Wednesday, April 17, 2013

IEP... One Without Tears

Last year our IEP was TERRIBLE. I ended up in tears and refused to sign and left. I ended up doing a visit to a school that was not very much further than our house and his home school. I liked what I saw at that school and know that the state law says that he should go to the closest home school. I was pretty confident when I went back into his IEP. I told them what I expected. The teachers still told me that their recommendation was life skills class. I refused. I wanted him in a mixed classroom.

A few weeks later we got a letter from the district saying that he was going to be BUSSED clear across the county. Literally. He would be on the bus for more than 45 minutes. If he were to have a seizure he would be transported and it would take me 45 minutes or MORE to get to my son. As opposed to the school less than 3 miles from my house. To say I was pissed was an understatement.

Soon our landlords decided to be jerks and so we did a little checking and off we left. Back to a state that we got what he needed. We did some research as to what district we wanted to be in. We were fine with the area we lived in before but I REALLY wanted us to be in Higley district. They were smaller and I felt they were able to offer more. And I was RIGHT!

We didn’t have a redo of our IEP when we moved to Arizona because Ty’s was barely done. So I signed on the dotted line and let them use Utah’s bench marker. We had to change and update stuff throughout the year to work for what Ty actually was at, and I was happy with the changes we made.

IEP rolls around and I get ready to go in. Except I know there will be no tears. His team is amazing. We have made a lot of choices this year and have really gone with him getting an education an actually learning. His “team” last year made me feel like I didn’t know my child and so having someone ( and multiple someones) that truly wants what is best.

SO.. What are we doing next year?

NOTHING!! We are staying and doing exactly what we are doing. OK, we are doing a few things different but I think they are for the better.

So, for the new things.


  • We are adding more keyboard training. We are teaching him to type out his sentences instead of trying to put the flashcards into sentences. He can’t use his arms the way he needs to so why are we forcing something that isn’t there and letting him be behind? We won’t, so we will teach him something else.
  • He is going to start Cane training. It won’t be immediate that he gets it all down. So it will be a gradual thing. He has to figure out left and right and directions. But he can and does maneuver around his school very well and pretty much on his own. He, apparently, just walks around and through everyone where he says "excuse me" and keeps going. So his O & M is going to be in full swing next year. 
  • He struggles a little in math and in money especially. Money is so visual, that he has a hard time not manipulating whoever is helping him. He is GOOD. So we have an activity every night of coins and what is it. (I think he also gets a little confused because his brothers name is the same as a coin! That is the only one he gets right!)
He will still be in the cross category class next year and he will be ( hopefully) in the same class. He LOVES his school and his class. He goes to all the specials, in regular but he gets to play with the same ten people. He likes his little world. I like his little world. 


1 comment:

Grandma Labrum said...

It took me a few minutes to figure out how Grayson's name is a coin.....I don't know a coin named Grayson, nor penny, or dime, or quarter.....Oh, is his middle name "Nichols"? That's it! I'm a but slow these days.