Which High Schools are including students with Down syndrome respectfully into General Education classrooms?

Where are the best High Schools for students with Down syndrome Included nicely? What kind of High School is everyone happy with? Public or Private schools? Homeschooling? Is the McKay or PLSA Scholarship Funds being used instead? (PLSA-Personal Learning Scholarship Account)

What is the current trend for students with Down syndrome  for an inclusive High School experience? 

I am looking ahead and don't see much positive inclusive Public High Schools around where I live, we may have to relocate. 💔 We live in South Florida, the Fort Lauderdale area and inclusion is a long drawn out ugly fight here in Broward County Public Schools! Wish inclusion was the norm, but it's not here.

High School parents....need to hear what's the real deal going on out there across the Country and here in Florida.

💛💙💛

Need to hear from High School families on how is inclusion is really working out, especially with the new rule of the Standard Diploma for students with disabilities.

💛💙💛

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

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

Stand Up for What You Believe In and Be Proud To Be An American Advocate! The James Kaleda story~removed from testifying before the New Jersey Senate!

James Kaleda is A True American Advocate we should be proud of! If you had been sitting there in the New Jersey Senate chambers that day on April 30th, 2013, would you have been the one that STOOD UP 4 CHANGE and supported him? See the woman in the 2nd video clip at the bottom of my post today. 

Breaking News Story: James Kaleda ejected from hearing by New Jersey State Troopers



Published on May 8, 2013
James Kaleda explains that the proposed NJ Gun Bills will not save any lives but will endanger them. He is ejected by Committee Chair Senator Norcross. This took place at the NJ Senate gun control hearings in Trenton on April 30, 2013.

Be Sure To Read The Top Comments!

My gut feelings watching and seeing this happen, turns up all sorts of emotions to exactly how it seems to have gotten at IEP meetings this past year in Broward County. My PARENT VOICE, MY PARENT INPUT to her IEP document, my suggestions for her yearly educational goals, my advocating for my own Child for her educational needs and her right to receive a quality education and to be educated to learn so she too can earn a REAL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA at the end of her school years. My ideas and suggestions go on deaf ears with public school employees aka the 'educational professionals' and their idea of what 'they think is best'. Parents know their Child the best in all areas of their Child's life. Speaking up for my own daughter is also about speaking up for many many other students with *IEP's! Mariah and I testified before the Florida Senate Education Committee, WE WERE HEARD & SUPPORTED by the Florida Senate and the House!
*Individual Education Plans


Why Parents Could Get More Control Over Their Child’s Special Education Plan http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2013/04/22/why-parents-could-get-more-control-over-their-childs-special-education-plan/ 
Hear the words spoken so perfectly by Mariah Harris as she read her first Pubic Speech as she testified before the FLORIDA SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE on March 18th, 2013 on SB 1108.


If James Kaleda, seen here in this You Tube Video, testifying before the New Jersey Senate on a proposed Gun Control Bill being looked at and all those in the audience didn't get up and stand up for him as he was denied his First Amendment Right to speak.....is shameful that "We The People..." are not supporting each other when one is speaking out for the people.

The COMMENTS to this are worth reading as well, because the comments support James Kaleda and our FREEDOM OF SPEECH!

Stand Up for What You Believe In and Be Proud To Be An American Advocate!

We need to Stand UP and Support Each Other!


Published on May 8, 2013
After a late start, and a "ten minute break" that lasted more than a half hour, the NJ Senate committee on gun control decides to cut off public comment on the proposed gun control bills at 4 o'clock. The chairman and most of the committee then refuse to honor the pledge of allegiance. This took place at the NJ Senate gun control hearings in Trenton on April 30, 2013.



YES!!! THEY ALL STOOD UP TOGETHER AND RECITED THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! 

Support those that speak up on your behalf!

Thank you James Kaleda-a true American Advocate!

Educational Crimes against Students with Disabilities

My stomach is in knots today. It is devastating to know our Children with unique learning challenges (disabilities) are systematically targeted mainly for the $MONEY$ they bring into a School District. Children with Special Needs not being provided a World Class Education as districts advertise on their websites and often times the districts phone message while waiting on HOLD so often is a LIE for many Students today! 

