A REAL High School Diploma ~ Now we're Talking!!

*Click on Photo above to enlarge photo.

SB 850 2014 ~ Florida

STANDARD DIPLOMA for Students with Disabilities!!!!!!!! 

Now maybe it's safe to go back to Public Education! 

*BTW ~ THANK YOU to EVERYONE that has Advocated Hard On The Steps 4 CHANGE!!! Today there is New Progress with the MIND-SET & LAWS in the EDUCATION BUSINESS pertaining to our many Students with UNIQUE ABILITIES and their RIGHT TO EARN A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA!!!

THANK YOU FLORIDA ADVOCATES!!

Nancy Linley-Harris 

August 8th, 2014 

Here is the link to the PDF Doc. that explains about SB 850 Click highlighted link below here:

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-7134/dps-2014-136.pdf

Nancy's doing the HaPpY Dance...the HaPpY Dance!!!

Can't wait to see how IEP meetings DO THINGS NOW!!!! Maybe it's Safe to have Mariah Elizabeth attend a Broward County Public Schools again?? Nahhhhhh not yet!! We're having too much Fun doing things OUR WAY right now! Not ready to go thru the IEP Process again....yet.

God Bless everyone during your 2014-2015 school year IEP meetings! 

This is BIG CHANGE to the Mindset and maybe the attitude of some, I hope so anyway. I know a few people that should now be BLUSHING IN SHAME for the way many of our students have been shamefully NOT Educated to Learn & Earn a REAL High School Diploma! I know that's all I have ever thought my children would Graduate with! 

Dreams really do come true folks!!

SB 850 The year of the "PLSA's" ~ Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts & No More WORTHLESS High School Diplomas!

Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts

~The money is going to go to Parents who have REJECTED FAPE??? 
Are you kidding me? 
What most Parents of Students with Disabilities want IS FAPE!! Parents prepare as best they can to go to IEP meetings prepared to help their Child get the Support & Services they know their Child needs, then the FIGHT BEGINS!!! Parents have to learn how to Advocate and do a quick-study to be almost like a lawyer for their child at what begins the gut wrenching IEP meetings. Expecting and hoping to just get a well written IEP that MAKES SENSE!! Especially for our Children with the most significant learning challenges.

I WOULD NEVER REJECT A FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION for my Children!!!...but the District can FIGHT ME TOOTH AND NAIL at every meeting! Just t FIGHT ME in Due Process, State Complaints and OCR Complaints and say that these Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts will be going to those Parents that REJECTED FAPE at their Public School. 

Public Education for ESE across the State should stop playing the absolute pure nonsense games and trickery that goes on at too many "THE IEP TEAM" Meetings. Schools need to provide Parents and the students rights to IDEA....without so much fighting and fussin and going to court over...oh goodness this stuff makes me angry!

As an Advocate for 12 years, listening to way too many phone calls from hurt and frustrated parents calling to tell me what was or wasn't happening to their child and what is going on at their child's school

What happened to me personally, as a parent wanting to help my daughter get a good education.~
~ I didn't reject FAPE!!! 
~ I rejected the LOW EXPECTATIONS from staff and teachers at her new Middle School.
~ I rejected the BAD PLACEMENT the school wanted for my child.
~ I rejected the idea of EXCLUDING her from ever sitting in General Education Classroom again. 
~ I rejected DENYING her right to her STEM Class, which they all knew was her FAVORITE CLASS!
~ I rejected the schools out-dated practices.
~ I rejected the IEP TEAM that seemed to have the Districts Blessings to PUSH & BULLY me thru 10 IEP meeings in a 7 month time span! 
~ I rejected their idea to FORCE my child off receiving a Standard Diploma at Graduation!
~ I rejected the STRESS it was causing to our entire family.
~ I rejected the hurt it caused to my daughter.
~ I rejected the PURE NONSENSE and the unfriendly staff that was out to TAKE AWAY from my daughter's education.

It's really sad when families feel they are being forced out of the Public School System and "FAPE", because IDEA is NOT always provided! So if it's not being provided anyway...if a family decides to homeschool or enroll in a Private school, what are they walking away from...really? The McKay Scholarship has been a GIFT for us to find a school where we felt welcomed and my children feels VALUED & RESPECTED!

There are schools that provide a RICH QUALITY EDUCATION that provides for the Whole Child and that includes the Family too! Making families feel welcomed and including them in educational decisions shouldn't have to be a fight.  

If we hadn't filed for our INTENT to use the McKay Funds during a certain time period then the PLSA/Personal Learning Scholarship Account would be available. Not all Parents can access the McKay Funds for whatever reason. So the PLSA's are going to help those children.

Parents want to TRUST Schools & Teachers to do the right things and provide IDEA at the very least. 

