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Home > Ask the Advocate > 10 Tips about Special Education Placements by Pat Howey |
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Home > Ask the Advocate > 10 Tips about Special Education Placements by Pat Howey |
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10 Tips about Special Education Placements
by Pat Howey
Do Not Put Placement Before the IEP You must have an appropriate IEP before you can get an appropriate placement. Many parents make the mistake of putting the cart (the placement) before the horse (the IEP). IDEA requires all IEPs to include present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(A)(i)) Start by making a grocery list of your child’s present levels of educational and functional performance. Without “present levels” there is no foundation on which to build an IEP. You can list anything that affects your child’s ability to function inside and outside of the school setting! Not every child will need functional goals. You will not know that unless you include present levels of functional performance. The IEP is the Blueprint for Your Child’s ProgramThe IEP is the blueprint the school must use for your child’s program. This includes placement. It all begins with present levels of educational and functional performance. The "present levels" in the IEP guarantees that your child gets the right special instruction, related services, modifications, adaptations, accommodations, assistive technology, or any other needed item. An appropriate IEP answers the following question. "In what setting (placement) can we appropriately put this IEP into action?" If the school does not have an appropriate placement, it must create one. This process sounds simple. But, you may have to work hard to get there. You are the best person to do this. You know your child best. You may have to do these three things.
A Good Placement Begins With an Appropriate IEP To make sure the “blueprint” is appropriate you should follow this process. 1. Make lists of your child's strengths and challenges. These lists are your child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. 2. Study your lists. They will guide you in teaching the team about what your child needs. 3. You will use your lists to help the team develop an IEP that builds on your child's strengths and corrects his areas of challenge. 4. Use information from the first lists (strengths and challenges) to make a third list. Your list should include the following.
5. Use your three lists to help the team create an IEP that prepares your child for
6. IDEA obligates the school to prepare your child for the three things in number five. (20 U.S.C. 1400(d)) 7. When you have your three lists, you are ready to ask the team to meet again to change the IEP. 8. A few days before the meeting give each team member a copy of your list. 10. Remember. You should not look at placement for your child until you complete the IEP! More Tips 10 Tips for a Successful School Year 10 Tips for Schools on Avoiding Confrontation with Parents 10 Tips for Parents: How to Listen to Your Inner Voice 10 Tips for Ending the School Year 14 Tips for Reviewing Your Child's Educational Record Meet Pat Howey
Pat began her advocacy career as a volunteer for the Task Force on Education for the Handicapped (now InSource), Indiana’s Parent Training and Information Center. In 1990, she opened her advocacy practice and served families throughout Indiana by representing them at IEP meetings, mediation, and due process hearings. In 2017, Pat closed her advocacy practice and began working on a contract basis as a special education paralegal. Attorneys in Indiana, Texas, and California contracted with her to review documents, spot issues, draft due process complaints, prepare for hearings, and assist at hearings. In January 2019, she became an employee of the Connell Michael Kerr law firm, owned by Erin Connell, Catherine Michael, and Sonja Kerr. Her duties have now expanded to assisting with federal court cases. Contact Information
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My son has been in special education since pre-school. Some years, his material was too hard. Other years, he was with students who could not read or write. There was no support for him in the general education classroom. I feel like I must choose between his mental health and academics.