Those that draw a salary within the EDUCATIONAL BUSINESS today on all levels starting with our ESE Department District Administrators, Supervisors, Principals, School Psychologist and team leaders, school office staff and let's not forget the many Program Specialist on down to the School District Corporate Chain of commands from School Board Members the Public Voted them into their position to our Children's Teachers. These Educational Employees are the New CROOKS, THIEVES and LIARS known as the FAKE PEOPLE or the School District ROBOTS doing what they are instructed and told to do by someone in a higher position than them! It's a Dictatorship absolutely!! School District employees on all levels give you that oh so FAKE smile and canned conversation to make you believe they care. They may even say a friendly hello (like a cold dead fish!) and only give you the most minimal of small talk that avoids addressing any of the real issues of the day.  

District Level Administrators and the school Principals are only interested in your Child's $ MATRIX $ MONEY $ FUNDING $ and how to USE IT for things other than Educating our Children.

EDUCATIONAL CRIMES on the backs of ESE Children that generate the $FUNDS$ into a school district. It's not about education anymore, it's about babysitting and stealing our Children's education, future goals and dreams. They all should be ashamed, it is so disgusting all the LIES & COVER-UP that goes on everyday in our Schools and the District!

Our Children are being raped of an Education! 

How do so many School District Employees SLEEP-AT-NIGHT, when they do what they do on a daily basis as part of their JOB DUTIES? It has to create some sort of Criminal Mentality & Callousness towards people. How can so many school district staff employees systematically partake in daily EDUCATIONAL CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN as part of their daily job duties? It has to create A Stone Cold Heart in those people. How can so many Educational Employees do what they do to STUDENT after STUDENT, CHILD after CHILD, PARENT after PARENT and FAMILY after FAMILY? 

I think it's important to inform the Public how the Broward School District Legal Department Lawyers & Due Process employees TAKE OVER & CONTROL Special Education for the Districts Ultimate AGENDA. What that AGENDA is exactly I'm not sure, but there most certainly is an AGENDA. The Legal 'team' stop good parents from helping their Child or Children from receiving a 'world class education' from this school district. The Legal Department feel they have the power to illegally REWRITE and REDO a student's IEP, especially when a Parent exercises their Procedural Safeguard and ends up FILING for a DUE PROCESS. This has happened to me personally. 

This District is doing all they can to dumb down Student IEP goals and provide some students with a canned set of goals on IEP's, all with the very low grade level expectations. Sometimes the IEP goals are what the Student is already capable of doing, yet they push to get IEP goals written to be something that allows teachers and staff to bring down and dumb down ESE Students all around, starting with lower grade level IEP goals. It is disgusting what IEP teams are pushing & promoting at IEP meetings, daring parents to go ahead and FILE for a Due Process.

Stealing our Children's Education & Dreams for their Future is an EDUCATIONAL WHITE COLLAR CRIME! Educational Criminals should carry a FELONY CHARGE!

I have witnessed first hand the amount of LYING & HALF-TRUTHS turned into a complete lie, just to move on a School District's AGENDA and school Principal's AGENDA. I have experienced first hand blatant disregard, first of all for FEDERAL IDEA LAWS and more importantly disregarding Civil Rights of our Children.

It is time for parents of students that are daily being victimized by our Public School Districts Agenda's to NOT PROVIDE "A World Class Education" to our Students with Disabilities. Students and Families that have instead experienced many forms of EDUCATIONAL CRIMES that are systematically being done daily to our Children in Special Education need to band together. This goes for our General Education Students and Families as well, as they too NEED Special Education Services but are being delayed and denied evaluations or interventions that would help them be successful...in the CURRENT school year!

I have experienced first hand in Broward County Florida, just how much our Public School District on all levels, absolutely does not care about our (my) Children's Education. 

Our school district is in the business of using our Children's Special Education $FUNDS$ to do any number of things on the School Boards AGENDA, and certainly not the AGENDA of Providing a World Class Education to ALL Students, as part of their Advertising campaign.