Quoted from: 
JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK, TIMES STAFF WRITER
Blog: The Gradebook

Special education advocates offer different perspective on Florida voucher plan.

"However, on the last day, many of the terms recommended by CEES that had been included in the vastly different versions of this voucher bill for the entire Session evaporated in one amendment placed on a totally different bill. The new bill (SB 850) would greatly benefit some parents and students while potentially injuring the ability for others to receive the services they deserve and leading to predictable fraud and abuse. A total of $18.4 million was allocated to provide these new services, primarily to students whose parents had already rejected receiving FAPE through their public schools. More than six times the “new” money was allocated for these vouchers than was provided as an increase for the ESE Guaranteed Allocation."

http://www.tampabay.com/resources/documents
The organization had other concerns, not often heard, on issues including funding, diplomas and testing.~ Read the full summary here./2014/06/Final_CEES_2014_Session_Report__3_.pdf

SESSION OVERVIEW
http://www.tampabay.com/resources/documents/2014/06/Final_CEES_2014_Session_Report__3_.pdf

FL Gov. Rick Scott signs into law Personal Learning Accounts ~ THIS IS GREAT NEWS!!

FL Gov. Rick Scott signs school choice expansion bill 

Good move Florida Gov. Rick Scott!! Because of signing into law SB 850, more families will now have the option to send their children to Private schools, especially when things aren't always going so well at Public schools.

Click the link below to read a really well explained news article pertaining to the new Senate Bill 850.
http://www.redefinedonline.org/2014/06/scott-signs-school-choice-legislation/

Florida Establishes Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts ~ Governor Scott Signs Bill Giving Families More Choices for Students with Special Needs - Read more at: 
http://excelined.org/news/8855/#sthash.bED1wbCW.dpuf

From ~ Florida Politics Blog
After daylong standoff, Legislature sends Gov. Rick Scott a school-voucher expansion
By Aaron Deslatte
Tallahassee Bureau Chief
May 2, 2014

Senator Gardiner like our family, is raising a child with Down syndrome. For our children to be successful in life, a good education is a must! Sen.Gardiner said, 
"(SB 850) that also creates "personal learning accounts" for special-needs students and abolishes "special diplomas" -- a priority of incoming Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, who has said the diplomas are worthless and wants universities to instead work to develop better technical training.

"That's pretty important to me," Gardiner said.

Thank you, Senator Gardiner for standing up for what should already be for our Children with Down syndrome and students with UNIQUE ABILITIES! YES!!! This is such an important Law for so many people!! 

http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2014/jun/19/nan-rich/vouchers-take-3-billion-out-public-schools-nan-ric/

Where's the Advocate today?

NICHCY no longer being funded by OSEP...WHY?

I went to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) website this morning and was surprised to see that NICHCY is no longer being funded by U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)

WHY? 
Why would OSEP not want to continue funding this resource for us? 

Be sure to visit the NICHCY website and save some of the resources for future reference. Great resourse for anything and everything pertaining to Individual Education Plans (IEP's)

The site will "be open" until September 30, 2014.

http://nichcy.org/schoolage/iep/iepcontents

*below is the notice I received when I visited the NICHCY website this morning.

NOTICE: The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) is no longer in operation. Our funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) ended on September 30, 2013. 

Our website and all its free resources will remain available until September 30, 2014.

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) has provided information and resources to the nation on disabilities in children and youth for many decades. On September 30, 2013, however, our funding from the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education ended. 


This rich website and all its free resources will remain available until September 30, 2014. We encourage you to explore our website and collect any resources that may assist you in serving children and youth with disabilities. 

*See the New IDEA Website

SURVEY ~ PT & OT ~ ESE Services in Florida Public Schools

Take the Florida PT & OT Survey! 
PT & OT ~ ESE Services in Florida Public Schools

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3DW85N7 
Click here to take survey

Share and Pass this survey on! 
Post it to your FB page and let others know about it.

Thank you,

DS Advocate
http://www.dsadvocate.com/

Parents upset at common core forum's 4PM start time

Parents upset at common core forum's start time
Well at least the State of Florida Department of Education held 3 PUBLIC COMMENT FORUMS across the entire State. 
(*click on highlighted link to play video)

The PUBLIC COMMENT Forum held in Broward County was scheduled at 5PM till 8PM I believe. There were 111 Speakers SIGNED UP to provide PUBLIC COMMENT and our Commissioner of Florida Department of Education stayed till the very last speaker spoke! That was till about 11PM that night! I have to say she was concerned to hear from ALL OF US THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK and I appreciate that. I would have liked to see more than just 3 Public Comment Forums held around the State so that some people didn't have to drive from 4 hours away to attend after a full day of working as one Florida school teacher did.



