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Just 18 days prior to my speaking publicly before the school board on June 11th...I had officially withdrawn my daughter on May 24th, 2013 from Public Education in any Broward County Public School.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!!!

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!

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.

Different STANDARD Diploma ~ NEW Diploma "Choices"

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorials/fl-editorial-education-bill-gs0423-20130425,0,4341049.story

Senate Passes Bill Empowering Parents in Critical IEP Decisions / Foundation for Florida's Future

Senate Passes Bill Empowering Parents in Critical IEP Decisions / Foundation for Florida's Future

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

Nancy speaking before Broward School Board 4/23/13 pleading for help a month before withdrawing her from Public Education in Broward!

This is me speaking for the first time publically to Broward County School Board a month before I completely WITHDREW Mariah from Broward Public Education! In my speach you can see I was PLEADING for help to look into what was happening to me at Parkway Middle School via the IEP "PROCESS" here in Broward County! I also explain how Mariah wasn't even allowed to take the FCAT anymore and wasn't ever told by the schools ESE Specialist, Ms. Chiante Roundtree-Jones as to exactly when the ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT would be going on. (*the Special Needs FCAT testing) The schools ESE Specialist said, that Mariah wasn't in school on the day that the 'letter' was sent home. Instead weeks later, Mariah did bring home a letter informing us when the "regular" FCAT testing times would be going on. 

In Elementary school, Mariah had always taken the "regular" FCAT since the 3rd grade and twice in 5th grade, because I thought it would be good for Mariah to have a second year of 5th grade with the same wonderful teacher, Mr. Allagood. Mariah had always been taking the "regular" FCAT, a total of 4 times she took the FCAT before going off to 6th grade at Parkway Middle School. So this year in 6th grade, Mariah wasn't even allowed or was I ever informed when the Alternate Assessment testing dates would be given. I found out later that the Alternate to the FCAT is given to the ESE Students over a 3 week time period, whereas the regular FCAT is given over a shorter time period of just 2 weeks. Not once during the time for testing the Alternate Assessment was our family notified of this testing and it was going on for 3 whole weeks?! That in itself shows the lack of care to test and/or educate a wonderful student like Mariah! 

Mariah loves school and is a wonderful student any good teacher would be thrilled for the challenge of teaching her in a diversified classroom as they all should be today! Not all her teachers should have been chosen for her as there have been some really GREAT TEACHERS over the years and certainly Mariah has has some really lousy/rotten teachers too! More good teachers though, but the bad ones can really make life miserable for both student and parent! Her intensive reading teacher in 6th grade at Parkway Middle had no desire to really help Mariah continue with increasing her reading skills. An intensive reading teacher that only gives "F's" to a student with an IEP should be fired! Upsetting to say the least, because READING is one of the most important academic skills a student needs to learn to get an education! That reading teacher's only goal for Mariah was to show she wasn't making progress to push her into a NON-PHONICS BASED reading program the ESE Department was pushing on many of the Middle School Students, that I wanted no part of for my girl. This "curriculum" was not something I agreed to, if SB 1108 had been in place, I would have had to 'sign-off' yes or no to that curriculum. As of July 1st, 2013 that Senate Bill will be law! 

So this year, not only did my daugher, Mariah not get to take the "regular" FCAT, she also wasn't allowed to be tested the one given to Special Needs students, the Alternate Assessment to the regular FCAT. Why was this allowed to even happen to Mariah? Is it because both Mariah and I went up to testify before the Florida Senate in March on SB 1108? Is it because she has Down syndrome, is it because her mom is an outspoken Advocate for students with Down syndrome and other unique learning challenges? I would like to know how our public school district can get away with such nonsense!

Ultimately....one month later I decided to completely WITHDRAW my daughter from PUBLIC EDUCATION because I have experienced such a total lack of care to ACADEMICALLY EDUCATE my daughter as she gets older. Being in Middle School and being included in regular general education classes is NOT WHAT THIS DISTRICT WANTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME and certainly they don't care to work collaboratively with their parents.

The new Senate Bill 1108 if it had been in place before this school year or before, I never would have had to go through the nonsense I was being forced to endure at the many (too many) IEP meetings Parkway Middle School put me through. 

Mariah and I going to the Florida Capitol a month previously on March 18th, 2013 to testify before the Florida Senate on why we thought this Bill is an absolute must to have in place to protect parents rights to help our children receive a "world class education"? That is what is advertised throughout our public school district, on their phone lines when we are put on hold and on the District website. A world class education is for those without disabilities I think is what they really mean.