From the TOP DOWN, it is my personal experience that they are all EDUCATIONAL CRIMINALS (...and liars...) that should be slapped with FELONY CHARGES for GRAND THEFT many times over!!

What is allowed to continue to go on with our Children's Educational Funding Dollars also known as the ESE Students MATRIX FUNDING is DISGUSTING!

Parents of ESE Students in Broward County, it is time for ESE REFORM! A group of Parents in Broward County, Florida has recently formed a Grassroots group called; 
ESE REFORM TASKFORCE S.FLORIDA. 
Visit us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/EseReformSFlorida

We are about ALL Students being provided a World Class Education.

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

Parenting Special Needs Magazine ~ Pete & Pam Wright = WRIGHTSLAW

Great Magazine with lots of information for all of us!
Read this BIO on Pete & Pam Wright aka WRIGHTSLAW
click on the highlighted link below here:
Bios | Parenting Special Needs Magazine

Parent Involvement is VITAL!

I am so glad this school year is 'winding down' ~ I have served my school district well this year ~ I have advocated strongly for what I believe in, sitting on way too many Parent Advisories! (6 total) I will do it all again next school year ~ focusing more on 1 very important "independent" young girl with Down syndrome entering Middle school! My daughter is moving on into the 6th grade. Middle school is a big transition for any student, especially for a student with a disability. My daughter is one lucky girl to have me as her advocate mom!!! 


Parent involvement is vital in raising educated children with disabilities more so and ESPECIALLY if your child has Down syndrome! Students with Down syndrome still today in 2012 ~ are being left out and discriminated against so blatantly by not allowing students with Down syndrome to be included and sitting in 'regular' classrooms with non-disabled students. Many schools still are not doing such a hot job of educating our children with disabilities and especially our students with Down syndrome!! Yes there are many schools & teachers doing an awesome job, but for the most part, it takes a persistent advocate parent to make sure our children are truly being educated today, that includes students without any disability as well too! 


When I visit schools and I continue to see students with a specific disability type still being separated and segregated, it gets to the core of my being! [aka clustering] When I see fellow Down syndrome young people continue to only be with other students that have the same extra chromosome or grouped in classrooms that are only for students with disabilities hits me right to my core! I have seen with my own eyes that "those students" are moved around the campus so there is absolutely no opportunity or minimal opportunity for them to be included in the society of school campus life, as the rest of the student population are able to do so naturally. 


Many students with disabilities are still being hidden away from society! If it is allowed to happen in our schools, it will continue outside of school. Schools are little societies, how are we accept and include those with disabilities in our schools today teach and reflect how we expect our young people and future generations to treat those that may look or act a little differently. Being accepted, included and having high expectations to be successful, contributing members of society starts in our schools with fellow classmates, teachers and district administrators, and yes that means our principals too!. It's that simple! 


Students with Down syndrome and any other number of disabilities absolutely need extra academic help and support, no doubt about it! This is why there is extra FUNDING attached to those special needs students, updated at every annual IEP meeting through the students MATRIX number, the higher the MATRIX number the higher the extra funding provided to help educate and take care of them while attending school. Do you know what your child's MATRIX number is and just how much money that actually means for your child's school? Ask the principal and find out now your child's MATRIX money is being spent each school year. Learn all you can about what is a Matrix and how much of your child's MATRIX funds are helping your child. ASK & KNOW all you can.


Teachers today are trained to TEACH ~ they became teachers because they love to teach. That includes teaching a diverse group of students and that includes students with all sorts of learning styles, all sorts of nationalities and all colors of the rainbow, let's not forget to include students with disabilities in that diverse population of students in today's classrooms with general education teachers that went into the profession to teach. 


Many students today have ADHD, Autism, CP, Down syndrome and any number of other possible disabilities ~ a diverse group of learners. These students need an open minded teacher that is flexible and willing to think outside-of-the-box and include them in more general education classrooms. Absolutely they may need extra help academically, socially, emotionally, physically. More than anything they need to be treated with respect and provided a quality education alongside their non-disabled classmates! This does not always mean in a separate classroom filled just for students with disabilities. All students learn from one another, everyone needs peer roll models. While I do agree in offering choices to everyone, I do not agree that just because of a persons 'extra needs' that they all should to be taught separately in classrooms away from the general school population and moved around the campus in-between regular class change times. This is 2012 not 1960!! 


