Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Differentiated Instruction....is FUN!


Differentiated Instruction...is FUN!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Steve Moyer: Broward County School Board's top priority must be the kids

Steve Moyer: Broward County School Board's top priority must be the kids

"...the dysfunction that exists in the Exceptional Student Education Department, and the legal department that supports them. While the district has an anti-bully policy regarding students, the ESE and legal department has free rein to bully the families of ESE students at will. The department uses the district's well-oiled and taxpayer-funded inhouse legal firm to support the denial of mandated services, trample civil rights and take the path of least resistance in what, for some students, is little better than babysitting."

"The School Board refuses to see this failure and supports the status quo as the path of least resistance. They may address problems individually, but refuse to act systemically citing "school-based management" as an excuse for their inability to take action."

"The ESE Department continues their habit of quoting non-existent policy or factual inaccuracies in the hope that repetition will make them correct, all the while forgetting that they exist only to serve the students."


READ FULL ARTICLE by clicking on this link: 
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/fl-readers-view-school-board-20130221,0,1615516.story#tugs_story_display


BROWARD SCHOOL BOARD LEGAL DEPARTMENT ARE THE BULLIES AND DON'T CARE ABOUT EDUCATION OF STUDENTS! 

The legal department takes advantage of GOOD PARENTS trying to make sure their child is being EDUCATED. Then the school doesn't talk to you, because your Child's IEP Document is now in a "STAY-PUT." Teachers give minimal collaboration in the first place, but certainly ONCE A PARENT FILES for a DUE PROCESS or FILES A COMPLAINT.....any collaboration that was barely there in the first place stops! 

Broward schools is only interested in taking our Children's ESE MATRIX FUNDS! EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THEIR CHILD "BRINGS INTO THE DISTRICT"....so they know how much our Children are being taken advantage of not only by NOT EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN, but by STEALING THE FUNDS THAT ARE MEANT TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN!

Go on VIRTUAL COUNSELOR and be sure to know what your Child's MATRIX NUMBER IS, that number correlates to a DOLLAR AMOUNT....a good amount  chunk of change $$dollar$$ amount! 

Parents should know and find out what the MATIX FUND dollar $$ amount is WORTH for your Child! Those MATRIX FUNDS, the District USES and then DENIES ESE SERVICES & SUPPORT to our Children that need it.

It is Disgusting to me the amount of LIES so many PROFESSIONALS will do, just to keep their JOBS! It's not about education anymore, it's absolutely about STEALING THE MATRIX FUNDING OUR ESE STUDENTS BRING INTO A DISTRICT! 

BROWARD HAS GOT TO BE THE LEADER IN WASTEFUL ESE MATRIX FUND SPENDING!

The ESE Department does NOT CARE ABOUT THE ESE STUDENTS EDUCATION and absolutely does not care about the ESE parents 'voice!' The ESE Department is glad, in fact ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO FILE, they "dare you to file!!"...and then when parents "FILE", then their "partners" aka the LEGAL DEPARTMENT takes over the ESE Parent BULLYING!! 

The ESE Department and the Legal Department in Broward Schools need a complete transformation of employees! They all cover each others backs, they all want to keep their jobs....on the backs of many many deserving students needing Exceptional Student Education SERVICES & SUPORTS!

My recommendation to ESE PARENTS ~ FILE FILE FILE help make it be known that your child is not getting ESE Services & Supports that you as a parent know your child needs and should be getting at the Public School your child attends.


ESE PARENTS
Just Do It!
FILE A COMPLAINT!
FILE FOR A DUE PROCESS!

READ FULL ARTICLE by clicking on this link: 
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/fl-readers-view-school-board-20130221,0,1615516.story#tugs_story_display

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Little Children & Due Process

Today it's Aniah's day in COURT! Broward School District filed for a Due Process Hearing. Aniah's mother DID NOT AGREE WITH the content of the Psycho-Educational EVALUATION that the school Psychologist wrote up about her. Mom was in disagreement on several things, one mainly being that she was evaluated from the schools perspective as if she were a child with Autism and not a child with Down syndrome.

Mom disagreed with several inconsistencies pertaining to her daughters true academic abilities that the school psychologist had written into the report. So she disagreed with the PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL REPORT and the school district believes it was accurate. Therefore the School District takes the Parent to Due Process!

*Parent requested a second opinion or an IEE=Independent Educational Evaluation at PUBLIC EXPENSE. Parent Request was DENIED!

It has been a Roller-Coaster Ride of emotions and stress to say the least on the entire family. Not only that but a financial burden as well.

Today at the Due Process Hearing, mom took her daughter, Aniah with her to meet the ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE. Aniah was a perfect Angel during the entire proceedings that lasted a few hours. She finally was able to go ask him what his name was and snap a few photos when the Due Process Hearing was over.