I know this video is about 'what time' of the day (4PM-6PM) the public comment meeting was being held in Albany, New York. The person in the video said, she feels it's like they really DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY by the time that it was set for and with only 3 days notice!!!

I have seen over the years...this is how they do things. Short notice, not enough of the meetings being held across the State so people don't have to travel hours to get to a meeting. 

People ~ Educate yourselves on exactly what this COMMON CORE that's being talked about like a wildfire out of control!! It's like a Choo Choo Chooooo Train that is coming to town, so get out of the way!! Coming to a Town near you!!

In FLORIDA ~ Here is a GREAT RESOURCE FACEBOOK PAGE to help educate yourselves on all the hoopla-la on Common Core and why we need to:
STOP COMMON CORE IN FLORIDA!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Common-Core-in-Florida/516780045031362

"Mariah speaks" ~ Before Broward County Public Schools over the Summer on July 23rd, 2013.

Mariah speaking before Broward County Public Schools over the Summer on July 23rd, 2013. M_07_23_2013 Her speech although unclear, was provided in writing to the Superintendent and all the School Board members so they knew what she spoke about at the podium. 

Mariah speaking before the School board over the Summer was something she wanted to do....by herself, without me standing next to her. She and I discussed what should she talk about if she was no longer a Broward County Public School Student. I withdrew Mariah from Public education in Broward before the school year ended on May 24th, 2013.

I didn't give up on Public Education... 

...Broward Public Education 

GAVE UP ON MARIAH!!

Although I filed a State Complaint pertaining to her school holding an illegal 10th IEP ~ 4 days after she had been withdrawn from attending Broward schools and was no longer a Student in this district. Naturally, I lost the State Complaint.....enough is enough of the games this school district and the State has put me thru in my trying to secure a 'real education' for my daughter, Mariah. 

This video provided by BeconTV is the entire July 23th, 2013 School Board Meeting. The Pubic Speakers begins on the Video at 143:00 with School board Chair, Laurie Rich-Livenstein opening the meeting for Public comment. Mariah is called as the first Public Speaker. To see the beginning of where Mariah starts go to 144:00 on the Video. I speak just after Mariah at 148:50 on the Video. 

It is worth a watch to see the other Public Speakers at this Summer Broward County School Board Meeting.

I am so proud my daughter wants to SPEAK OUT and become a Public Speaker. What she has to say is worth hearing. 

Written below is Mariah's actual July 23rd, 2013 Speech she spoke before Broward School Board meeting.

Hi !!

*Pause & SMILE

My name is Mariah Harris, I am 14 years old and in the 6th Grade.

I am in the Nova  U-Na-Ver-ciTy  School of the ARTS Drama Camp. I am a dancer, singer, actress and will be in the Disney MULAN show August second. I have teachers and helpers that support and BELIEVE IN ME! Want to come see me on the stage at the EP-STEEN Center?

I went to Horse Camp for 2 weeks and had a lot of FUN! FIRE is the name of my horse. I met new friends that liked me and BELIEVED IN ME at the Ranch!

I am on the SWIM TEAM at River Land Pool. Back Stroke is my best stroke. I Like doing Free Style and I'm learning the Butterfly. I love going to Swim practice every day! My Coaches BELIEVE IN ME!

I love going to the Movies and Cooking.

I am having a Great Summer.

I need people to BELIEVE IN ME and see that I CAN do it!

Do not JUDGE me because I have Down syndrome!

I am Mariah Harris, I love school and I'm a good student!

I have always been fully IN-CLUDed with an adult to help me.

BELIEVE IN and IN-CLUDE more students with Down syndrome in all of our schools!!

Have a good day!

Thank you very much.

SMILE

Mariah Harris

321funlife@gmail.com

"Mariah speaks" ~ Before Broward County Public Schools over the Summer on July 23rd, 2013.

New law aids parents of special needs children in dealing with school districts Marlene Sokol, Times Staff Writer Saturday, July 20, 2013

New law aids parents of special needs children in dealing with school districts
Marlene SokolMarlene Sokol, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 20, 2013 11:07am
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/new-law-aids-parents-of-special-needs-children-in-dealing-with-school/2132375

Broward Schools Workshop on ADVISORIES held on 6/26/2013

W_06_26_2013: SBBC workshop held on June 26th, 2013 at the KCW Bldg downtown across from the Broward County Courthouse.

Broward School Board Meeting held on June 25th, 2013 ~ BeconTV

M_6_25_2013
Click above link to view the Broward School Board Meeting held on Tuesday June 25th, 2013.

Segregation is still alive as a: Tampa mom fights to keep her son with Down syndrome in his neighborhood school!

