I have a few handouts that I will be willing to share with everyone. I won't go into detail about the programs that are discussed because they can be found on the internet. I would rather discuss the child complaint process and how it is being handled.
I am on the monitoring committee for the SEAP. Our responsibilities are to advise the SEA in developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in Federal monitoring reports under Part B of the ACT
Defined Purpose
(1) review statewide monitoring trends
(2) review corrective action plans (CAP) and improvement plans (IP) submitted to OSEP
(3) review MSIP cycle plans
(4) review due process and child complaint results
Part of our responsibilities are to deal with formal recommendations. Formal Recommendation #9 (Guidelines/Parameters for a Child Complaint Review, June 2004) was one that we discussed.
There is currently a database in place to track the survey information. The division is receiving very few child complaint surveys returned and DESE staff have been discussing options for getting more surveys returned. At the December 7, 2007, meeting Heidi Atkins Lieberman presented data which included the types of child complaint issues, comparison data by year, and summary information by allegation/complaint with the panel. At the March 13, 2008, meeting, the recommendation was made to refer back to the monitoring committee for review with a final decision to be made at the June 2008 meeting.
DESE asked the panel what they would like to have done. Panel indicated it appears that the survey process does not inhibit anyone from replying and if people choose not to respond, DESE has done the best it can to gather the information. DESE will continue to send the surveys for one more year and bring the results to the panel periodically.
The executive committee and the monitoring committee had a conference call in May and we agreed that we wanted to continue the program. We discussed the reasons why parents are probably not filling out the surveys and suggested that it be more family friendly and less frightening for a family.
When the matter was brought up at our meeting, Heidi stated that she would not continue the program and feels parents have every opportunity to provide feedback in the same manner that they filed the complaint. She stated that parents are never happy with the results and that the surveys are a waste of time. She stated that parents want the child complaint system to be punitive and it is not. She said child complaints are just for getting the schools into compliance. They are not to be used to punish the districts.
She went on to say that parents didn't get calls from DESE in the past when they were investigating the child complaints. They realized that might be frustrating for families and they started doing that. Parents should be happy that DESE took that step.
Heidi stated that there were plenty of avenues for parents that are not happy. She said that there is MOCASE and MPACT. She said that they are in place to help parents and that they should do their complaining through them. I told her that many parents are afraid of retaliation and that's why they don't return the surveys . I said that they might get a better response if they made it less intimidating. Doreen stated that most parents aren't aware of the resources that are available to them and that they need a safe place to voice their concerns. Bev stated that some parents are afraid to complain because their children might lose the little bit of services that they are receiving.
Heidi stated that it was MPACT's job to train parents and to help them deal with these issues. She stated that is why she has Mary Kay attends almost every meeting, function, etc. She said that I should complain to Mary Kay about MPACT not doing their job if parents feel this way. She also stated that Mary Kay would be speaking at the next meeting. Please understand that she was not attacking Mary Kay or MPACT. She was attacking parents for being uninformed.
Heidi stated that the only thing that she had asked of the monitoring committee was for them to end the surveys. She had no intentions of us continuing them. She also looked at me and said that she was sure that I knew that once she made up her mind she would not be forced to change it. I believe that has to do with her picking Lee's Summit R7 to present at the Superintendent's Conference.
We took a vote to see if the surveys should be discontinued. Three of us voted no. Heidi abstained. The rest voted yes. So, there will no longer be any surveys for parents to fill out.
Kris stated that too many parents are mad at DESE and then they join the SEAP to advocate for their children. She said that parents held up the meetings with complaints about DESE. That is what used to happen on the panel. Now meetings go smoothly because no one is there to be adversarial or to advocate for the children.
I believe that comment was for me. I believe that I was being put in my place. Come here, praise DESE, and go home.
On another note, I was elected to the Executive Committee. Don't ask me how.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
My Minutes From The March Special Education Advisory Panel Meeting
There was a speaker from KU that is working with DESE on some project for transition.
To be honest, I lost track of what she was talking about because she made it known from the beginning that parents should have little to no impact on decisions regarding programming.
At some point one of the folks on the panel asked why all of these state agencies never have parents as members on these panels.
Heidi Atkins Lieberman spoke up and said that parents aren't normally on these panels because they only want people that have decision making rights on these panels. They don't want people that can't put the ideas into action. (Translation: you have no power).
