Are PARA PROFESSIONALS being trained? If NOT ~ WHY NOT?!!

I am curious if your child has his or her own 1:1 Unique Aide or Para Professional, do YOU know as a parent IF your Child's Aide has actually ever taken any real Training to work with your Child on a daily basis? How would you know? Who do you ask? What kind of training IF they did get any training? Who provides the training IF a training were available? Lots of questions many of us parents have, yet they never get answered..... UNLESS you are a persistently pushy parent like myself and dig deep to find these sorts of things out! I didn't have to go far....I found so much great info on our very own school district ESE Department / FIN Department webpage! It's 'hidden in there'.....but it's there!! I am posting this story in light of all the terrible terrible things that happen to our wonderful children that need the most support to be successful at school.

What has happened in the Hillsborough County School District this past year should never ever should have happened to even just ONE STUDENT! Let's make sure ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE TRAINING those that work with our Children with Unique educational, medical, behavioral and emotional needs. Let's HELP our STAFF HELP our STUDENTS be successful!

What I found from my personal research is this; FIN~Florida Inclusion Network is the department within Broward County School District that's in charge of these types of Para Professional training. They also have a couple of BECON TV Video's that are suppose to go along with the actual training manual. 

How often are the Para Professional's suppose to 'renew or update' their training? ...that I couldn't tell you. If someone is going to be working with your Child, starting from the very first day of school, are they required to take any training before meeting and working with your Child everyday? I would HOPE SO because in one of the video's it even mentions that YES they should! ...but again that I can't tell you. What I CAN TELL YOU is this; that our FIN rep CAN TELL YOU IF your Child's Aide has ever taken the Para Professional Training. If you find out your Child's Para simply has never taken this most basic & simple Para Professional training, can we ask that they do take it? I think we can, we just need to ask the Principal or one of the Assistant Principals that's in charge of the Para Professionals on your Child school campus. Ask if they could please make sure the 1:1 Unique Aide that works with your Child please take the training provided by FIN, in Broward County Public Schools. It should be that simple!

I am posting the actual Para Professional Training here  below in my post, so everyone can see that it's a pretty nice training and the 2 video's that are provided on BECON TV, that are suppose to go along with the FIN training are also pretty good. Are they DISABILITY SPECIFIC? No they are not, but if your Child has some Disability Specific things that need to be known, I don't see why the Principal wouldn't approve of you the parent, that knows your Child the very best to TRAIN or be allowed to talk to the very person that will be the person working with YOUR CHILD everyday....if not....WHY NOT? Why wouldn't the school want the parents of those unique children that need the support of a 1:1 Para Professional provide some basic training to that staff person hired to take care of OUR Child. After all aren't the parents the one that knows that Child the best? If our schools WON'T ALLOW parents to talk to and help make sure the HIRED STAFF know what the heck they are really doing to HELP our Child, I would have to ask......WHY!? I don't think the parents are going to charge the school any money to help TRAIN THE AIDES that will be working with our Children. Why wouldn't the school want to know what the parents have to say? This would be just like parents going over a few things with 'the babysitter' before going out for the evening. How should this be any different? Unless the person hired to work with MY CHILD actually had a Child with the same unique 'special needs'.....which you and I know is very unlikely! Then I would say they need to listen up and pay attention to what the parents would like to be able to share and say to the staff person that will be fully 100% in charge of MY CHILD each and every day when he or she is at school under the school districts care. 

"Paraprofessionals and Inclusive Classrooms" 

"Paraprofessionals are vital members of the support team. "The Paraprofessional's Role in Inclusive Classrooms" is an interactive video resource for paraprofessionals supporting students with disabilities in general education classrooms. The video and print materials were created by West ED, California Department of Education and California State University in San Diego. The video provides introductory information on the roles and responsibilities of paraprofessionals who are supporting students with disabilities in general education elementary and secondary classrooms."

Above was taken from Broward's ESE Department webpage. Click highlighted to go directly to their webpage if you want.

Florida Inclusion Network (FIN)

Supervisor: Gwen Lipscomb

Facilitator: Barbara Krakower

E-mail: barbarakrakower@browardschools.com
Phone Number: (754) 321-2200

Click Here for: 
The PARA PROFESSIONAL MANUAL ANSWER KEY . All the ANSWERS are inserted into the blank spaces. The answers are actually pretty good! I LIKE this Manual and the Answer Key! What it's training is actually pretty good! Now IF we could only make sure ALL our Para Professionals are ACTUALLY TAKING THIS TRAINING the way it was intended! The school administrators and other staff member should be involved in this training as well, a school wide training...why not!? This way it's across the board that there are MORE STAFF that have taken this fabulous training as well. The more that know the information and content of this absolutely wonderful training, the better for more of our Children that we entrust to our schools with protecting and taking care of every school day!

PARA PROFESSIONAL TRAINING MANUAL without the answers inserted in the blanks.

Para Professional's Role in Inclusive Classrooms Part 1* 
Introduction to Inclusion* 
Your Role as a Paraprofessional* 
Working as Part of a Team* 
Communication* 
Social Relationships* 
Teaching New Behavior* 
Positive Reinforcement* 
Challenging Behavior*
Para Professional 
TRAINING VIDEO #1 



Para Professionals's Role in Inclusive Classrooms Video #2 
Introduction(to part 2)* 
Overall Considerations* 
Instructional Strategies* 
Materials and Adaptation Development


Para Professional 
TRAINING VIDEO #2

An ESE teacher, ESE Specialist, or Administrator may choose to facilitate a discussion at the end of each BECON Video Part 1 & 2 to provide supplemental information or information specific to the student being supported. 