Tampa mom fights to keep her disabled son in his neighborhood school

This advocate mom, Roberta Moore and her 10 year old son, who is also a student with Down syndrome, just like my daughter, Mariah is up against the SAME THING that I have been experiencing here in Broward Public Schools as well! It's parents like us with children like ours that are being DISCRIMINATED against on so many levels in the Public Education System, especially here in Florida. I have spoke before my school board, several times. This same thing is happening to so many students...everywhere! 

In Tampa, Roberta Moore attended an IEP and was absolutely against what was being suggested for her son's placement for his next school year. In Fort Lauderdale, an IEP was taking 10 meetings to write up with the suggestion from the school side of the IEP "team" leading towards having Mariah's class placement for her to be in FULL ESE CLUSTER ALL DAY FOR ALL HER CLASSES, with the exception for her to be able to 'come out' so she could attend her STEM MAGNET CLASS in a General Education Classroom. LUNCH TIME would be her other allowed time to attend school with her friends and peers without disabilities. This sort of special classroom placement suggestion was not anything Mariah was used to. Mariah has always attended the same classes as her friends she goes to school with. Mariah has always been educated in 'regular classes' and fully included in gen.ed. classes all her life. Now it seemed to be the push of her school and the IEP "team" that it would be better for her to only attend school in an ESE classroom. Same with Roberta Moore for her 10 year old son, this too was not what I wanted for my 14 year old daughter either! 

Senate Passes Bill Empowering Parents in Critical IEP Decisions

http://capitalsoup.com/2013/04/29/senate-passes-bill-empowering-parents-in-critical-iep-decisions/

I am not a teacher, but have always 'homeschooled' part-time because it is good for her and I know what is best for my daughter and her education. As her mother and her truest advocate, I know and believe in her plans for her future career choice! Mariah has always had the desire to work with animals and become a Vet Tech and go to college one day.  It's up to me to make sure that happens for her....all other's need to either support her in teaching her a quality academic education or just GET OUT OF THE WAY!

I withdrew my daughter, Mariah on May 24th, 2013 from Broward County Public School District. I enrolled her in a small private Christian school that has graduated many many students over the years! Mariah and I are very much looking forward to her new school in the Fall without so many 'cooks in the kitchen!'

I filed my official STATE COMPLAINT with the Florida Department of Education on June 7th, 2013. What's being allowed to happen to so many of our students with disabilities throughout the entire State of Florida, particularly students with Down syndrome is ripe for a CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT! Who's in?

If this same thing has happened to you, I highly recommend filing a STATE COMPLAINT! 

Senate Bill 1108 goes into law on July 1st, 2013!
click above link to learn all about what SB1108 is all about.

Public Schools get extra funds to help educate our children, but it seems instead, the Public School system is possibly using the $$MONEY$$ our special needs students generate. Our children's educational money is being spent however Principals and District Administrators want. Our children's special education funds are being spend on all sorts of things other than for those very students that need the extra support.

ESE Teachers in those ESE classrooms are not always provided the most basic of supplies that other teachers and classrooms are afforded. It's the ESE students extra funding that is attached to them for the extra they may need, yet the many ESE TEACHERS are not given a reasonable budget to spend on classroom supplies, so all the students suffer by not having what the 'typical' students receive at school each and every day. Let's talk TECHNOLOGY, TEXT BOOKS & CURRICULUM in ESE Classrooms! 

So instead of INCLUDING our children into regular classes, schools are using our children's special education funds aka as their MATRIX Funding elsewhere instead of for my child. Our Special Ed Students are a cash commodity for schools today! 

Schools and the Districts are pushing to have all Special Needs students in the same classrooms...it's called SEGREGATION & DISCRIMINATION! ~ This is 2013 people!! Martin Luther King would be applaud at what is still going on with Discrimination!!

Guess my leaving and pulling my daughter from Broward Public School "before" the big boom to herd all SWD=Students With Disabilities off to Special Schools and all ESE special classes and Special everything is a good thing that I WITHDREW my daughter completely from Public Education when I did! My daughter will be fully included at her new school, where she'll be respected and accepted for the wonderful student and person she is. 

Many SWD that have recently graduated with Standard Diploma's or what's commonly known as a REAL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA have all 'just made it under the wire!!!" They are the LUCKY ONES today!!

It's time for us to work together to help all SWD and future SWD have the opportunity to be accepted into regular classrooms. This is not something we all should have to even worry about this day and age, but in Florida we do! Florida as well as many other States are still very much behind in treating people fairly, especially when it comes to our public education today and our students needing special education support and services. 

Being treated unfairly and being left out is not something new to SWD and their families, especially families that have someone with Down syndrome. We know all to often the feeling of things not being 'fair'. We have all felt discrimination and it hurts every time we are being discriminated against, for wanting what is every one's right and freedom...a PUBLIC EDUCATION! 