That's what I believe. No matter what, most students with any number of syndromes, conditions, learning styles and academic issues, everyone needs to feel they are accepted and they are valued! Everyone wants be accepted by others and liked. Everyone wants to be included in things everyone else is doing. Self-esteem is affected when someone is left out, when someone is the last to be picked, when they are excluded from normal school & campus activities. Most student take for granted that there will always be someone that wants to sit with us at lunch time, but our students with disabilities are sitting alone every lunch hour or only with other students with disabilities in the lunch room. This IS happening today at most schools across the country. How can it be good to warehouse students with certain kinds of disabilities into cluster classrooms without any real opportunity to be part of the school community and campus life? Everyone wants to have friends, we all need friends to feel valued.


How can the majority of IEP teams, say students are being included during lunch time, hall walking & recess when all those "special" students walk in between classes & sit only with the exact same students they have been sitting in separated and segregated classrooms all day long with? How can anyone say students with disabilities are being included when for the most part they are not provided any opportunities to form friendships with their neighborhood non-disabled peers while attending school because they are with other classmates that have disabilities only? 


How can it be good to continue to treat a group of individuals [and their parents] like their education doesn't matter, pushing too many of them to be on the Special Diploma track, which is basically not working towards a High School Diploma. Parents of Special needs students parents want to be involved in their son or daughters education by volunteering, but many times their parent involvement isn't needed or wanted at our schools. 


School site based management aka as our school principals need to get-out-of-the-way and change their mind-set and open their school doors to the most dedicated, concerned involved parents ever! Parents of special needs children are being turned away and told NO to 'parent involvement' more today than ever! I hear from parents all the time about this, I have experienced this personally myself over the years. 


Parents of individuals with Down syndrome, CP, ADHD, Autism ~ GET INVOLVED AND STAY INVOLVED! Your child's education depends on it! Don't settle for segregated ~ disability only classrooms. Demand accountability from everyone that teaches and works with your child. Volunteer and have lunch with your child ~ often! Your parent involvement is VITAL!


Schools need to change their mind-set and accept students with all disabilities into the general population and into the 'regular' classrooms. Parents get involved and stay involved with volunteering and helping our schools in any activity. Schools need parents to continue to volunteer. Parent involvement is VITAL for the success of all students!


Here is a recent post on PNJ - Pensacola News Journal http://www.pnj.com/article/20120429/NEWS01/304290021
Comments to this above news article are a good read too!
http://www.pnj.com/comments/article/20120429/NEWS01/304290021/Viewpoint-Integrating-ESE-students-will-mean-success-all

A for Accountability Award!

A for Accountability Award - we all should be working on this award!
Read over on the RIGHT HAND SIDE of this link (in the blue)...interesting reading for sure!

Everyone one of us needs to speak up for what is true and right!

Parent Advocates.org is a great resource - enjoy!

http://www.parentadvocates.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=484

Is she getting a good education today?

Just when you think you have the kinks out of all the school issues and things are running smoothly, something tugs inside of you to keep doing what we do and that is to continue to STAY ON TOP OF EVERY LITTLE THING that is or is not happeing at school with your Child, in my case with Mariah. When it comes to making sure our Children are being taught....really taught how to READ, WRITE & DO MATH, we have to continue to keep the lines of communication wide open regularly!

 With the long Christmas Break finally over and the New Year finally here...the first week of January is my time to send out a few emails to both Mark & Mariah's teachers and ask a few questions and make request for some help in a few of my areas of concern. I believe if parents get too comfortable with NOT being in contact with our Children's teachers and they don't have regular parent/teacher conferences or some kind of contact either small phone chats or emailing them it is easy for our Children to not be provided the support they need to help them learn.



I started my emailing the first day they were back in school and WOW what a whirl-wind of positive things start happening! When I inquire about certain things and they get back to me, it helps me know where I need to keep ON TOP OF THINGS better.



Parents if you haven't had a parent teacher conference in awhile or yet this year...absolutely it is time set one up and get reconnected to all the different teachers and have some discussions.



