Christina: Our previous school district made an agreement with the school district my son attends. He has been there 2 years and has done a complete 180. However, his old district was absorbed and he is now a part of a new district. They maintain his IEP. At the last IEP meeting they wrote than my son will be attending their school and that they can provide the same services. We refused to sign the IEP because we do not agree with this. His major deficits are social integration and building peer relationships. He finally has friends this year in 6th grade. Our private psychologist wrote a letter to the powers involved that this would be detrimental to his progress and increase depression and anxiety. The only person that wants to move him is the player at the other school. It’s all about the money!!!!! not what is best form him What happens when the district in control goes against the rest of the team?? Are we powerless?
How similar is the new program to the old one? If they’re fundamentally the same, you have little recourse under IDEA.
If the programs are fundamentally different, you do have the same rights you would have in any dispute with the Team. You can ask to meet again with the Team or someone else with the district, to try to work it out. You can request Mediation, a Due Process Hearing, and any other process offered in your state..
You also can exercise your child’s “stay put” rights. This means that your child will remain in his current program until the dispute is resolved. Do note that states apply “stay put” differently. In some states, parents can assert stay put during any type of resolution process. In most states, unfortunately, it only applies for the duration of a due process hearing.
Your local parent center can help you understand this right and other options you have (http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/).