For the sake of the safety and support that many of our Children / ESE Students need in order to be successful in school and with their education, I hope this DS Advocate BLOG POST today HELPS many many people, parents, teachers, principals and most of all....Let's get our Para Professional / 1:1 Unique Aides TRAINED!!!! 

PERIOD

*If you are a Principal... 
~ DO THE TRAINING YOURSELF SO YOU KNOW!
*If you are a General Education Diversified Teacher... 
~ DO THE TRAINING YOURSELF SO YOU
 KNOW!
*If you are an ESE SPECIALIST at your school... 
~ DO THE TRAINING YOURSELF SO YOU
 KNOW!

*If you are the staff person hired to work with MY CHILD with Unique Learning, Medical, Behavioral, Emotional Needs... 
~ DO THE TRAINING YOURSELF SO YOU KNOW!

My Due Process Final Orders Online ~ 12-3961E Filed 12.12.12

My DUE PROCESS Final Orders online!
http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7675/urlt/0069820-12-3961.pdf

Want to read about a few DUE PROCESS Final Orders received in Florida? 
January - June 2013 on the FDOE website.
Case Number                 District Order Date
12-3961E (PDF, 234KB) Broward February 28, 2013

12-3961E is my DUE PROCESS Final Orders, that are now PUBLIC! I will be posting the TRANSCRIPTS too!

To read other DUE PROCESS Final Orders between Jan.-June 2013 in Florida click this link:
http://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/dispute-resolution/due-process-hearing-orders/2013.stml
This is the OLD DEAD LINK that was listed on the FDOE website that is now a dead link. I think the FDOE does this every so often to create dead links to documents. http://www.fldoe.org/ese/due-order.asp

In order to fully understand what all the original issues and concerns were and my reason for filing such a long laundry list of IEP/ESE concerns and ultimately led to my filing for a due process in the first place, you may want to read my original email sent to Broward County School Superintendent Robert Runcie in my previous blog post. 

It has been an absolute nightmare navigating the IEP "Process" as it is now operating in Broward Public School District today! 

Parents have had NO VOICE OR SAY-SO in the educational decisions being made for our Children at these often times, contentious and confrontational IEP meetings for our Children.

SB 1108 will create some good changes for parents at the IEP tables in Florida.

Hillsborough Parents Want Better Training for School Employees Working With Disabled

Hillsborough Parents Want Better Training for School Employees Working With Disabled

“We are definitely looking for mandated training, especially for the aides,” she says. “When you pull somebody in out of the cafeteria to become your child’s aide it’s not safe, and it’s not educationally relevant.”

The Para's / Aides absolutely need DISABILITY SPECIFIC Training and the PARENTS are the EXPERTS on their child, the student they are working with. 

Click below for complete news article.
https://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/11/29/hillsborough-parents-want-better-training-for-school-employees-working-with-disabled/

“I have yet to see a segregated classroom that is better than the general education setting.”

“I have spent hundreds of hours in segregated classrooms,” she said. “I have yet to see a segregated classroom that is better than the general education setting.”

I couldn't agree with this more! Click the link below for the full article. 

http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2011/12/20/why-everyone-learns-more-when-students-with-disabilities-are-included/

Why technology for students with Down syndrome?

Why technology for students with Down syndrome?

Encouraging Speech & Language Skills with the use of an iPad, why not? It makes sense! The Speech Therapist are already using the iPad in our Speech & Language Therapies anyway! What a great tool for parents and teachers as well!

Click link below to view a nice PDF doc on this topic.
http://www.dsrf.org/media/SLP%20&%20iPad%20for%20FVDSS%20June%2014%202012.pdf

ESE Protest Rally being held at The Children's Board of Hillsborough County at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 29, 2012

If the treatment of children with disabilities is important to you, please consider attending the Protest Rally being held at The Children's Board of Hillsborough County at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 29, 2012. http://myemail.constantcontact.com/PROTEST-RALLY-IN-SUPPORT-OF-CHILDREN-WITH-DISABILITIES---NOV-29-IN-TAMPA.html?soid=1102546453320&aid=KBG7_qSe4yk   

Click above link to view the PROTEST FLYER

Be sure to CLICK ON THE LINK at the bottom of the PROTEST FLYER to read LOTS more articles pertaining to this issue in Florida! The stories are very sad and a testament that THINGS NEED TO CHANGE AND CHANGE NOW for all our students with Special Needs and how they are or are not educated by our PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 

Maybe it's time for ALL of Florida to WAKE UP on these very real issues that many ESE Parents have been saying all along!! Pass this RALLY INFO on to many others!

A mother pleaded with school board members for ESE review after her daughter almost died

A mother pleaded with school board members for ESE review after her daughter almost died - click to read full story.

Here is another story of an ESE Parent that went to School Board Meeting after School Board Meeting...each time speaking on behalf to CHANGE THE WAY Special Education handled 'things'.....hmmmm this reminds me of someone we have here in Broward County that was doing the same thing before her son 'aged out of the school system'....and yet nothing changes here too.

Parents of Students receiving Special Education Supports and Services, we need to band together and support each other and SPEAK UP about what is really happening or NOT happening with our Children's education! After all, isn't about EDUCATION?