Emailing is my 'mode of communication' that I prefer to use when wanting to touch base and ask some questions on how things are going. I'm sure there are some teachers that dread any email coming from me or some parents, but to be honest..emailing teachers is the surest way to get the ball rolling with some good conversation about YOUR Child and how things are really going at school.



I encourage each of you to make contact with your Children's teachers & ESE Support people right about now, the first weeks of the New Year. Spring Break is just around the corner and in Florida we have the Standardized test called the FCAT. When its just before FCAT, that is ALL that is going on at school...preparing everyone how to do well on it! The end of another school year will be here before we know it. Make it a priority to keep good communication happening all the time with their teachers. Sending out an email once in awhile to get updates on some things is a good thing.



Set up a PLANNING MEETING with your Child's teachers, this is not an IEP meeting. This is a meeting that is alot more casual and free flowing with conversation about what's working, what's not working and what are some of the challenges teachers and you both are seeing. What are some of the wonderful things that are going on at home and while in school. I love doing MARIAH PLANNING MEETINGS in the middle of the school year especially when everyone comes to the table with an open mind and willing to share ideas and some possible new changes to how things have been going.



Right now, things are working out wonderful for Mariah's 5 grade year. She has 3 great teachers that are all good at emailing me back. The beginning of the year didn't start out so well because Mariah's homeroom/reading & math teacher refused to ever talk or communicate with me! She may have been good teacher but if she couldn't provide any parent/teacher communication...ever...not one email was ever replied back to, not one phone message I left for her was ever returned. I was a wreck at that time because of it! I wanted to have a parent/teacher conference around the 5th week of school just to touch base and discuss how things were going. We were having some MATH issues going on at the time. Needless to say, I finally had that parent/teacher conference close to the 13th week of school! If she wasn't going to ever talk to me than I guess I needed to be able to observe her classroom and to see how she worked with my daughter. What I saw during that classroom observation was my daughter being fully segragated and not included at all!! I was so upset by then that I had already spoken to the Principal and requested for a new teacher for my daughter.

Not only did Mariah get a new homeroom teacher, she got a new MATH teacher as well! Ever since the switch of teachers I have not had a problem with being able to communicate and have Mariah's teachers email me back. The classwork she brings home now tells me she is being provided an opportunity to be part of the classroom lessons and to do the best she can. She is learning so much this year in 5th grade!



If things don't seem right, chances are they aren't right! When things sent home from school show you that real learning took place, that is a great sign!. If you ever have a teacher that refuses to collaborate and communicate with you about your concerns for your Child's education and is unwilling to work with you on a regular basis, put in for a teacher change as quickly as you can! The school year goes by way too fast to waste a week or a month or a couple of months trying to make things work out with someone that probably doesn't believe in your Child like you need them to anyway. It's not about worrying about hurting someones feelings...it's about YOUR CHILD getting a good education and being able to have a good parent teacher relationship! If you have a teacher that doesn't give YOU the time of day...trade em in for a different one - QUICK!! It's all about PARENT INVOLVEMENT & if you have a teacher that doesn't want that or get that...request for a teacher that does! 



Mariah's new teacher is an absolute delight to work with! What a breath of fresh air to be able to have a teacher that actually wants to say hi to me and give me friendly updates about my daughter and on classroom stuff. It was not a fun time for me to have a teacher that refused to have any conversation with me about my daughter, it was something that totally took me for a loop, I just never expected it. *Isn't it part of a teachers job discription to talk to parents? .......sometime? 



Is she getting a good education today? Well..I know she loves going to school everyday and I know she has a good handful of nice friends that truly care about her. Her teachers are good people and they are doing the best they can helping my daughter do her personal best while she is in their classrooms. When parents & teachers are able to work together for the sake of the Child that is when everyone is learning! Teachers that embrace inclusion and aren't affraid of parents that want to be involved are the teachers become just better teachers because of it! Inclusion and having students with significant learning challenges in General Education Classrooms is not easy, I won't lie, but it is rewarding and at the end of the school year, that teacher with the open mind and the desire to teach ALL CHILDREN is the better teacher by far!! (Can I have an amen!) 