Having a school district TAKE YOU TO DUE PROCESS is no fun, absolutely but the "process" is an amazing opportunity for parents & the entire family to learn just how "nasty" the schools legal department can make things on an involved parent, that is advocating for their Child's Education!

Outcome of this Particular Due Process Hearing: Our Children's Individual Educational Planning is NOT UP TO THE DISTRICTS LEGAL & DUE PROCESS DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES!! 

....for the record....we have THAT in writing via the COURT REPORTER on the TRANSCRIPTS from Aniah's Due Process Hearing!


Glad this chapter is over!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

As My ESE World Turns in Broward Public Schools

As My ESE World Turns 
in Broward Public Schools

My Daughter's CIVIL RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED and her Public School Education has become what the ESE Department & the LEGAL Department of our Broward Public School District wants it to be!

I am amazed at how much EVERYONE LIES!! Those that work for Broward County Public Schools have taught or are teaching my daughter! Teachers that I thought cared, care more about keeping their steady paycheck instead of telling the truth under oath! District level Program Specialist who's only real job duty today is...to make sure the "IEP TEAM" does what the ESE Department Administrators want to have happen at a particular IEP 'team' meeting. 

It does not amaze me about ESE Specialist and what they do, cause they have always done whatever they were told to do...they are the Tiny Robots just doing what they are programmed to do...they do as they are instructed! They are the good workers of parent manipulation! The ESE Specialist are the ones doing what they are told to do, they can't help it...they love their jobs! They need that paycheck!! They are the best at being robot like when dealing with ESE Parents! They are good at it too!! I have only met ONE that was 'human' and seemed to care....and that was only because she was new at her job! I don't care how 'nice' an ESE Specialist acts, they are the ones that have to carry out what the ESE Department instructs and demands of them to do!....if they want to keep their jobs!

Do you have AREA PROGRAM SPECIALISTS or now called DISTRICT PROGRAM SPECIALISTS attending and sitting in at everyone of your IEP meetings? It is hoped that this person should know IDEA and the State & Local Laws very well. I have found there are some really Intelligent & Smart Program Specialist that can really be helpful with knowing the Laws and the implications when something is about to change during an IEP meeting. Now it seems there are sometimes two Program Specialist attending our IEP meetings. I have had the pleasure of working with one of the most amazing Program Specialist during my daughter's elementary school years. Definitely needs to be more of the 'good ones' attending our Children's IEP meetings. When one is 'sent' by the ESE Department, a switch out of the one that normally attends your IEP meetings, that almost always smells of trouble on the horizon! Program Specialist can make or break your good intentions when putting together a quality IEP for your Child....because they have the 'final say-so' at the table.  


PARENT LIAISONS ~ Ever heard of a Parent Liaison that was ACTUALLY FOR THE PARENTS CONCERNS? Not in Broward County Florida! That job is given to the one that has the most hardened heart of them all. That person in no way acts in anyway for the parent but most certainly is the final ax when it comes to anything a Parent is trying to add to or help their Child's Individual Education Plan via the IEP 'team' process. This person can do much of their work via a few emails without anyone really noticing, they are also doing what their 'job' requires them to do. Get the job done no matter what!...oh and as an added bonus to their job status, go ahead and piss the parents off as much as you possibly can! "What a Job!" 


I am amaZed at the Total Disregard for the Educational Rights of our Children Today! It's all about how much $$MONEY$$ they 'gleen' from our babies and then not provide a REAL EDUCATION that leads to an Academic Diploma aka the High School Diploma ~ Academic Track. It doesn't amaze me today how bad it has become in not being able to have our Children's IEP Documents written in such a way that even the parent would fully agree to what has been written into their Child's IEP. Instead today it's about the District by way of ESE Support Robots...they attend IEP meeting to do what the District is trying to shove down our throat this time. 

*ESE Parents..."the LESS THAN 1%" out there not happy with 'things'...y'all need to FILL THE ROOM at the KC Wright School Board Building downtown. The mirrored glass building across from the County Courthouse. Starting tog on the corner of SE 3rd Ave. and SE 6th St tomorrow...and continuing to attend the School Board Meetings on a regular basis. Our Voice needs to be hear...in numbers. Not just the same couple of parents, but all of us! 

OUR SCHOOLBOARD MEMBERS ~ They were ALL VOTED IN their positions! When I hear a few of them Speak....I am sickened by how much they have changed so quickly after being VOTED into their positions. They can just as quickly be VOTED OUT!

I am an ESE Parent Not Happy with How Things are Going ~ I Am the Less Than 1%

It is time to stand up for what is right!



Sunday, February 10, 2013

2/5/13 Broward School Board Meeting ~ ESE Parents Speaking Out

BECON-TV Video
M_02-05-2013 

Entire Broward Public School Board Meeting held on Tuesday Feb. 5th, 2013. Several ESE Parents Speaking out at the 2/5/13 School board meeting starts at 116. on the video. 