The woman then stated that parents need to have their concerns voiced. Heidi said that Mary Kay is a parent and she is on many of these committees. The woman said that she is on these committees as part of an agency and not as a parent.
Heidi said that she felt that Mary Kay would be offended by that statement because she is a passionate parent. The woman apologized and stated that she meant no harm and certainly had the utmost respect for Mary Kay, but she felt that the panel should have parents that are not a part of any other agencies.
At that point the woman from KU said that most parents couldn't possibly make the commitment to attend these meetings and that they were highly technical and then she looked at me and said, "I'm sure that you find these meetings boring, Sherri, and that you don't like attending them."
Now I have never spoken at these meetings and tried to just sit back and take it all in. I just really wanted to see how the machine worked. But, I was a little off of my game and probably a little miffed because the city was taking down my campaign signs.
I said, "I don't find these meetings boring and I attend because I want to. Parents need to be a part of every agency. I will tell you what I tell folks when I speak before them. You can read all that you want to about autism. You can study all that you want to about autism. You can get a master's degree in autism. But, until you come into my home and live my life, you don't know anything about autism."
She then interrupted me and tried to get back on track. But, she started the ball rolling and it wasn't going to be stopped that easily. I went on, "I will explain it to you in the only way that I know how. It's like going to a male gynecologist. He can read about cramps. He can understand scientifically about what causes cramps. He will never know what cramps are because he has never had them."
Later in the meeting (and I was giving it my best effort to remain my usual silent self) we were going over our committee reports. One lady said that she would like to see DESE limit the number of advocates (she couldn't pronounce the word) that come to IEP meetings. She also stated that there should be some wording about how they would be forced to behave.
Ok, folks, it's been a long week and frankly I don't have much faith in the system. I said that parents never go to their first IEP meeting with an advocate. They do that after they have tried to work in the system. I told her that I speak as a person that goes to IEP meetings with families and sometimes we take 8 people with us. It evens out the odds and levels the playing field.
I told her that you can not legislate good behavior. I told her parents would not become adversarial if they weren't backed into a corner.
Heidi then mentioned that they are trying to get MPACT into schools to do parent training. I told her that MPACT is already doing parent training and all one has to do is go online and look at their schedule and class list.
Heidi said that parents didn't know how to find the information and that's why it is going to be so great that the districts will host the trainings. Wouldn't it be great if the districts just told the families about the training without they and DESE having to get credit for hosting the training? How about the districts and DESE just do what they are federally mandated and the whole discussion would be mute?
Another member of the panel spoke up and said that she was a special ed teacher and that she understood the district side of it and that it could become adversarial. She is also a parent of a child with a disability and has to hire an advocate to go with her to meetings. UMM!!
By the way, the panel is supposed to be made up of mostly parents, but they find ways around that by getting parents that work for school districts that have children with disabilities. There were two people there yesterday that had no other agenda other than our children. Not very good odds.
To be honest, I lost track of what she was talking about because she made it known from the beginning that parents should have little to no impact on decisions regarding programming.
At some point one of the folks on the panel asked why all of these state agencies never have parents as members on these panels.
Heidi Atkins Lieberman spoke up and said that parents aren't normally on these panels because they only want people that have decision making rights on these panels. They don't want people that can't put the ideas into action. (Translation: you have no power).
The woman then stated that parents need to have their concerns voiced. Heidi said that Mary Kay is a parent and she is on many of these committees. The woman said that she is on these committees as part of an agency and not as a parent.
Heidi said that she felt that Mary Kay would be offended by that statement because she is a passionate parent. The woman apologized and stated that she meant no harm and certainly had the utmost respect for Mary Kay, but she felt that the panel should have parents that are not a part of any other agencies.
At that point the woman from KU said that most parents couldn't possibly make the commitment to attend these meetings and that they were highly technical and then she looked at me and said, "I'm sure that you find these meetings boring, Sherri, and that you don't like attending them."
Now I have never spoken at these meetings and tried to just sit back and take it all in. I just really wanted to see how the machine worked. But, I was a little off of my game and probably a little miffed because the city was taking down my campaign signs.
I said, "I don't find these meetings boring and I attend because I want to. Parents need to be a part of every agency. I will tell you what I tell folks when I speak before them. You can read all that you want to about autism. You can study all that you want to about autism. You can get a master's degree in autism. But, until you come into my home and live my life, you don't know anything about autism."