We all know that raising a child today is not easy, with or without a learning disability, but certainly if your child has a disability, our families experience alot more funky situations than most families would ever imagine and people take for granted. We have to deal with the unfairness on a regular basis because our child has Down syndrome. *or any other disability.

It's 2013 people ~ SEGREGATION & DISCRIMINATION need to STOP!

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/22567697/2013/06/12/should-special-needs-students-be-in-mainstream-classrooms#.UbiaH2fXW61.facebook

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/6/12/mom_of_boy_with_spec.html

http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_south_hillsborough/tampa-mom-fights-to-keep-her-disabled-son-in-his-neighborhood-school

Nancy Linley-Harris Public Comment to Broward School Board members on June 11th, 2013

6/11/13 Nancy Linley-Harris 
     This is MY STORY and I have no reason to lie about what a craZy and stressful school year my daughter's Middle School had put me through! This is my speech and my Public Comment as to some of the main reasons WHY I felt my daughter would no longer be able to receive a "World Class Education" if she continued to attend a Broward County Public School.

Just 18 days prior to my speaking publicly before the school board on June 11th...I had officially withdrawn my daughter on May 24th, 2013 from Public Education in any Broward County Public School. This was not something I would have ever thought I would do. I feel I was FORCED to remove her from Broward Schools because enough was enough, there was no trust in the ESE Department anymore. I was also being forced to file a 2nd Due Process within a 7th month time period, Mariah's 6th grade school year. Personally, I believed nothing was ever going to be in Mariah's favor because of a corrupt Special Education Department, with the school based ESE Specialist probably being given permission or orders to keep moving forward with what the ESE District and/or ESE Legal staff 'wanted on Mariah's IEP'...so much had been taken away from my daughter's education via the "IEP Process."  She was forced off the regular diploma, and at each IEP meeting, school staff keep pointing the document in a direction that was leading to the most restrictive classroom placement and not including Mariah in regular classrooms any longer, except to continue to allow her to attend her STEM MAGNET Class time only in Gen ed. I told them they were nuts to think I would agree to that!! My daughter was part probably the first person with Down syndrome part of the STEM Magnet Program at Parkway Middle School in Lauderhill, Florida. 

I think the Parkway ESE staffers, (the ESE Specialist mainly) did all they (she) could to tear down my daughter's inclusive education, because they (she), I feel was given 'permission and the go-ahead' from the higher up ESE Department Administrators to do whatever they (she) could to STOP and prevent me from advocating for the Public education I thought was best for my daughter. My main concerns for my daughters Public education was that the district no longer was allowing her to be educated to earn a regular high school diploma and then Mariah was being forced out of being able to attend all regular general education classes. She has always been fully included and this school knew how important that was for me for my daughter, but none of them cared what I thought about anything pertaining to my own daughter's education. 

Mariah's READING & MATH IEP GOALS WERE  MALICIOUSLY REMOVED

Parkway Middle School can be a great school for some students especially if your Child is interested in the ARTS and loves dancing, acting or singing and if your child is Gifted and also if your Child would be suited for the STEM MAGNET Program. Parkway Middle is not a good school if your child has an IEP and needs Special Education and has Down syndrome. Especially if you're looking to have your Child fully included in with the general population of students, Parkway will hold so many IEP meetings and will make sure the IEP is not anything a parent wants by years end or sooner! 

The Intensive reading teacher and the math teacher assigned to my daughter were not teachers that should have ever been allowed to be my daughters teachers for longer than 6 weeks. Neither of them should have been allowed to have my daughter as long as they did in their classrooms! Those two teachers were more interested in showing that Mariah didn't fit in their classes and they just wanted to show my daughter as failing and telling the IEP team only negative. Those two teachers were not interested in teaching Mariah and certainly didn't care to teach her reading and math!! How disappointing to have to deal with teachers that didn't believe in your child or respect her as a wonderful student or her mother! To be honest, what a nightmare to even deal with such negative teachers not interested in helping a great student be successful in Math and Reading! It would be great if parents would be allowed to grade their children's teachers....the truth would be told about some really crappy teachers that are inflexible and closed minded to teaching diversity and teaching ALL students. What a shame they are allowed to pick and choose which students get educated or go to the 'expensive babysitting program' aka Special Education for some (MANY) ESE Students!

Parkway Middle School 'started out as a great school' for Mariah, because of the STEM Magnet Program she was in...too bad Mariah didn't get the kind of support she really needed to get more out of that program. The STEM Program is a really awesome program for ANY & ALL STUDENTS!