It's about Educating our Children! It's about our Children being safe while attending school. It's about having QUALIFIED teachers and staff that work with our Children.

The 2 deaths that have happened in the Tampa area are a WAKE UP CALL FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY and how Children with Special Needs are Educated!! If 2 deaths have occurred in one School District in Florida, you can bet this is happening across the Nation!

JUST LIKE YOU - A NEW Down syndrome video *SHARE THIS!!

JUST LIKE YOU - DOWN SYNDROME

http://youtu.be/5M--xOyGUX4
PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO WITH OTHERS!

Hillsborough County School District ~ Student with Down syndrome found dead after walking off campus.

Click here for full story about JENNY in Riverview  
"Jennifer had been at the school for about six weeks, Cobbe said. She had very limited verbal skills and could speak only Spanish. Earlier in the day, she had hidden beneath the bleachers and had to be coaxed out by the physical education teacher, Cobbe said. The girl often would run away and hide when she heard strange voices so the sheriff's office had Jennifer's mother walk with searchers, calling out her daughter's name through a bullhorn. The father called other friends and relatives to make sure none had picked up the girl from school." 

She was in a class with 20 Special Needs Students with 6 (SIX) AIDES and the little girls classmates TOLD them that they saw that 'Jenny' walked away....and the SIX....1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 adult aides there to WATCH 20 STUDENTS and not one of them was WATCHING Jenny leave the area as well? Someone should have been paying better attention so they could have at least RUN AFTER HER!!!?? I can't stress enough to those that DON'T HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO WATCH our precious children 24/7! I guess with the 1:3 RATIO for that class of 20 still wasn't enough eyes for Miss Jenny!!

I have sat in on many IEP meetings for families with a child with Down syndrome, having much discussion about the need for an aide for our kiddo's. Parents concerns seem to be viewed as being overly protective or something other than a real concern of our parents for their child's safety while at school. The "IEP team professionals" that work for public school districts more often than not, want to disregard parents pleas for help to make sure their son or daughter is watched more closely because the parents KNOW their child WANDERS OFF and RUNS QUICKLY when they do wander off. Parents KNOW their child the best, parents are the EXPERTS on their child at IEP meetings. IEP meetings many times end without the parents knowing exactly who will be responsible for the safety or our children once they come to school. Many times parents are not allowed to talk or communicate with the child's aide....if they do finally get one. Parents concerns need to be taken seriously. Our children's lives depend on Adults keeping them safe!

Attending advocacy trainings with speakers telling us to make sure you get it written on the IEP about needing an Aide, but for whatever reason our Public School Districts are getting very clever to make sure parents are not able to get 'it written into the IEP document' that their child needs the support of their own aide. This is real folks, safety of ALL students when they leave home to attend school everyday is a real issue more and more today! When certain individuals with certain types of 'special needs' like Autism and Down syndrome, they are more likely to WANDER OFF or LEAVE a classroom or the school campus.

Having had to call the police on a couple of occasions myself because my sweet little girl with Down syndrome was 'missing' for more than 6 minutes was the most helpless feeling a parent should ever have to go thru. I know how blessed and lucky we were that my girl was found, but in this most recent case in Riverview, Florida with Miss Jenny....her parents worst nightmare came true.

I am so sad and so sorry for her parents, family and friends to know that Jenny will not be coming home from school today! 

Prayers to Jenny's family!! 
{{oxoxox}}

Click here for full Bay News 9 article on: Answers sought in Down syndrome girl's death

Just Like You! ~ Cool short video

THANK YOU Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City!! 
This is a PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL short video especially for October being Down syndrome Awareness Month!! 

October is National Down syndrome Awareness Month ~ My Recommendation for Broward County Public Schools

My Recommendations for Broward County Public Schools: Provide training that is ACADEMICALLY meaningful to those that will be working with students that have Down syndrome. 

Our children are not lab experiments to go to school only to have LOGS & CHECK MARKS taken on them for doing every little thing pertaining to how 'they act' while in school.

If only schools staff would track what they are TEACHING ACADEMICALLY to our Children instead of looking for so much "stuff" that they (school teachers, aides, administrators) turn into and create into negative behaviors they then want to focus in on instead of teaching our kiddo's with DS.

School staff are encouraging and creating many of the negative behaviors they are tracking!!

Our children with Down syndrome need sound academic support, not negative 'data' created that only tracks every little move they do.

What about tracking and creating data that shows; WHAT ARE THEY TEACHING TO OUR CHILDREN.

Teachers and all staff working with students with Down syndrome NEED DOWN SYNDROME SPECIFIC TRAINING provided by NATIONAL EXPERTS!

Has anyone from Broward County Public Schools ever attended any Down syndrome National Conventions?

How many teachers and aides actually attend Down syndrome specific training...bet there are more teachers and staff attending and looking into Autism specific training from National experts.

Our students with Down syndrome need academic support with sound researched based practices.

Bring in National EXPERTS to TRAIN this District on, "How to teach students with Down syndrome."

Thanks ~ that would be my recommendation for Broward schools. ....especially those teaching and working with students with Down syndrome. That includes the LEA and AREA PROGRAM SPECIALISTS that attend our children's IEP meetings. THEY NEED THE TRAINING THE MOST because they are the ones CONTROLLING OUR CHILDREN'S IEP MEETINGS TODAY here in Broward County.

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH ~ Let's do something POSITIVE for our Students and their families this month especially!! 

ANOTHER Broward special ed teacher probed = GOOD!!!!!