She then interrupted me and tried to get back on track. But, she started the ball rolling and it wasn't going to be stopped that easily. I went on, "I will explain it to you in the only way that I know how. It's like going to a male gynecologist. He can read about cramps. He can understand scientifically about what causes cramps. He will never know what cramps are because he has never had them."
Later in the meeting (and I was giving it my best effort to remain my usual silent self) we were going over our committee reports. One lady said that she would like to see DESE limit the number of advocates (she couldn't pronounce the word) that come to IEP meetings. She also stated that there should be some wording about how they would be forced to behave.
Ok, folks, it's been a long week and frankly I don't have much faith in the system. I said that parents never go to their first IEP meeting with an advocate. They do that after they have tried to work in the system. I told her that I speak as a person that goes to IEP meetings with families and sometimes we take 8 people with us. It evens out the odds and levels the playing field.
I told her that you can not legislate good behavior. I told her parents would not become adversarial if they weren't backed into a corner.
Heidi then mentioned that they are trying to get MPACT into schools to do parent training. I told her that MPACT is already doing parent training and all one has to do is go online and look at their schedule and class list.
Heidi said that parents didn't know how to find the information and that's why it is going to be so great that the districts will host the trainings. Wouldn't it be great if the districts just told the families about the training without they and DESE having to get credit for hosting the training? How about the districts and DESE just do what they are federally mandated and the whole discussion would be mute?
Another member of the panel spoke up and said that she was a special ed teacher and that she understood the district side of it and that it could become adversarial. She is also a parent of a child with a disability and has to hire an advocate to go with her to meetings. UMM!!
By the way, the panel is supposed to be made up of mostly parents, but they find ways around that by getting parents that work for school districts that have children with disabilities. There were two people there yesterday that had no other agenda other than our children. Not very good odds.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The High Price Of Obtaining A Free And Appropriate Education
In the beginning I knew nothing. I was a mom, what did I know about special education needs, disability quotients or IDEA law ?
I stumbled across something called "parent advocates" during a visit to a local support group meeting. The school district certainly did
not give me this information. The Parent/Education Advocate is one of those "in the trenches" occupations. I and many parents like
myself need help from advocates to know what to ask for in IEP meetings
I faced that first IEP for my son without an advocate or any other support. I trusted the school for everything - information about my
son, what he needed and how the school could help. I wanted specifics. But, there were no baseline measurements as to where he
was functioning. Instead, this document that was to determine my son's educational future said things like "Terry is unorganized," "Terry is unmotivated," and "Terry lacks social skills."
It would have been useful to know how often Terry was unorganized. Was it 20 % of the school day? 50%? The entire day? Exactly how
often did he lose his math homework? Were there ever times when he was organized and motivated? Did there appear to be any pattern to
this behavior?
Those first IEP meetings were horrible. Rather than addressing classroom issues, the teachers and other education professionals
blamed me for having no discipline in the home, and spending insufficient quality homework help-time with my son. They ignored me
when I described that I had learning disabilities myself. All of this was very frustrating.
The school seemed to be focused on avoiding any responsibility for my child's education. For example, although my son had a math-
related learning disability, they never would add a math goal to the IEP. Instead, they insisted my son go to summer school each year
when he repeatedly failed math. Rather than teaching my son, they simply passed him along so someone else would have to take care of
him.
What goals were included were terribly vague. "Terry will become organized." How? The IEP never said who would help him do this or
how he was to become organized…and by when…and he was given only 30 minutes per week to accomplish this.
This was before the 1997 IDEA changes, when Congress rewrote part of IDEA and emphasized that the Parent is the number one member of the
IEP team-"parent" is actually listed first in the citation!
But even after the new rules were in effect, I still needed an advocate. The school still stalled and avoided responsibility. My
concerns and questions at IEP meetings were always met with "We need to keep moving." The same mass production mentality that was failing
my son in the classroom was failing in these meetings as well. "Our teachers have pulled themselves away from their students to be here
with you now for this meeting, which is getting way too long."
I didn't know what was supposed to happen, but I knew that this couldn't be right. I hired an advocate and an attorney for my son.
Advocates understand IEP lingo and objective measurement time frames. The advocates attempted to obtain a workable IEP for my son
that had measures and accountability included.
After a few years of this I began to learn about IDEA and what should be included in a good IEP. Three publications that were very
helpful for me were: "Better IEP's," by Barbara Bateman, "Negotiating the Special Education Maze" by Winifred
Anderson and Wrightslaw.com, wirtten by Peter and Pamela Wright.