In my speech before Superintendent Runcie and the School board members on June 11th, 2013....I sound mad....because I was! I was mad for sure!!! I was so mad that my daughter had been pushed out of being allowed to be educated academically like I wanted for her. I was so mad at all the nonsense the ESE Specialist had put me through while my daughter attended that school. She was not a nice person to me and she was personally doing all she could to make Mariah's IEP document just the way SHE WANTED and was making sure each step of the way and each and every long drawn out IEP meeting after IEP meeting that my parent voice advocating for what I thought was right for my own child...she was a nightmare staff person without a doubt that I wouldn't wish on any parent to have to deal with!

With all the ESE Budget cut backs being talked about for the next 2013-2014 school year in Broward Public Schools, it would be my suggestion and in the best interest for students at Parkway if the ESE staff and a few teachers are hopefully those losing their jobs! They all have shone me that they absolutely do not care about students like my daughter....a student with Down syndrome. 

My daughter lost a years worth of academic education at Parkway Middle School because the ESE staff, the reading, math and language arts teachers sabotaged her legal IEP document to be written just the way they were wanted and "instructed to write it!"

This is MY STORY and I speak the truth of what happened to me and my daughter's Public education at Parkway Middle School in Lauderhill, Florida via the IEP "Process." Personally I feel what has happened to me this past school year is a form of bullying and retaliation by the corrupt ESE department very much including the school ESE staff and the Legal and Due Process Department employees.

Enough is Enough!! I WITHDREW MY DAUGHTER FROM BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON MAY 24th, 2013 ~ This District doesn't care about teaching my daughter, teachers don't believe in her....she has Down syndrome. 

My Public Comment is MY STORY! 

School Board Meeting in Broward held on 6/11/2013 - See PUBLIC SPEAKERS

M_06_11_2013
click above link to view 
ALL THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS start at 122:00 on the Video. Move to the point in the June 11th School Board meeting to hear all the public speakers that day. I am not the only parent speaking out!

Public Comment if for the TAX PAYERS that fund our local schools! 

My Public Comment is MY STORY! 

Be Strong, Rock On ~ ANDREW

ALL SCHOOLS NEED PEER MENTORS & PEER BUDDIES ~ FIN CAN HELP WITH THIS

Davidson eighth-graders assist special needs classmates

By BRIAN HUGHES / News Bulletin 
Published: Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 18:54 PM.

CRESTVIEW — It takes a special kind of student to be a Davidson Middle School buddy. In fact, school officials said, it takes the "crême-de-la-crême," or cream of the crop.

The program, in its 10th year, links specially selected eighth-graders —  the buddies — with students in the school's exceptional student education program.

"They are peer mentors," program director and E.S.E. teacher Carol Cassity said.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE by clicking this link -->
http://www.crestviewbulletin.com/education/davidson-eighth-graders-assist-special-needs-classmates-1.151264

My 2 cents worth=I've been encouraging Broward County Public Schools to get this started for years now...FIN-Florida Inclusion Network has this program and could help Districts with this getting up and going in all our Districts...IF they wanted to. This is the program I wanted to VOLUNTEER to help get it started at my daughter's Middle school...didn't happen...but is still needed everywhere! 

Let's get this going in many more schools and not just Middle school!

Why remove Mariah from PUBLIC EDUCATION in Broward County, Florida?

WHY?
....This decision to remove my daughter from PUBLIC Education in Broward County, Florida is not something I ever thought I would be doing, especially with SB 1108 passed into law and going into effect on July 1st for parent rights at the IEP. 
FLORIDA SENATE BILL 1108 SUMMARY
http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2013/html/474

The way I have been treated as an involve parent in my daughter's education here in Broward County, especially at the IEP "team" table is not anything I would wish on any parent!!! At this time, I have to do what is right for my daughter Mariah! She (we) need to get back to basics without so many district level hands in the decisions happening at the IEP table and of course with the many "glitches" with their computer EasyIEP program and then certainly in relation to my daughter's academic education via the IEP process here in Broward Public Schools as been nothing but a roller-coaster ride of bullshit and unnecessary stress!! 

This coming up Tuesday 5/28/13 will have been the 10th IEP MEETING for me this year!!! Really? Currently the PLACEMENT OPTION discussion and decision for Mariah is to have her sent to the MOST RESTRICTIVE PLACEMENT!! (aka FULL TIME ESE Classroom) ...for ALL of Mariah's classes except not for her STEM classtime!! The MOST RESTRICTIVE CLASSROOM PLACEMENT WILL BE - FORCED ONTO Mariah's IEP Document no matter what this Momma Tiger suggests, wants or advocates for! Those that know me, know this is not an option for Mariah!!! 