Broward special ed teacher probed
If any of this is may POSSIBLY happen and go on inside a particular SPECIAL ED CLASS just once....and we only KNOW ABOUT IT because she got caught!!! Curious to know how many times 'co-workers' told the Principal about it. You can TRUST THAT THIS SORT OF THING IS HAPPENING MORE THAN ANY OF US WOULD EVER WANT TO IMAGINE OR BELIEVE!! 

How easy is it for PARENTS of students sitting in CLUSTER CLASSROOMS to have an opportunity to come in and visit, observe, VOLUNTEER in our Children's Cluster Classrooms? Hmmmmm this would be good data to see IF ANY or HOW MANY ESE Parents are ever visiting or volunteering in Cluster or Resource Classrooms. Maybe this would help some of those teachers that are getting OLD and need to go.....those that are showing signs of verbal and physical abuse on ESE Students.

Time for our Children to have CAMERA'S IN ALL SPECIAL ED CLASSROOMS!!!

Click the link above to read the full article. 
POST A COMMENT ~ What to YOU think? 

Read the full article and tell me this allowed every day "OUR CHILDREN" go to school and we TRUST OUR SCHOOLS TO EDUCATE OUR SPECIAL ED CHILDREN IN CLUSTERS??? Get our children into MAINSTREAM classrooms and INCUDE them into REGULAR Classrooms where it's the real world...and not a 'special ed world' that this sort of nonsense goes on more than many want to admit! Parents ....pay attention and inquire, ask, request, continue to ask your Child's teacher(s)....WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR CHILD'S EDUCATION! Get daily notes home that satisify YOU, don't be satisified with the "BEHAVIOR NOTES" the schools want to provide...but request what is your Child doing ACADEMICALLY each day. Make sure you recieve daily notes home pertaining to WHAT your Child did in school that day.


"According to the administrative complaint filed in July, Cohen used "inappropriate restraints to control or manage autistic and exceptional education students" while teaching last year.

The complaint alleges Cohen told one of her students, "you're the cripple, what are you going to do, beat up the retard," referring to a student in a wheelchair.

In another instance, Cohen apparently had the class mock a student who was twirling her hair, the complaint states.

She is also accused of calling a student a "brat" for needing to use the toilet and unplugging the battery cord to a student's wheelchair and then saying, "Who has the power now? I'm the queen of this class and I have the power over you."

Title 1 TUTORING info to come home today or tomorrow

Look for the SES - Title 1 TUTORING Provider brochure to come home in your Child's backpack today 9/19 or tomorrow 9/20. IF you received a letter in the US Mail about a month ago, your Child is then eligible to attend SES=Supplemental Education Services aka TUTORING.

This year it is not based on if your Child is on Free & Reduced Lunch, but based on your Child's FCAT SCORES from last school year!

Call your Child's school front office and ask them if they have received the Title 1 Tutoring info via FED EX today or tomorrow.

Good luck securing Quality Tutoring Services via this wonderful Title 1 Program. Be on the alert for the brochure that will have your Child's name on it if they qualify. Again this is depending on their FCAT Scores from last school year.

If you have any questions pertaining to any of the TITLE 1 PROGRAMS in Broward Public Schools, here is the phone number to the TITLE 1 Office  (754) 321-1400

READ COMMENTS to this Post by clicking the "comments" word below if the comments are not seen. Thanks!

NICE!!! School Board files a Lawsuits on Parents for RECORDING their IEP meetings!!

WOW ~ NICE!!! 
Take a look at what is going on in Jackson County! *West of Tallahassee and North of Panama City, Florida. Parents that record their child's IEP meetings need to pay attention to this In-the-News item for sure!!

The ESE Director there says...."in his 20 years of working in ESE he has never heard of anyone recording IEP meetings"!! I don't believe that for one second! I think maybe that District is out to maybe scare other ESE Parents...so they don't record at IEP meetings, recordings don't lie about what 'was said'. This even smells of RETALIATION on the Parent and the Advocate! I am sure this Parent & Advocate are only trying to do what is in the best interest of the Child and what THE PARENTS would like for their Child....I would think that's WHY they have an Advocate attending their IEP meetings in the first place!

PARENTS NEED TO BE WATCHFUL & KEEP AN EYE ON THIS CASE!! ... as this will trickle down to affect all of us throughout "IEP LAND" here in Florida and beyond.

Click link below here for complete story & news video clip: http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Jackson-County-School-Board-Files-Lawsuits-Against-Stdent-Advocate-169246606.html

Success has a Beginning

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.
Henry Ford

18-22 year olds ~ What IS available to them in School?

Guess this is the NEW THING for ESE Students in Broward Schools. *Living in certain areas of the County only. Please Read and see if you see your son or daughter part of this program once they turn 18 and are still entitled to attend a PUBLIC SCHOOL till the year they turn 22? This may be good for 'some' InD students but certainly not for ALL...so what I want to know is what IS available NOW in our Public Schools for our 18-22 year olds? How about attending one of the fabulous TECHNICAL SCHOOLS or Dog Grooming or VET TECH Training programs, or Early Childhood Training? Are these available to InD eligible students today? ...especially for our InD ESE Students here in Broward County Public Schools....inquiring minds want to know more on this 'new program' and what ELSE is available....today.

Please click the link below and read the entire article and comment and let me know what you think. 

http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102176317197-1127/ARC+Broward+School+for+HIRE.pdf

Hands Off from Kayt Jonsson on Vimeo.