Now I understood what to ask for in order to help my son, but advocacy requires more than just a basic understanding of the law.
My emotional angst concerning my child would always cloud my perspective. The parent advocate, with a less emotional, more
objective perspective, continued to be helpful.
Many times it seemed the school did not know the IEP laws-they just suggested a few vague things and expected me to accept them which I
did in the beginning. These were kind teachers and counselors who liked my child very much. It seems that both parents and schools
need to have help to create an IEP based on the needs of the child.
Good school/parent cooperation is the best thing that can happen for a child with special needs. Unfortunately, this is often a dream and
not reality. Instead, parents and teachers are pitted against one another by policies designed for the benefit of the district and not
the student.
In the end everything became so negative and adversarial. The school refused to be more specific and offer tutors or small classes. When
my child's IOWA scores declined and my child was doing worse with Special Education-the school told me that I could always go to due
process if I wasn't happy!!
I heard this everywhere I went…
You even hear State Board of Education Commissioners say this, and US Congressmen and OCR government attorneys…I know, I've been there
and "done that".
I was forced to get an attorney. Do you know how hard it is to find an attorney who wants to practice Special Education Law? At the time
there were only 2 in my state. The school district by law must tell parents where they can get legal help if necessary-but what a joke
that was…
My choices were:
Thursday Night Bar Group--a group of rotating lawyers who could give you bits of advice, The state's "Legal Center" -but when I called I found they were not
representing my child's group of disabilities that year. So I was forced to meet with one of the two attorneys-thank God I lived in the same city…
After a year the bill came to $15,000 and this was a very conscientious attorney who actually had a fairly low hourly fee.
School districts have teams of attorneys on retainers. Think about this, if it cost me $15,000, what did it cost the school district?
Taxpayers ARE the schools. We pay for the attorneys who fight against our children!!
In the end there often is only a parent who gets beat down and must give up-many of us turn to homeschooling or private schools. One of
us last saw her wedding ring at the local pawn shop when she borrowed money to pay for a due process meeting with the attorney.
I stumbled across something called "parent advocates" during a visit to a local support group meeting. The school district certainly did
not give me this information. The Parent/Education Advocate is one of those "in the trenches" occupations. I and many parents like
myself need help from advocates to know what to ask for in IEP meetings
I faced that first IEP for my son without an advocate or any other support. I trusted the school for everything - information about my
son, what he needed and how the school could help. I wanted specifics. But, there were no baseline measurements as to where he
was functioning. Instead, this document that was to determine my son's educational future said things like "Terry is unorganized," "Terry is unmotivated," and "Terry lacks social skills."
It would have been useful to know how often Terry was unorganized. Was it 20 % of the school day? 50%? The entire day? Exactly how
often did he lose his math homework? Were there ever times when he was organized and motivated? Did there appear to be any pattern to
this behavior?
Those first IEP meetings were horrible. Rather than addressing classroom issues, the teachers and other education professionals
blamed me for having no discipline in the home, and spending insufficient quality homework help-time with my son. They ignored me
when I described that I had learning disabilities myself. All of this was very frustrating.
The school seemed to be focused on avoiding any responsibility for my child's education. For example, although my son had a math-
related learning disability, they never would add a math goal to the IEP. Instead, they insisted my son go to summer school each year
when he repeatedly failed math. Rather than teaching my son, they simply passed him along so someone else would have to take care of
him.
What goals were included were terribly vague. "Terry will become organized." How? The IEP never said who would help him do this or
how he was to become organized…and by when…and he was given only 30 minutes per week to accomplish this.
This was before the 1997 IDEA changes, when Congress rewrote part of IDEA and emphasized that the Parent is the number one member of the
IEP team-"parent" is actually listed first in the citation!
But even after the new rules were in effect, I still needed an advocate. The school still stalled and avoided responsibility. My
concerns and questions at IEP meetings were always met with "We need to keep moving." The same mass production mentality that was failing
my son in the classroom was failing in these meetings as well. "Our teachers have pulled themselves away from their students to be here
with you now for this meeting, which is getting way too long."
I didn't know what was supposed to happen, but I knew that this couldn't be right. I hired an advocate and an attorney for my son.
Advocates understand IEP lingo and objective measurement time frames. The advocates attempted to obtain a workable IEP for my son
that had measures and accountability included.