In this video, Mariah had just spoken before me, the same exact speech she read to the Florida Senate Education Committee a month before on March 18th, 2013. I will post her first school board speech when I have a copy of it. This was Mariah's second time public speaking and she did fabulous job! She has told me she loves speaking in front of a people! So through it all, we both have become Public Speakers. Mariah and I both have now had parts of our Senate Education Committee testimony from the the Florida Capitol speech aired on National Public Radion-NPR. Mariah telling the Florida Senate that she wants a REAL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA and that she wants to one day go to College. Her cute voice and her very first public speech has been aired and heard across the Country. I believe she speaks for many with Down syndrome and special needs education in general. 

Mariah you are on your way to becoming a National Speaker, getting on NPR is a start! I am so proud of my daughter for rising to the challenge of getting up and speaking before the public and having your voice heard! You speak for many like you! 

Please comment if things like this are or have been happening to your child's education, I would love to hear from my readers. Share my story too!

STATE 2 Crack-Down on Private Tutoring companies = SES - Supplemental Education Services

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/state-to-crack-down-on-private-tutors/1275030

Mariah Harris is on NPR 91.3FM TALK RADIO today!

Mariah Harris 3/18/13 Senate testimony speech is on NPR Talk Radio 91.3 FM today! It aired twice this morning and will air again at 5:30PM if it doesn't get bumped for breaking news today on Monday April 22nd, 2013. 

Read the full article by Gina Jordan by clicking on this link: http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/why-parents-could-get-more-control-over-their-child-s-special-education-plan

Below is taken from State Impact.npr.org website.

Why Parents Could Get More Control Over Their Child’s Special Education

APRIL 22, 2013 | 10:32 AM

BY GINA JORDAN

Right now, schools determine whether to move a student into special education classes.

But a proposed bill in Tallahassee would give parents of children with special needs more power over their education.

Fort Lauderdale 6th grader Mariah Harris has Down syndrome, and she wants to be a veterinary technician.

“My dream is to go to college with my friends one day,” she told a panel of lawmakers.

She was accepted into a middle school magnet program that caters to her love of science and math. But before the school year started, her mother says the Broward County school district drastically changed the plan for Mariah’s education.

“I feel the school is now providing my daughter with very expensive babysitting service,” said Nancy Linley-Harris.

Linley-Harris said Mariah is getting simple worksheets that are far below her ability.

She told a Florida Senate Committee that Mariah was taken off a regular education track when she started at the magnet school. “Because she was going into middle school, it seems as if there was a strategic plan to remove her from being able to get a real high school diploma,” Harris said.

Education for kids with special needs is spelled out in a plan tailored for each student known as an Individual Education Plan, or IEP.

“The IEP team, with the blessings from the district, purposefully dumbed down all of my daughter’s quality educational IEP goals,” Linley-Harris said.

Harris said her daughter can handle a general education program. A proposed law moving quickly through the Legislature would give parents of special needs kids the final say about their child’s education.

If a school district wants to override a parent’s decision, it would have to convince a judge.

Denise Rusnak oversees special education for Broward County Public Schools. She said schools must have the ability to do what’s best for each student.

“There’s medical malpractice,” Rusnak said. “To me, it’s educational malpractice to make a decision that’s not in the best interest of the child.”

Supporters of the change say schools are more apt to take special needs kids out of general education so they won’t have to take standardized tests like the FCAT. Starting next year, those test scores factor in to teacher salaries.

But Rusnak said the state only allows a small percentage of kids to be exempt from the FCAT.

“So, if a school is doing that, we’re going to see and were going to go in and investigate it,” Rusnak said, “and we’re going to make sure they’re making the right decisions for kids.”

In the event of a dispute between parents and the district, the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requires a due process hearing.

But supporters of the bill want to give Florida parents more control than federal law offers.

Ann Siegel with the advocacy group Disability Rights Florida says these kids are more capable than people think. “I think they’re kind of forgetting what the special part in special education was,” Siegel said, “and that is to provide that specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of the students so the students can achieve to the same extent as their non-disabled peers.”

Siegel’s group has represented many students who she says were inappropriately moved to a special diploma track.

“They can’t recoup those credits that they’re missing,” Siegel said, “and the special diploma is going to not allow them some options such as colleges and universities and some vocational schools and military.”

Besides giving parents more power, the proposed law calls for more special needs training for teachers. 

It also allows parents to hire private help to assist their children in the classroom.

The proposal is getting strong bipartisan support and is ready for a full vote by the House and the Senate.

View the entire NPR News Article by Gina Jordan clicking on this link: http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/why-parents-could-get-more-control-over-their-child-s-special-education-plan

Broward ESE "Education" is anything but about EDUCATION!!!

IS THIS LEGAL? 
How can a CLOSE-OUT of IEP GOALS be listed as a FINAL Doc. on Virtual Counselor without holding an IEP Meeting, not even a DATE & TIME is set for the next IEP meeting no less!!? 