Hands Off from Kayt Jonsson on Vimeo.


Hands Off from Kayt Jonsson on Vimeo.

Placement, Short-and-Sweet ~ NICHCY resource

The National Dissemination Center

Who We Are

NICHCY is the center that provides information to the nation on:

• disabilities in children and youth;
• programs and services for infants, children, and youth with disabilities;
• IDEA, the nation’s special education law; and
• research-based information on effective practices for children with disabilities.

Placement, Short-and-Sweet

Click link below for complete article written by:

NICHCY = GOOD STUFF TO READ & KNOW!!

http://nichcy.org/schoolage/placement/overview

Take up one IDEA

Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.
Swami Vivekananda

IEP "Teams" with NO NAMES!

Great ANOTHER THING Broward ESE Department comes up with to be Parent Friendly & it certainly seems more COLLABORATIVE during the IEP PROCESS!! NOT!!

I would HOPE now with being able to NOT HAVE TO LIST the "school district" side of our parent friendly IEP Teams Via the Parent Participation Forms aka PPF's that PARENTS also will NOT HAVE TO let them know WHO WE WILL BE BRINGING!!! ....like the Newspaper reporter friend of mine or the CAMERA MAN from any number of TV STATIONS with their RECORDING NEWS CREWS!! This could be very good for parents as well cause we too wouldn't have to put OUR NAMES ON THE PPF EITHER!!

Well this just goes to show how COMBATIVE & UNCOOPERATIVE it has become just to hold an IEP Meeting to ensure our children are EDUCATED!

Hmmmm.... will we be able to get PARENT SIGNATURES on our IEP's then?? That has always bothered me that Parents don't have to sign the IEP!! So now will we be able to get the signatures of ALL that attend? What about the EXCUSAL FORM? How do we excuse "NO NAME" IEP Team Member? This is such nonsense!!

Bet this was the brainchild from a corner office on the 9th floor of the KCW Building...always coming up with yet another way to BLOCK ESE PARENTS from having collaborative IEP Meetings. This may be another of a list of BEST PRACTICE POLICIES that can't be produced in writing to us.

BROWARD ESE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO STOP THE UNDER-HANDED SNEAKY NONSENSE!!

How do they go to "work" day after day collecting their paychecks just to keep on keeping on with all their nonsense they "come up with" to keep THE DOORS CLOSED TIGHT ON SO MANY ESE PARENTS-FAMILIES & STUDENTS!!?

Time 4 CHANGE! The Time is NOW!!!
Time to get rid of a FLOOR full of ESE ADMINISTRATORS &amp and some of those Nasty PROGRAM SPECIALIST!!! Most are trained to FIGHT with the Parents!! Nasty some of them are for sure! 

Tell me it isn't true...that Broward ESE Department is going to get away with this......because...why...because "they can~!!?"

BE SURE & CLICK TO READ THE REPLIES & COMMENTS BELOW 

WON'T YOU POST A COMMENT TO MY BLOG POST YOU JUST READ?

Interesting reading from my followers! 

BROWARD ESE ADVISORY 8/29/12 6-9PM 1st Meeting

Put in your Calendar for the 1st 
"Meet and Greet" 2012-2013 School Year!
Broward ESE Advisory Council 
Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 
Piper High School 
6:00PM - 9:00PM
*Meetings will be starting 1/2 hour earlier this year promptly at 6PM

~ School Board member, Robin Bartleman will discuss what has changed in our School District and the challenges ahead for the school year. 

~ Any question concerning Exceptional Student Education and IEP's will be answered by a panel of invited Agencies and ESE Deprtment Staff. 

~ BUS Transportation will be addressed

BROWARD ESE ADVISORY is on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/238143282951552/

If you are unable to attend the meeting the 
Phone Bridge will be available by calling in at:
(754) 321-0810 ID# 978006

*!* IMPORTANT PHONE-BRIDGE CALL-IN INFORMATION  *!*
If your phone does not have a MUTE feature ~ use the #5 button anytime during the conference to mute & unmute yourself or everyone can hear you doing the dinner dishes or the TV volume in the background. Thank you for MUTING the Phone-Bridge Call-in! 

SEE YOU THERE!

Mommie Prayer

Oh Dear Lord please forgive us involved & concerned Mommies for our having the thoughts we have towards those that PreJudge our Children's ABILITIES ....especially towards those in high positions! Forgive me Lord for I have sinned in thought. I pray a hedge of protection & grace around my Mommie friends raising & helping our beautiful children be successful and all they are meant to be. 
AMEN

by Nancy Linley-Harris
Special Ed Parent & Child Advocate
August 23, 2012

CRAZY Broward School BUS Schedules ~ SO WRONG!!

I just got the School BUS Schedule Cards for my 2 children in the mail just now!! PLeaZzzzze tell me WHO is working the bus schedules cause they are both soooo wrong!! Absolutely CraZY!!!! ...and not only the STREETS ARE FAR AWAY from my home but the streets they have listed on the cards are being called by a name the streets are not what they really are called!!! Who is reading the MAPS when putting together our children's bus schedules?

They have Mariah scheduled to be picked up ONE HOUR & 30 MINUTES before school starts!! Not only that they have her needing to walk and be picked up 2 BLOCKS AWAY on the corner of a BUSY in the morning 4 lane DAVIE BLVD!! (All those coming to attend St. Thomas High School and AM Morning Commuters going into Downtown) On the bus card they are calling it EBOUND PETERS Road!! Her school is maybe a 10 minute car ride away from our home! 