ESE REFORM is needed now!

Please share this video!

Steps 4 Change is needed now!

https://becon223.eduvision.tv/Default.aspx?q=IsahXh4JBPSXSCmY0VGDVg%253d%253d#

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Broward parents demand more rigor for special-needs students - Schools - MiamiHerald.com

Broward parents demand more rigor for special-needs students - Schools - MiamiHerald.com

Some Broward parents with special-needs children complain the school district pushes their students off the path for a real high school diploma.

BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ
MRVASQUEZ@MIAMIHERALD.COM
In testimony that was at once angry and tearful, a group of Broward mothers told School Board members Tuesday that their special-needs children are being forced into less rigorous classes that don’t result in a standard high school diploma.

The parents insisted their students are capable of earning a regular diploma, but the children are instead placed on the path to a “special diploma” that has little practical use.

Parent Nancy Linley-Harris told board members that the district’s methods of evaluating special-needs students are “toxic” and for parents the process amounts to “being in a war zone for our children.”

Nearly 33,000 special-needs students — with disabilities ranging from minor to severe — attend Broward district schools. In interviews after the parents’ harshly critical public appearance, district leaders stressed that it was only a small group of parents (joined by a few children and other supporters) who were complaining.

School Board Chairwoman Laurie Rich Levinson said thousands of parents with special-needs children “are thrilled with the education they’re receiving.”

“You have, just as you do with anything, some parents who are dissatisfied,” she said.

Some of the upset parents told The Miami Herald they’d been forced to pursue legal action to fight the district.

Linley-Harris said her 14-year-old daughter, Mariah, who has Down syndrome, was placed on the special diploma track last year. Mariah wants to one day become a veterinary technician, and attends Parkway Middle School’s STEM magnet program.

Mariah’s new classes, her mom said, are “a very expensive babysitting service for our kids. They water down the goals.”

Linley-Harris has a pending legal case against the district, alleging her child’s “due process” rights were violated.

Those lawsuits are the last resort for parents unhappy with how their special-needs child is being served by the school system. But Kathrine Francis, executive director of Broward’s Exceptional Student Education department, said there are other ways for parents to resolve disputes with the district.

A simple talk with the child’s school might be enough to solve any problems, Francis said, and when that doesn’t work, the district offers its own in-house conflict-resolution service. Francis said parents filing due process lawsuits represent less than 1 percent of special-needs students served by the district.

Still, Francis said the district is always looking to improve and is conducting a satisfaction survey with special-needs families in the coming months.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/05/3219059/broward-parents-demand-more-rigor.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy


* I tried that "having a simple talk with my Child's school"....6 IEP's later and 1 "in-house conflict-resolution service." (...service?)

This is not what I had in mind this school year to be an INVOLVED PARENT WITH MY DAUGHTER'S NEW SCHOOL & EDUCATION! This level of Advocating for my daughter has taken me away from Volunteering at my daughter's Middle School, like I had plans to do. My school district has not been 'reasonable nor workable'.....throughout all the "simple IEP meetings" that I had a Lawyer with me at everyone! Thank you Disability Rights Florida for helping me get my "sea legs" back and encouraging me to REPRESENT MYSELF in my Due Process. www.disabilityrightsflorida.org

No one can REPRESENT THEIR CHILD BEST THAN THE MOTHER!!! (...or FATHER!!!) I know every detail of the 'chain-of-events' that this districts ESE Department Administrators, Program Specialist, ESE Specialist and my Elementary School Principal has taken me on!! I know my daughter, Mariah is entitled to a WORLD CLASS EDUCATION ...ha!! The SPECIAL DIPLOMA IS NOT SO SPECIAL when it amounts to NOTHING in the real world for my daughter, or anyone's daughter or son for that matter...Who the heck created this SPECIAL DIPLOMA 'track' in Florida? 

I don't believe I am part of the "less than 1%" and I certainly am not, the parent that doesn't care...I DO CARE!! I care so much, last year that I sat on 6 different Advisories, as an ESE "Parent Voice." I am a Special Needs Advocate. I absolutely know what families experience during IEP meetings in Broward and other Florida Districts! What is and has been happening here for so long is going on in the entire State of Florida and beyond! It's a mess everywhere!

I would encourage parents to learn all you can about your CIVIL RIGHTS and the Special Ed Federal Laws, IDEA and become familiar with your State Department of Education Special Education Laws. Attend National Conferences specific to your Child's Disability. Get connected with a group of parents you can relate to and learn from one another. Attend each other's IEP meetings. Wrightslaw is any parents best friend when learning about your Special Ed Rights & IDEA Federal Law. www.wrightslaw.com 

I AM TAKING THE STEPS 4 CHANGE!

Parents claim Broward district denies services to special-needs students

Parents claim Broward district denies services to special-needs students