Mari: My school district regularly places special education students in the alternative education independent study school. If the parents complain and threaten to pull their child, they offer it as an option.
The I.S. teachers are not invited to the IEPs. Parents are completely surprised to find that our program is quite rigorous – as it must be by law. It’s designed for older students who work or travel. Parents are responsible to make sure their child completes every assignment on time for the weekly appointment. Usually after their appointment, the sped student sees the resource teacher for 15 minutes. Typically, the student goes from 25 minutes per day of SAI to the measly 15 minutes a week. Shouldn’t a different placement still provide the necessary support?
Can this possibly be legal? Sometimes the parents pull their child from the classroom because they just can’t take the constant phone calls and the hassle of fighting the system – but they usually aren’t prepared to become the teacher and the child gets further and further behind. Is there any part of the law that requires the new placement teacher to come to the IEP? Parents are always caught by surprise. They don’t understand what they’re getting.
This sounds like one of those situations where some high profile local newspaper articles, and presentations at PTA meetings would help raise parents’ awareness. Among other things, they need to be told about Homebound Instruction (if indeed the student needs that) and Inclusion.