She has ESE Bus Support and details clearly and specifically written into her IEP in that little box which is totally being disregarded and not being considered at all! NONE of her IEP was considered! She has DOOR-TO-DOOR Closest Safest Stop written into her IEP.

*Broward is Out of Compliance.....AGAIN!!

Well guess we will be passing on the school bus transportation this year, the hassle is SO NOT WORTH IT ANYMORE!!! I am not up to dealing with all the BULLSHIT that comes with using the Public School Buses...especially the ESE Buses here in Broward County!! I am not willing to deal with the blatant disrespect anymore either, that I witnessed everyday from the ESE Bus DRIVERS & ESE Bus Aides and they all 'get away with it' on a daily basis! 

NOT DOING ANY OF IT THIS YEAR!! I was very patient dealing on a daily basis with Mariah's ESE bus people ALL last year!! Her bus aide last year would NEVER say good-morning or a simple hello to her and daily would GRAB & YANK Mariah's backpack off her shoulder before my daughter ever put her foot on the first bus step! It was sickening to watch everyday! I complained about it, but nothing changed....and that was her ESE Bus Aide helping and 'assisting' my daughter? THAT WAS NOT what was written on my daughter's IEP for that kind of assistance. Do any of these Bus people ever READ that little bit of information that we FIGHT to even get written into our children's IEP documents under Transportation?

I have no more patience for any of the disrespect and nonsense anymore!!

My High School son has been using the CITY BUS for the past two years. NO COMPLAINTS getting him to and from his school on time everyday! NO HASSLES & DISRESPECT from the Bus Driver...ever! City Bus Drivers TALK to you!

Tell me ~ do you have ESE Bus concerns? Post a comment and SHARE your positive experiences and not-so-positive experiences with using the Public School Bus Transportation.

*Here is what WSVN had to say about the BUS CARDS and Parents being upset with not knowing accurate pick up and drop off information for the start of school tomorrow. (Click link below)
http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21008311264392/broward-parents-upset-for-lack-of-school-bus-info/

EVERYONE ~ HAVE A GREAT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Another recent article pertaining to Broward's Bus situation. 
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/education/highered/fl-broward-school-buses-runcie-20120824,0,7556040.story#tugs_story_display

*Be sure to look for the teeny tiny link just below here to read the COMMENTS to this post. I don't know why I can't get the COMMENTS to be visible.

Robert Pio Hajjar ~ Motivational Speaker with Down syndrome

Robert Pio Hajjar, Founder IDEAL-WAY.ca, opens Best Buddies Regional Conference 2009 in Hamilton, Ontario.

GET INVOLVED & STAY INVOLVED IN EDUCATION

GET INVOLVED & STAY INVOLVED in EDUCATION THIS YEAR!!! ~ Sign Up & VOLUNTEER at your favorite or not so favorite school this year! Our Children NEED PARENTS to GET INVOLVED IN EDUCATION! Do Your Part & Volunteer consistently & regularly! 

Fill out this ONLINE FORM so you can become a Broward Schools Parent Volunteer!


Click link below:  http://www.browardschools.com/sbbc_volunteer/VolunteerForm.aspx

Audrey Wagnon ~ BEAUTIFUL GIRL with Down syndrome!

Audrey Wagnon, Self-advocate on Down syndrome. Explains her view of Down syndrome and life lessons for all of us. Full clip from the heartwarming documentary Dakota's Pride http://dakotaspride.org/. She is part of The B.E.S.T. Troupe www.thebestnetwork.org. diversity

AMENDING an ANNUAL IEP without holding an IEP

When the IEP Team Meets ~ click to read great www.NICHCY.ORG resource about IEP meetings.


Great info on AMENDING an Annual IEP 

New Provisions in IDEA 2004: Amending the IEP Without Meeting

(4) Agreement. (i) In making changes to a child’s IEP after the annual IEP Team meeting for a school year, the parent of a child with a disability and the public agency may agree not to convene an IEP Team meeting for the purposes of making those changes, and instead may develop a written document to amend or modify the child’s current IEP.

(ii) If changes are made to the child’s IEP in accordance with paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section, the public agency must ensure that the child’s IEP Team is informed of those changes.

(5) Consolidation of IEP Team meetings. To the extent possible, the public agency must encourage the consolidation of reevaluation meetings for the child and other IEP Team meetings for the child.

(6) Amendments. Changes to the IEP may be made either by the entire IEP Team at an IEP Team meeting, or as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, by amending the IEP rather than by redrafting the entire IEP. Upon request, a parent must be provided with a revised copy of the IEP with the amendments incorporated. [§300.324(a)(4)-(6)]

http://nichcy.org/schoolage/iep/meetings#nomeeting 
*Click above link to read entire article and reference resource.

22nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

http://www.disabilityrightsflorida.org/newsroom/story/22nd_anniversary_of_americans_with_disabilities_act_june_26_2012

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

This is from one of my favorite websites ~ Spelling City www.SpellingCity.com GREAT for Spelling homework, Spelling testing and so much more! 
http://www.spellingcity.com/individuals-with-disabilities-education-act.html#.Tyv5-L83Auc.blogger

How Many Days After Signing the IEP Can It Be Revised?