After a few years of this I began to learn about IDEA and what should be included in a good IEP. Three publications that were very
helpful for me were: "Better IEP's," by Barbara Bateman, "Negotiating the Special Education Maze" by Winifred
Anderson and Wrightslaw.com, wirtten by Peter and Pamela Wright.
Now I understood what to ask for in order to help my son, but advocacy requires more than just a basic understanding of the law.
My emotional angst concerning my child would always cloud my perspective. The parent advocate, with a less emotional, more
objective perspective, continued to be helpful.
Many times it seemed the school did not know the IEP laws-they just suggested a few vague things and expected me to accept them which I
did in the beginning. These were kind teachers and counselors who liked my child very much. It seems that both parents and schools
need to have help to create an IEP based on the needs of the child.
Good school/parent cooperation is the best thing that can happen for a child with special needs. Unfortunately, this is often a dream and
not reality. Instead, parents and teachers are pitted against one another by policies designed for the benefit of the district and not
the student.
In the end everything became so negative and adversarial. The school refused to be more specific and offer tutors or small classes. When
my child's IOWA scores declined and my child was doing worse with Special Education-the school told me that I could always go to due
process if I wasn't happy!!
I heard this everywhere I went…
You even hear State Board of Education Commissioners say this, and US Congressmen and OCR government attorneys…I know, I've been there
and "done that".
I was forced to get an attorney. Do you know how hard it is to find an attorney who wants to practice Special Education Law? At the time
there were only 2 in my state. The school district by law must tell parents where they can get legal help if necessary-but what a joke
that was…
My choices were:
Thursday Night Bar Group--a group of rotating lawyers who could give you bits of advice, The state's "Legal Center" -but when I called I found they were not
representing my child's group of disabilities that year. So I was forced to meet with one of the two attorneys-thank God I lived in the same city…
After a year the bill came to $15,000 and this was a very conscientious attorney who actually had a fairly low hourly fee.
School districts have teams of attorneys on retainers. Think about this, if it cost me $15,000, what did it cost the school district?
Taxpayers ARE the schools. We pay for the attorneys who fight against our children!!
In the end there often is only a parent who gets beat down and must give up-many of us turn to homeschooling or private schools. One of
us last saw her wedding ring at the local pawn shop when she borrowed money to pay for a due process meeting with the attorney.
Social Learning: Is This The Responsibility of School Districts?
This is what is missing from my son's IEP. The district has never addressed his social skills. They finally gave him a Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales at the end of 7th grade. His score in the interpersonal skills was that of a four year old. Even after they saw this, they didn't mention doing anything for him and acted as though it was no big deal.
Social Learning: Is This The Responsibility of School Districts?
Rebecca K. Spar
Cole Schotz Docket
Summer 2007
As more and more children are diagnosed with disabling conditions like autism, which often include significant deficiencies in social skills, parents are increasingly insisting that their school districts address their child’s social skill deficiencies. Failing to respond appropriately proved expensive for one California school district. In 2005 the Manhattan Beach Unified School District and the California Department of Education agreed to pay more than $6.7 million to a family, based in part on the district’s failure to provide appropriate social skills instruction and modeling to a fourth grader with autism.
Federal courts in this jurisdiction have consistently recognized that the concept of education is broad and formal education may begin by working on basic social skills. These decisions for the most part, though, involved children with significant cognitive issues who were not attending general classes or expected to master the core content academic curriculum.
School districts have been more reluctant to get involved when the student is bright, receives passing or even honors grades, but has significant social skills deficiencies. As districts see the consequences of the isolation, rejection and even harassment of these students by their peers, there is increasing awareness of how students’ social skill deficiencies impact upon students’ overall emotional and social well-being and educational performance and on the well-being of the school system as a whole. There is also an increasing recognition that all students need flexible thinking, problem solving, teamwork and other social skills abilities if they are to succeed in employment and in their personal future lives.
The First Circuit Court of Appeals recently spoke to this issue in a case involving a bright, well-behaved honors student diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum but where the student typically has strong cognitive skills but very significant social impairments. In this case, the student was withdrawn, could not connect with her peers or her teachers, was inflexible, unable to handle change and misread social cues. Even after the student became so upset that she tried to commit suicide, the school district refused to provide her with any special education services, saying her educational performance was not adversely affected by her social impairment as she received good grades. The District Court and Court of Appeals both disagreed, holding that educational performance can include social skill deficiencies which adversely impact upon the student’s continuing participation in general classes. The courts also held that social-skills and pragmatic instruction could be the special education needed by the student to access the general curriculum.
