Cindy: Can a school district restrict IEP’s to after school only? I am having IEP meetings for both my daughters and want them back to back so I don’t miss work and the school is not being flexible and state they only have IEP meetings afterschool and only 1 a day? It seems that they can get a substitute for the IEP meeting to cover for the general education teacher.
I am a special education teacher, and I find it difficult to have meetings after my contracted hours. It imposes a hardship on my personal life as I have to arrange dog daycare which is expensive. I thought meetings were supposed to be arranged at a mutually agreeable time. I don’t agree to the stress and hardship that is imposed upon me when meetings go at least an hour or two beyond my contracted hours. What are my rights, if I have any, in this regard? I am in a district where parents are increaslingly recording and inviting advocates and I am expected to accommodate their schedules, but there is no regard for mine. This is extremely stressful. My students are thriving and I am following the IEPs, yet parents require meetings beyond the IEPs.
As a para, my union rep interrupted the IEP meeting that I was attending and reported that the meeting had extended beyond my working hours. I excused myself and left the meeting. Of course, the rep has warned the administrators about keeping paraprofessionals in IEP meetings beyond their contracted hours and the union rep used that meeting to set another example. For some parties, especially parents, after school meetings are convenient for their schedules, but administrators should work with staff before involving them in meetings without proper compensation and time considerations.
That is your job. You can’t even imagine what it’s like dealing with autism or any disability 24/7 on top of the other stresses of life. Boohoo you get the entire summer off.
Our journey as parents of disabled kids is exhausting for sure and I can relate on many levels. It was a full time job and what I call “heavy case management” advocating for my children. I, at times, felt like it was a battle but this forum is so helpful. I gained knowledge and strength and strategies from this forum. When I felt defeated, this forum lifted me up. I was also a para for years and resigned to advocate more for my kids and others. The schools sometimes forget that our children are our “hearts” and the politics and games around special education can send us over the edge. Our children, all children, deserve a chance to grow. Keep contributing to the forum. We can all learn from each other.
I understand its her job but she does get to have a life. Teachers should not have a life until June? Is that what you are saying? We all have lives outside of work and families we want to spend time with. Im sorry but your answer just seems very negative to me.
You realize teachers don’t “get the summer off”…we sign 10 month contracts for the 10 months school is in session and we get paid over the summer because we opt to have our *already low* salaries distributed over 11 or 12 months so that we can have a paycheck over the summer and you know…afford to live.
Being a parent is a 24 hour job. Being a teacher is not. I don’t know of other jobs that ask employers to work outside their regular hours without being compensated. Why should I have to have a meeting on my personal time when it could be held during the school day and my contracted hours?
Because sometimes its not convenient for us parents. We do work too you know. I am really getting fed up with you teachers who think your the only one’s who have lives. I have a right to request a meeting if needed and if it has to be after school so be it.
Kasi, Fuming Parent, You both have good points. Why couldn’t a district budget funds to pay staff when meetings must be held after hours? Funds are budgeted for a lot less important things! Extra pay for coaches; more coaches; raises & expenses for administrators (in some places they get large amounts for housing; in & out of district travel)
Parents can take off work to attend their child’s IEP meeting. Do you insist on making a dentist appointment for your child after the hours that the dental office is is open? Teachers deserve the same courtesy. No wonder there is a shortage of teachers!
How self-centered of you Mikala. You are correct not everyone is in your shoes but we all don’t have to be as miserable as you clearly are, and give up our lives beyond reasonable work hours just because you were dealt a harder set of cards. What a horrible attitude to have towards people who have dedicated their entire lives/careers to helping YOUR child. They don’t have to, what if providers got sick of your very common awful attitude. Parents don’t appreciate how many hours we put into our jobs beyond work hours, continuing education all to help the kids. But yeah wanting set hours is so selfish. Take a look in the mirror. Maybe all providers should go on strike for a few months and maybe then your attitude of entitlement will change.
After a long IEP meeting, we had not finished and I still had questions. My child’s teacher asked can you go ahead and sign this IEP, it is after 4 and I need to go. I am sorry, my day ends at 4. She did this in front of everyone and the principal started laughing. Even he said just sign the IEP. I told them that I had questions that I needed answered. They said they will not be answering my questions. The IEP is done and that is it. I refused to sign the IEP and they implemented it anyway. Please help me?
When I hold an IEP meeting with parent(s), I try to get everything, including all questions completed in our time frame. However, sometimes, we are unable to finish up. I will ask parent(s) for a continuance. This means that we can reconvene at another agreed upon time to finish answering questions and sign IEP. Parent doesn’t have to sign the IEP at first meeting. Your school district needs revamped!
Excellent reply to Norman, Sarah. I can’t imagine a teacher being so unprofessional and the administrator following suit!
They are required to give you an opportunity for “meaningful parent participation” and also “meet at a mutually agreed upon time.” Make sure you are placing everything in writing.
You may nevertheless be able to get them to accommodate your schedule by patiently and repeatedly telling them that their scheduling proposal poses a hardship for you.
That sometimes helps.
This web page answers your questions. After reading through the information it does not appear as though schools are required to schedule meetings at a time when parents can attend (although this is certainly encouraged). The law is very clear, though, regarding the need for parent participation via alternate means:
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/scheduling/