How Many Days After Signing the IEP Can It Be Revised? 
Broward has made it so there is no need for parent signatures to the IEP. Yes we sign a form agreeing to attend an upcoming IEP, but we do not sign the IEP document when it is finished. The Parent Participation Form aka PPF is the only thing we sign in Broward. We sign it and agree to attend only. Amending the IEP / Revising the IEP after an IEP meeting? Let's see how that works here in Broward.
Wrightslaw.com has all the answers and lots of great suggestions, but to get a stubborn school district ESE Department to do the right thing here is next to impossible. 


http://jezebel.com/5928471/10+month+old-girl-with-down-syndrome-will-be-the-face-of-designers-swimwear-ads Click link for complete article.

Thank you John Anton for being you!!

Determination Trumps Down Syndrome | WCVB Home - WCVB Home Please click this link to see what John Anton is doing! He is an inspiration to all of us raising a child with Down syndrome. 


THANK YOU JOHN ANTON for doing what you are doing and just being you!

IEP Meetings and Changes to the IEP

Individualized Education Program (IEP), 
Team Meetings and Changes to the IEP


U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education 
IDEA Regulations
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) TEAM MEETINGS AND CHANGES TO THE IEP
(See also Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Secondary Transition)


The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was signed into law on Dec. 3, 2004, by President George W. Bush. The provisions of the act became effective on July 1, 2005, with the exception of some of the elements pertaining to the definition of a “highly qualified teacher” that took effect upon the signing of the act. The final regulations were published on Aug. 14, 2006. This is one in a series of documents, prepared by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education that covers a variety of high-interest topics and brings together the regulatory requirements related to those topics to support constituents in preparing to implement the new regulations.1 This document addresses significant changes in final regulatory requirements from preexisting regulations regarding IEP Team meetings and changes to the IEP. 


IDEA Regulations


1. Identify the members of the IEP Team.


The public agency must ensure that the IEP Team for each child with a disability includes:
• The parents of the child;
• Not less than one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment);
• Not less than one special education teacher of the child, or where appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child;
• A representative of the public agency (who has certain specific knowledge and qualifications);
• An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results and who may also be one of the other listed members;
• At the discretion of the parent or the agency, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and
• Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability.


In accordance with 34 CFR 300.321(a)(7), the public agency must invite a child with a disability to attend the child’s IEP Team meeting if a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals for the child and the transition services needed to assist the child in reaching those goals under 34 CFR 300.320(b).
[34 CFR 300.321(a) and (b)(1)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(B)]


2. Identify instances when an IEP Team member may not need to attend. 


A member of the IEP Team described in 34 CFR 300.321(a)(2) through (a)(5) is not required to attend an IEP Team meeting, in whole or in part, if the parent of a child with a disability and the public agency agree, in writing, that the attendance of the member is not necessary because the member's area of the curriculum or related services is not being modified or discussed in the meeting.


A member of the IEP Team described in 34 CFR 300.321(a)(2) through (a)(5) may be excused from attending an IEP Team meeting, in whole or in part, when the meeting involves a modification to or discussion of the member's area of the curriculum or related services, if:
• The parent, in writing, and the public agency consent to the excusal; and
• The member submits, in writing to the parent and the IEP Team, input into the development of the IEP prior to the meeting.
[34 CFR 300.321(e)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(C)]


3. Provide for inviting representatives from the Part C system.


In the case of a child who was previously served under Part C of the IDEA, an invitation to the initial IEP Team meeting must, at the request of the parent, be sent to the Part C service coordinator or other representatives of the Part C system to assist with the smooth transition of services.
[34 CFR 300.321(f)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(D)]


4. Require that the notice inform parents of other IEP Team participants.


The notice required under 34 CFR 300.322(a)(1) (regarding an IEP meeting), among other things, must inform the parents of the provisions in 34 CFR 300.321(a)(6) and (c) (relating to the participation of other individuals on the IEP Team who have knowledge or special expertise about the child), and 34 CFR 300.321(f) (relating to the participation of the Part C service coordinator or other representatives of the Part C system at the initial IEP Team meeting for a child previously served under Part C of the IDEA).
[34 CFR 300.322(b)(1)] 


5. Revise requirements for when transition content must be included in an IEP meeting notice.


For a child with a disability beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, the notice required under 34 CFR 300.322(a)(1) (regarding an IEP meeting), among other things, must:
• Indicate that a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals and transition services for the child, in accordance with 34 CFR 300.320(b) and that the agency will invite the student; and
• Identify any other agency that will be invited to send a representative.
[34 CFR 300.322(b)(2)] 


6. Set forth provisions regarding consideration of Individualized Family Services Plans (IFSPs) for children aged three through five.


In the case of a child with a disability aged three through five (or, at the discretion of the State educational agency (SEA), a two-year-old child with a disability who will turn age three during the school year), the IEP Team must consider an IFSP that contains the IFSP content (including the natural environments statement) described in section 636(d) of the IDEA and its implementing regulations (including an educational component that promotes school readiness and incorporates pre-literacy, language, and numeracy skills for children with IFSPs under 34 CFR 300.323 who are at least three years of age), and that is developed in accordance with the IEP procedures under Part B. 


The IFSP may serve as the IEP of the child, if using the IFSP as the IEP is consistent with State policy and agreed to by the agency and the child’s parents.


