiries and they will tell you how their fees are assessed/paid.

I've just noticed that there is another section on the website for help with medical insurance issues:

http://www.ieautism.org/children/hea...ce-assistance/

Good Luck

GeoffM

I've been trying to contact the school district as he's just been sent home yet again - throwing chairs. But he was in the special ed class with more supervision!. Anyway the school district phone system is a nightmare to navigate and I keep getting cut off. No email addresses.

Browsing through Greatschools I see there are several reviews that highly rate the school - but not the principle.

GeoffM

Suspended for a week.

AmerLisa

He's just been suspended for a week? For what reason?

AmerLisa

Ask what they are doing in this classroom. Can he possibly be in a self-contained classroom and then mainstream into Gen Ed? It would seem to me that he needs a teacher that can deal with autistic kids and maybe they can't meet his needs at this school. You may need to discuss alternative placements because it doesn't sound as if they know how to handle this situation. Principals can be exceptionally good for special needs kids or they can make life a nightmare. The principal decides if the kid is going to be suspended, so you want him or her there at your meeting to ask your questions to.


Where was his aide? Is there no one in this school that has restraint training? I know they are trying very hard to move away from restraining kids, it can be dangerous for everyone, but surely someone must have some idea on what to do.

Do you have a caseworker with the Regional Center? If so, contact them and see if they can give you advice. If not, consider an advocate ($$)....my friend's ABA worker has become an advocate for them when she was questioning school problems. She was able to ask the right questions.

Above all make sure they know you are not happy at all. They are not meeting your son's needs in the least and he is being denied his right to education (stress this last point strongly!)