Social skills services can include direct teaching of social skills individually or in groups, modeling and facilitating social skill development through assigning peer “buddy” or nondisabled peers to attend class or extracurricular activities with the student. It may also include social skills coaching and training of the teaching staff and aides in how to facilitate social skill development. It is up to the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, including the parents, to decide whether social skills are an area of need and how they should be addressed and to include the appropriate services in the child’s IEP.
Social Learning: Is This The Responsibility of School Districts?
Rebecca K. Spar
Cole Schotz Docket
Summer 2007
As more and more children are diagnosed with disabling conditions like autism, which often include significant deficiencies in social skills, parents are increasingly insisting that their school districts address their child’s social skill deficiencies. Failing to respond appropriately proved expensive for one California school district. In 2005 the Manhattan Beach Unified School District and the California Department of Education agreed to pay more than $6.7 million to a family, based in part on the district’s failure to provide appropriate social skills instruction and modeling to a fourth grader with autism.
Federal courts in this jurisdiction have consistently recognized that the concept of education is broad and formal education may begin by working on basic social skills. These decisions for the most part, though, involved children with significant cognitive issues who were not attending general classes or expected to master the core content academic curriculum.
School districts have been more reluctant to get involved when the student is bright, receives passing or even honors grades, but has significant social skills deficiencies. As districts see the consequences of the isolation, rejection and even harassment of these students by their peers, there is increasing awareness of how students’ social skill deficiencies impact upon students’ overall emotional and social well-being and educational performance and on the well-being of the school system as a whole. There is also an increasing recognition that all students need flexible thinking, problem solving, teamwork and other social skills abilities if they are to succeed in employment and in their personal future lives.
The First Circuit Court of Appeals recently spoke to this issue in a case involving a bright, well-behaved honors student diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum but where the student typically has strong cognitive skills but very significant social impairments. In this case, the student was withdrawn, could not connect with her peers or her teachers, was inflexible, unable to handle change and misread social cues. Even after the student became so upset that she tried to commit suicide, the school district refused to provide her with any special education services, saying her educational performance was not adversely affected by her social impairment as she received good grades. The District Court and Court of Appeals both disagreed, holding that educational performance can include social skill deficiencies which adversely impact upon the student’s continuing participation in general classes. The courts also held that social-skills and pragmatic instruction could be the special education needed by the student to access the general curriculum.
Social skills services can include direct teaching of social skills individually or in groups, modeling and facilitating social skill development through assigning peer “buddy” or nondisabled peers to attend class or extracurricular activities with the student. It may also include social skills coaching and training of the teaching staff and aides in how to facilitate social skill development. It is up to the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, including the parents, to decide whether social skills are an area of need and how they should be addressed and to include the appropriate services in the child’s IEP.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Autism vs Vaccinations
Comments
lsautism2 - 9:12 AM
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PLively, So because you work with children with autism, you know more than a parent who lives with autism 24/7? That is what your post implied. The two are no where equal. People extremely close to parents of children with autism don't even understand fully what we go through. No one can understand unless they have been there.
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lsautism - 8:38 AM
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Actually I wasn't referring to your post, but the post before yours. I am sorry that you took such offense to mine. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-concedes-vacci_b_88323.html After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims. The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff's identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case. The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases.
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jaylomom - 12:03 AM
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My son also who will be nine in Feb. has Autism and I have believed from the get go it was because of the shots. I remember after that shot my son would sit there and shake and that is when he started showing signs. By age two he quite talking, but I am very lucky to say he is doing much better now. He still has Autism and will the rest of his life. If I had to do all over again I would not allowed my sons to be given the "shot".
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PLively - 12:02 AM
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I would surely vaccinate subsequent children. Why would I put my children at risk for illness or even death when there are vaccines to prevent these illnesses? Sorry but the Federal Court didn't rule that vaccines cause Autism. The court simply found that there might be a possible relationship. That's a huge stretch from that to a causal relationship. Reread my comments. There is no judgement passed. I'm simply stating that not vaccinating a child puts other children at risk. Please, make no assumptions about how blessed I am or that I haven't had to make the decision they made. I take care of children with Autism. You have no clue when you pass judgement on me about my choices, my decisions and my experiences. And, you are clueless about what I'll live with the rest of my life. Pot/kettle/black The only disservice we can do for families of Autistic children is support the idea that vaccines cause Autism. It's a hell of a lot more compassionate to work together to find a cure. Focusing on vaccines as the culprit is a distraction from the task of helping Autistic children and their families.