In implementing these IFSP provisions, the public agency must provide to the child’s parents, a detailed explanation of the differences between an IFSP and an IEP. If the parents choose an IFSP, the public agency must obtain written informed consent from the parents.
[34 CFR 300.323(b)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(2)(B)]


7. Require that the IEP be accessible to teachers and others responsible for its implementation. 


Each public agency must ensure that:
• The child’s IEP is accessible to each regular education teacher, special education teacher, related services provider, and any other service provider who is responsible for its implementation; and
• Each teacher and provider described in this provision, is informed of his or her specific responsibilities related to implementing the child’s IEP and the specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided for the child in accordance with the IEP.
[34 CFR 300.323(d)] 


8. Address the IEP for a student who transfers to a different school district in the state. 


If a child with a disability (who had an IEP that was in effect in a previous public agency in the same State) transfers to a new public agency in the same State, and enrolls in a new school within the same school year, the new public agency (in consultation with the parents) must provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to the child (including services comparable to those described in the child’s IEP from the previous public agency), until the new public agency either adopts the child’s IEP from the previous public agency, or develops, adopts, and implements a new IEP that meets the applicable requirements in 34 CFR 300.320 through 300.324.
[34 CFR 300.323(e)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(2)(C)(i)(I)]


9. Address the IEP for a student who transfers from another state.


If a child with a disability (who had an IEP that was in effect in a previous public agency in another State) transfers to a public agency in a new State, and enrolls in a new school within the same school year, the new public agency (in consultation with the parents) must provide the child with FAPE (including services comparable to those described in the child’s IEP from the previous public agency), until the new public agency conducts an evaluation pursuant to 34 CFR 300.304 through 300.306 (if determined to be necessary by the new public agency) and develops, adopts, and implements a new IEP, if appropriate, that meets the applicable requirements in 34 CFR 300.320 through 300.324.
[34 CFR 300.323(f)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(2)(C)(i)(II)]


10. Address transmittal of records for students who transfer.


To facilitate the transition for a child described in 34 CFR 300.323(e) and (f) (who transfers within the State or from another State), the new public agency in which the child enrolls must take reasonable steps to promptly obtain the child’s records, including the IEP and supporting documents and any other records relating to the provision of special education or related services to the child, from the previous public agency in which the child was enrolled, pursuant to 34 CFR 99.31(a)(2) (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)) and the previous public agency in which the child was enrolled must take reasonable steps to promptly respond to the request from the new public agency.
[34 CFR 300.323(g)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(2)(C)(ii)]


11. Add a new provision for AMENDING the IEP without another meeting. 


In making changes to a child’s IEP after the annual IEP Team meeting for a school year, the parent of a child with a disability and the public agency may agree not to convene an IEP Team meeting for the purposes of making those changes, and instead may develop a written document to amend or modify the child’s current IEP. 


If changes are made to the child’s IEP in accordance with 34 CFR 300.324(a)(4)(i), the public agency must ensure that the child’s IEP Team is informed of those changes.
[34 CFR 300.324(a)(4)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3)(D)]


Changes to the IEP may be made either by the entire IEP Team at an IEP Team meeting, or as provided in 34 CFR 300.324(a)(4), by amending the IEP rather than by redrafting the entire IEP. Upon request, a parent must be provided with a revised copy of the IEP with the amendments incorporated.
[34 CFR 300.324(a)(6)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3)(F)]


12. Encourage consolidation of IEP meetings. 


To the extent possible, the public agency must encourage the consolidation of reevaluation meetings for the child and other IEP Team meetings for the child.
[34 CFR 300.324(a)(5)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3)(E)]


13. Provide for the review and, as appropriate, revision of the IEP.


Each public agency must ensure that, the IEP Team reviews the child’s IEP periodically, but not less than annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved and revises the IEP, as appropriate, to address:
• Any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general education curriculum, if appropriate;
• The results of any reevaluation;
• Information about the child provided to, or by, the parents, as described under 34 CFR 300.305(a)(2) (related to evaluations and reevaluations);
• The child’s anticipated needs; or
• Other matters.


In conducting a review of the child’s IEP, the IEP Team must consider the special factors described in 34 CFR 300.324(a)(2) (development of the IEP).


A regular education teacher of the child, as a member of the IEP Team, must, consistent with 34 CFR 300.324(a)(3) (participation of regular teacher in development of the IEP), participate in the review and revision of the IEP of the child.
[34 CFR 300.324(b)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(4)]


14. Authorize alternative means of meeting participation.


When conducting IEP Team meetings and placement meetings pursuant to subparts D and E of Part 300, and carrying out administrative matters under section 615 of the IDEA (such as scheduling, exchange of witness lists, and status conferences), the parent of a child with a disability and a public agency may agree to use alternative means of meeting participation, such as video conferences and conference calls.
[34 CFR 300.328] [20 U.S.C. 1414(f)]


1 Topics in this series include: Alignment With the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act; Changes in Initial Evaluation and Reevaluation; Children Enrolled by Their Parents in Private Schools; Discipline; Disproportionality and Overidentification; Early Intervening Services; Highly Qualified Teachers; Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities; Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team Meetings and Changes to the IEP; Individualized Education Program (IEP); Local Funding; Monitoring, Technical Assistance and Enforcement; National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS); Part C Amendments in IDEA 2004; Part C Option: Age 3 to Kindergarten Age; Procedural Safeguards: Surrogates, Notice and Consent; Procedural Safeguards: Mediation; Procedural Safeguards: Resolution Meetings and Due Process Hearings; Secondary Transition; State Complaint Procedures; State Funding; and Statewide and Districtwide Assessments. Documents are available on the IDEA Web site at: http://IDEA.ed.gov.


http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CTopicalBrief%2C9%2C