The direction and the way things have gone via anything pertaining to ESE at the Middle School level is so wrong on many levels. My input, my concerns, my ideas, and my suggestions to help my daughter be academically educated and for her to be all she can be is not welcomed or taken seriously at our many IEP "team" tables. *Parent Team vs. School Team....certainly not ONE TEAM in support of and for my daughter's education.

How can it be right to have parents be subjected to so many contentious IEP ROUND-TABLE discussions trying to get the proper supports and things in writing on how to educate their Child for a school year? With way too many school district employees being paid to attend all these IEP meetings and calling themselves the professionals at least once or twice in the course of our IEP meetings, to justify why their input is what... more important or better that what a parent suggests or wants? What do parents know? How can it be right that ALL those school professionals never seem to agree to what the Parent suggests, brings up or wants written onto their Child's IEP document? 

It's time to walk away from the IEP boxing ring...Mariah needs to leave now. I am not up for filing a 2nd Due Process in the same school year! That's what they encourage and tell you to do anyway! This District is going to do what they are going to do when it comes to HIGH PROFILE Parents like me...parents that ADVOCATE for their Children's Special Educational needs. I have given way too much of my Mommie Volunteer Hours this entire school year!! I have been spent a great deal of my volunteer time working on just the cat & mouse email games that go on. *Emails & Paper documents are the only evidence you have when you have s DUE PROCESS. So my advice to my many parent friends is for you to keep on top of your emails and hold your Child's school accountable for every little thing they are doing or not doing! Document it all in writing your emails. 

I'm sure there will continue to be some GLITCHES in the EasyIEP Program pertaining to my daughter's FINAL IEP Document. The May 2nd, May 3rd, May 14th interim IEP's are all still in a DRAFT form. What could have been the coming up 10th IEP for this school year....which is suppose to be held on Tuesday May 28th....what will they do now? I'm pretty sure they will go ahead and proceed without me even though Mariah will NOT be a Broward Public School Student come Tuesday May 28th, 2013. Who knows what FUNNY FUNNY stuff they (this District) will do now to her FINAL IEP document even though it was never finalized and was still as a DRAFT doc., as of the May 14th meeting. 

No matter what happens now....I am NOT AGREEING OR TRUSTING TO ANYTHING THIS DISTRICT WANTS TO FORCE ON ME OR PROPOSING FOR MY DAUGHTER'S EDUCATION OR PLACEMENT AND/OR WHAT THEY WANT TO GET WRITTEN INTO HER IEP Document. 

It seems as if this district in not interested in what the parents have to say about their Child's education...at least that's been my experience, and what I have been part of and witness to, when I attend my other IEP meetings. 

It has been pure craZiness via the "IEP Process" this ENTIRE school year more so than previous school years...absolutely!!! 

What's different? What is happening at the ESE District level? Is it because I FILED A DUE PROCESS? What is going on with ESE in Broward County Schools? Something or someone is controlling what is or isn't "allowed to happen" at our Children's IEP meetings!!!! These are INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PLAN = IEP meetings...what has happened with the INDIVIDUAL?

These last 12 months ~ from May 2012-May 2013 in Public School District of Broward County has been nothing but contentious, hateful, manipulating the IEP goals and closing them out and completely removing her goals without my full parental participation or an actual sit down resolution meeting. I have certainly felt bullied at times and it seems as if IEP's are district level controlled now with the Due Process Coordinator making all the final decisions and that person is not even sitting in or attending our IEP meetings!  

I have had to Advocate for my daughter's educational rights like never before this past year! In fact May 30th will mark the one year anniversary when my daughter's end of her 5th Grade IEP document was part of a hostile-take-over last May and this was as she was going into Middle School. I had signed her up to participate in the STEM Magnet Program and she was accepted into it. This is a school I thought was the best fit for Mariah to grow academically throughout her Middle School years. The ESE Staff in place at this school will not be a good fit for me for another 2 years!! Why? Why not change to another public school? .....because they all get their directives from the same top level management from downtown!! It would be more of the same at a different school, with the same "ESE/IEP" crap!


Mariah and I found a perfect little Christian School for her to attend. I am "retiring" from the IEP "process" that Broward Public Schools puts good parents thru!!! Those sitting in leadership positions here in this district don't seem to care at the mess ESE is in here. Not one person sitting on our school board gives a noodle about the nonsense the ESE Department dictates and put parents and families thru and ultimately it's the student that misses out...misses out in the opportunity to be educated to earn a high school diploma!!! I want to get back to basics without SO MANY PAID DISTRICT EMPLOYEES CONTROLLING how or what gets written onto my daughter's IEP document!

Mariah has made some friends with several students at her Middle school. Many students have come up to me out in the community and tell me Mariah is so nice and they like her. I am grateful for the students that have accepted Mariah and are friendly to her. Isn't that what it's all about too? Making friends in school? ....especially in Middle school!