IS THIS LEGAL TO DO?? 

Should there be DATA on those goals being deleted, revised, removed?? 

Broward Public Schools ESE Specialist is ALLOWED to place blame on many things that have all but been removed....on "GLITCHES" to the EasyIEP Program!! 

Stop it!!!

What BROWARD ESE Department is allowed to continue to do ESE Student after ESE Student after ESE Student.... this school district is DISGUSTING!!!

"Be The One" ~ It Starts with A Voice ~ Starring Lauren Potter

"Be The One" {Music Video} from Life Stage Films on Vimeo.
from It Starts with A Voice - www.itstartswithavoice.com

"Be the One" Written, Recorded, & Produced by Amy & Ben Wright
Starring Lauren Potter
Directed by Matt Davis of Life Stage Films - www.lifestagefilms.com
Purchase the song on iTunes to benefit Best Buddies International

"Like" us on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/ItStartsWithAVoice?ref=hl

Step off of the sidelines and be the one who makes a difference in someone's life. www.BestBuddies.org

Mariah Harris testifies before the Florida Senate Educational Committee

Proposed education bill reported favorably out of Fla. Senate committee

See Mariah speaking before the Senate Education Committee 3.18.13 
~ Go to 21:07 - 22:57 on the video to see Mariah and the other members of ESE Reform Taskforce of S. Florida. ~

http://thefloridachannel.org/video/program-201311/

Mariah and I testified before the Florida Senate Education Committee in support of SB 1108. We traveled with the newly formed 45 day old, ESE Reform Taskforce of S. Florida group. A group of parents that drove from South Florida to testify and tell our IEP and Special Education stories to our State Senators on behalf of Senate Bill 1108. 

Mariah Harris, a 6th grader attending Parkway Middle School and included in the S.T.E.M. Magnet Program testified and spoke an awesome public speech telling the Florida State Senators why she wants to be "taught to learn and earn a real High School Diploma, because she wants to go to College to be a Vet Tech!" 

The Bill passed unanimously with all in favor to pass in a 8-0 vote! This was exciting to be part of and to see Mariah read her speech before live TV and Newspaper Reporters taking notes! Mariah did an awesome job especially for it being her first major public speaking engagement. She was amazing to see her reading her speech! She was a natural public speaker! She enjoyed it and was professional about it!

Two days later House Bill, HB 465 was voted on unanimously 13-0 in favor as well! 

THIS is a huge win for PARENTS of children on IEP's!!

This was a life dream for me to see my daughter well on her way to becoming a National Speaker! She is already thinking about her next speech! Her mother couldn't be prouder!

*See Mariah on The Capitol Update from March 18th, 2013. Go to 21:08 on the Video to hear Sen. Andy Gardiner and Sen. John Thrasher present on S.B. 1108. A small snippet of Mariah's speech will follow.
http://www.wuft.org/news/2013/03/19/proposed-education-bill-reported-favorably-out-of-fla-senate-committee/#.UUpurn9wxSg.gmail 

A Florida Promise | Week 1 Legislative Roundup

Parent of special needs child ‘exhausted’ by education struggles - Your Houston News: News

Parent of special needs child ‘exhausted’ by education struggles - Your Houston News: News


"Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Known as IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a federal program which provides funds to states and school districts to support education for children with disabilities age 3 to 21, according to:
Kids Together  www.kidstogether.org.
According to the site, the principle of the law is that children with disabilities should not be denied the same opportunities offered to everyone else, everyone gets access to public education and therefore so should children with disabilities.
When a child meets the disability requirements of the law, school districts are obligated to prepare and implement an IEP designed to meet the unique needs of the child. The IEP becomes a legally-binding document."

To read full article, click here: http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/tomball/news/parent-of-special-needs-child-exhausted-by-education-struggles/article_dfe56468-7922-5601-b806-3fe7a4053a89.html

WOW!! This sounds just like what is happening in South Florida, in Broward County especially only more sloppy in how they sabotage well written IEP documents illegally! Parents ~ WAKE UP and stand together no matter what the disability of your Child! If the School District is systematically doing pretty much the same thing to all of our Children, then it absolutely is time to make sure you FILE Complaints with OCR! (Office of Civil Rights) 
How to file an OCR Complaint - Office of Civil Rights Click above link to learn more about Filing an OCR Complaint.

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.

Differentiated Instruction....is FUN!

Differentiated Instruction...is FUN!

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ESE PARENTS

Just Do It!

FILE A COMPLAINT!

FILE FOR A DUE PROCESS!

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

Little Children & Due Process

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Glad this chapter is over!