Having a student with Down syndrome fully included in a General Education classroom is not something that just happens overnight...it takes lots of collaboration and work from both parents & the teachers and it takes having 'talks'...either in person by having little planning meetings or shooting an email once in awhile or even a quick friendly phone conversation. Parents don't be affraid to have a NON-IEP PLANNING MEETING for your Child, some of the best ideas and ways your Child learns or how the teachers present lessons are talked about at these meetings.



Everyone touch base with your son or daughters teachers and get an update on things. Have a wonderfully productive January and a Healthy New Year!
 
www.dsadvocate.com

iPad & iPhone APPS for Communication help

iPad & iPhone APPS for Communication help

Should my Child take the FCAT?

FCAT FCAT FCAT and what does it mean for our kiddo's? Sunshine State Standards being taught is so much more important with an opportunity to actually learn them, hopefully with the support our student needs, is more important than our kiddo's being able to pass this darn FCAT! If a student fails the FCAT what interventions are in place for your Child if they didn't pass it?  Always ask yourself...what would a 100% general education student receive if they didn't do well on the FCAT? Your son or daughter should receive those same interventions and support as well! Don't settle for the Special Diploma option till your Child has had at least an opportunity to 'fail the FCAT' and receive intensive interventions to be able to pass the next FCAT and the next FCAT and the next FCAT!  Intensive interventions is part of what students receive if they score low on FCAT.

Little Secret:
YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER WILL NOT BE THE FIRST TO FAIL THE FCAT.....MANY NON-ESE STUDENTS FAIL THE FCAT!

See the several articles posted on Tampabay.com blog gradebook
blog Gradebook and you decide if this FCAT is a test we all can feel confident in anymore.

See also this article:
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/content/fcats-all-right-florida-department-education-suggests

Online Parenting Special Needs magazine

Great online resource! Sign up and see!
http://parentingspecialneeds.org/

The Essence of a New Day!

This is the beginning of a new day.

You have been given this day

to use as you will.

You can waste it or use it for good.

What you do today is important

because you are exchanging a day

of your life for it.

When tomorrow comes,

this day will be gone forever.

In its place is something,

that you have left behind...

Let it be something good...

Author Unknown

This little saying is
something I have used

as my inspiration
over the years,

now let me pass this on

to others to live by.

Have an Awesome Day!

Nancy Linley-Harris

Parent Training & IEP Workshop ~ Basic Areas of an IEP Document.

Please join me for a Parent Training & IEP Workshop  ~ To go over the basic areas of an IEP document.

Wed. evening  JUNE 30th, 2010

7PM - 9PM at Kids S.P.O.T. in the Oakwood Plaza. Hollywood, FL

*North of Sheridan St. across the street from the Oakwood Plaza Movies http://www.kidsspotrehab.com/

There is a $10 Training fee

RSVP 5PM 6/29/10 to: nancy.harris@dsadvocate.com

FREE BOOK to those that arrive ON TIME!

Bring your IEP's with you! Meet others and learn new advocacy skills!

Carpool & bring a friend!

*Please Pass This Info To Others That Would Be Interested -Thanks!

BRING YOUR IEP'S WITH YOU!!

Will go over the importance of all the different areas of the IEP Document and why each area is important.

FREE BOOK for those that arrive on time!
RSVP RSVP RSVP

SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW AND ADVOCACY WORKSHOPS

FREE ~ YES THAT'S RIGHT FREE!!!


SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW AND ADVOCACY WORKSHOPS

Presented by:

The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.

and

The Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.

Learn how to be a strong advocate for children with disabilities in the public school system at four free workshops scheduled for this August.

A lawyer and an advocate from the Advocacy Center will team up to teach you how to be an equal participant in the IEP process. Training will focus on sections of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 and will include:

Eligibility and Evaluation

Universal Education (Inclusion)

IEP and Advocacy Tips

School Discipline

Transition from High School to Post-school activities (work, school)

Problem Solving (With a Question and Answer Session)

To register go to http://www.fddc.org/registration
or call 1-800-580-7801

All workshops are from 9 am – 4 pm and are FREE!