Mariah and I are both HaPpY there will be no more IEP meetings or her going to Parkway Middle school anymore! She and I know what we are doing and what we need to do!! Everyone needs to either support us or get out of the way!! Mariah is looking forward to her NEW SCHOOL in the Fall!! A nice little private Christian school!

*This goes hand-in-hand with the how the ESE Department treats ESE Families in Broward. Hibbs challenge to Mr. Runcie and the Broward County School Board.

http://youtu.be/DrHjXDqfNKs?list=PL6sB2rcvqtoDvQIwZnELfODhqksNgJlTw

Reposting from:
Juliet Hibbs YouTube.com Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/HibbsforChange
Published on Hibbs4Change

I submitted today (5/24/13) on BCPS form, my WITHDRAWAL from PUBLIC EDUCATION at PARKWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL in Broward County!!!

I submitted today (5/24/13) on BCPS form, my WITHDRAWAL from PUBLIC EDUCATION at PARKWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL in Broward County!!!

"Toast-to-that!!!" 

 ......Now give me the FINAL IEP document that was CLOSED!!!!! ...and please no illegal deletion or adding things...please...NO FUNNY STUFF with her IEP Document that was LAST C L O S E D !!!! 

I am DONE PLAYING with BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ESE & LEGAL DEPARTMENT peeps!!!

NDSS ~ MY GREAT STORY! One Siblings Act of CHANGE.

Published on Mar 21, 2013
The National Down Syndrome Society's (NDSS) My Great Story Video Project features 10 short videos are based on submitted stories to the NDSS My Great Story public awareness campaign. The goal of the My Great Story campaign is to ignite a new way of thinking about people with Down syndrome by sharing stories written by and about them. NDSS and the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston collaborated with Emmy Award winning filmmaker, Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, to create the Video Project.

One Sibling's Act Leads to Change stars 9-year-old Trent Briggs and his 12-year-old sister Megan. When he discovered that Scholastic Dictionary had used the word "retarded" in its definition of Down syndrome Trent took action. He wrote to Scholastic and asked them to change the definition using the term "intellectual disability" instead. Trent and Megan show the rest of us how one person can inspire another to create positive change.

Learn more about the My Great Story Video Project at www.ndss.org/storiesvideoproject.

PARENTS MUST HAVE THEIR SAY IN SPECIAL-NEEDS KIDS' EDUCATION ~ Orlando Sentinel by Natalie Gozer / Guest Colunist

PARENTS MUST HAVE THEIR SAY IN SPECIAL-NEEDS KIDS' EDUCATION

Thursday, April 25, 2013
View Source Article - Orlando Sentinel 

Parents must have their say in special-needs kids' education
Orlando Sentinel 

By Natalie Gozar | Guest columnist
April 25, 2013

"As the law stands, if parents disagree with their child's IEP team's decision, their only recourse is to take the school district to court. In my case, court was not an option due to financial restrictions.

New legislation is working to change this. Among the provisions in House Bill 465 and Senate Bill 1108, moms and dads would be involved in crucial decisions affecting their son or daughter with a disability, including helping to decide whether their special-needs student will be placed on an alternative curriculum track or a special diploma track.

This legislation, which counts among its sponsors Rep. Jason Brodeur and Sen. Andy Gardiner, would ensure parents are involved in deciding whether their child will be placed in an exceptional student education center. It would also ensure every Florida teacher is trained and prepared to help every student — especially those with disabilities — learn to their full capability.

I am excited to see Florida on the verge of becoming the first state in the nation to ensure parents are informed and empowered to play their critical role in developing their child's Individual Educational Plan.

And I applaud Florida lawmakers for bringing this issue forward this legislative session."

Natalie Gozar lives in Casselberry.

Copyright © 2013, Orlando Sentinel

Opinion: Parents must have their say in special-needs kids' education
http://www.afloridapromise.org/News/2013/Opinion_Parents_must_have_their_say_in_special_needs_kids_education.aspx

Empowering Parents

Each mom and dad deserves the right to be informed and engaged in important decisions regarding their child’s education. Parents must be equipped with the necessary tools to make informed choices.

Parents’ Rights: 
Exceptional Student Education

The Foundation for Florida’s Future supports policy that:

1. Ensures parents are involved in crucial decisions affecting their son or daughter with a disability.
2. Ensures all teachers have the proper training to meet the unique needs of all of their students – especially those with disabilities.
3. Ensures school districts strategically involve parents.

http://www.afloridapromise.org/Pages/Agenda_2013/Empowering_Parents.aspx

To read the entire article from A Florida Promise website click link below:
http://www.afloridapromise.org/News/2013/Opinion_Parents_must_have_their_say_in_special_needs_kids_education.aspx