August 3, 2010 – Fort Lauderdale, Hyatt Pier 66

2301 SE 17 Street Causeway

August 5, 2010 – Tampa, Tampa Marriott Airport

5507 W Spruce Street

August 7, 2010 – Jacksonville, Hyatt Regency Riverfront

225 East Coast Line Drive

August 9, 2010 – Fort Walton Beach, Ramada Plaza Beach Resort,

1500 Miracle Strip Parkway SE

Let us know when you register if you need a sign language interpreter or Spanish translator.

Seats at the workshops are limited to 200. All registrations received after the first 200 will be put on a waiting list and will be contacted if space becomes available.

The list below shows how many are currently registered for each workshop. We will update it frequently so that you can see when 200 are registered

August 3, 2010 – Ft. Lauderdale, Hyatt Pier 66, 2301 SE 17 Street Causeway - 47

August 5, 2010 – Tampa, Tampa Marriott Airport, 5507 W Spruce Street - 40

August 7, 2010 – Jacksonville, Hyatt Regency Riverfront, 225 E. Coast Line Dr. - 71

August 9, 2010 – Ft. Walton Beach, Ramada Plaza Beach Resort, 1500 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE - 18

SP&P Guide ~ State & Federal IDEA Law *LINKS*

**ESE Policies and Procedures (SP&P) Listed by DISTRICT in a handy-dandy-drop-down-list!! What a concept!!! This is my personal baby for the past 4-5 years to get our State Dept. of Ed to do....to create a DROP DOWN LIST OF ALL the districts SP&P Guides! Whoo whooo...advocacy DOES PAY OFF!! Be sure to print one out and put it into a 3-ring binder...this is an invaluable tool!! Enjoy!



ESE Policies and Proceedures
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/ppd.asp

Section 1003.57(1)(d), Florida Statutes (F.S.), requires that district school boards submit to the Department of Education (DOE) proposed procedures for the provision of special instruction and services for exceptional students once every three years. Approval of this document by DOE is required by Rule 6A-6.03411, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), as a prerequisite for district’s use of weighted cost factors under the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). This document also serves as the basis for the identification, evaluation, eligibility determination, and placement of students to receive exceptional education services, and is a component of the district’s application for funds available under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

IMPORTANT STUFF to be a GREAT ADVOCATE!

Florida ESE documents!

IMPORTANT FLORIDA ESE STATE DOCUMENTS
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/ppd.asp

FLORIDA'S RED BOOK ~ ESE RULES
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/1b-stats.pdf

FEDERAL IDEA LAW - it's the Federal law!!!
http://idea.ed.gov/

ALL OF THESE LINKS WILL HELP YOU KNOW FOR A FACT WHAT THE RULES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION ARE.....IF YOU GET TO KNOW THESE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE POSTED TO OUR STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONS WEBSITES....YOU WILL CERTAINLY BE A CONFIDENT ADVOCATE AND KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHTS ARE TO SUPPORTS AND SERVICES TO SPECIAL EDUCATION! PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW ALL OF THESE, DOWNLOAD AND MAKE THEM INTO YOUR VERY OWN 3-RING BINDERS. CALL YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEY CAN PROVIDE YOU A COPY IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER TO PRINT THEM OUT.

ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY TO BECOMING AN INFORMED AND KNOWLEDGABLE ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CHILD, THEY NEED YOU TO KNOW THIS IN ORDER TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND!

I LOVE THIS STUFF! .....learn to like it yourself! 'o)

Schools try to make progress while addressing special-needs students

The Gainesville school system is appealing the analyses of two special-needs students who were evaluated by the alternate assessment, Macken said. If the state Department of Education grants just one of the appeals, Gainesville Middle will be granted AYP status in the second determination to be made this fall.

Kathy Culver, Hall’s special education director, said she’s hopeful the state will adopt a third assessment for students with mild disabilities. She said the test is on the horizon and would more closely match the intellectual capability of that "2 percent group."
"We all want to be measured on what’s appropriate for us," she said.

*click link below to read full article:
Schools try to make progress while addressing special-needs students