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lsautism - 9/24/2008
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If your first child was a beautiful, typical child until the vaccines and then disappeared within himself, would you vaccinate the children that came after him? The United States Federal Court just ruled in favor of a family and their ruling was that vaccines caused their daughter's autism. Do I know if autism is caused by vaccines? No, I don't. Would I expect the Davis family to vaccinate their second child? Not in a million years. It is easy to sit back and pass judgement when you don't have to walk in another families shoes. How blessed you are to not have to make the decision that they had to make. But, please don't make judgements on something that you have never experienced and won't have to live with for the rest of your life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLively - 9/24/2008
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The possibility of vaccines as a cause of Autism has been studied over and over. The one thing which DOESN'T cause Autism is vaccinating a child. But, not vaccinating a child puts that child and those around her at risk. If parents want to put their own children at risk for vaccine preventable illnesses that's one thing. To put other children at risk is unacceptable. For example, Haemophilus Influenza type B causes invasive infection which results in blood infections and/or, meningitis. It killed many children, and gave others brain damage or hearing loss. Funny though, I haven't seen a case of invasive Haemophilus B since routine immunization with the HIB vaccine was initiated in the early 1990s. The prevention of disease by vaccines is actual, not theoretical. The causal relationship between vaccines and autism is theoretical and, fortunately, has been disproven. Regards, Paul H. Lively, D.O, F.A.A.P
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
iolan - 9/24/2008
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If parents reject vaccinations, their child or children should not be allowed in public schools or any other place where large crowds are. Also if their child comes down with the disease and there are complications resulting in long hospitalization, they should have to bear the cost themselves. And if it is serious enough to endanger the life of the child, they should face criminal charges. Phillip L. Crown 821 E. Broadway IOLA, KS 66749
LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo - As a baby, Tristan Davis showed all the signs of being a normal, healthy child. His parents say he met all the major milestones of a developing baby, including walking and talking.
However, for the past six years, Aimee and Joel Davis say their oldest son has not uttered a single word.
"We always describe it as a dimmer switch," Aimee said. "It was just like slowly, slowly he was fading away. And then by the age of 2, he was gone."
Tristan, who turns 8 next month, has a severe case of autism. The brain disorder affects his ability to communicate and causes wild mood swings. While playing in the backyard, Tristan has a tendency to dart off and climb fences, forcing Joel to chase him down in neighbors' yards. Inside the house, he is under constant surveillance.
What Happened?
"I definitely believe in my heart the vaccinations triggered his autism."
So what caused such a rapid, dramatic change in their son? It is a question that vexes thousands of parents who have children with autism, a disorder now diagnosed at a rate of one out every 150 children.
Looking back, Tristan's parents say the turning point was a round of vaccines he received as a toddler. Aimee said her son immediately became sick and battled through a month of various illnesses. Joel's brother and sister had also suffered adverse reactions to vaccinations, so the family assumed it could be something in the genes.
But when the parents later received the autism diagnosis from a doctor, they suspected something else.
"The timing was too coincidental to ignore and I definitely believe in my heart the vaccinations triggered his autism," Aimee said.
Not Alone
Related Links
Thousands of Unvaccinated Children Enter Schools
The Davis couple is far from alone. It is a belief shared by a growing number of parents around the country. Doctors say they are getting more questions about vaccine safety. The fear of a possible link to autism and other health problems is causing parents not to immunize their children.
For instance, the Davis' younger son, Cole, started kindergarten this year without getting his vaccine shots. The 5-year-old is still allowed in the classroom with other students because the family filed for an exemption with the Lee's Summit School District. The paperwork states the vaccines go against their religious beliefs.
"Why play that 'what if' game?" Joel said. "We're going to take it on a day-to-day basis and do what's best for our child."
Mandated Vaccinations
Courtesy: National Vaccine Information Center
Related Links
NVIC State Exemptions
Tell Us What You Think
Updated vaccination records for students are mandated by law before they enter into school districts. However, in 48 of 50 states -- including Missouri and Kansas -- parents can get a legal exemption for medical or religious reasons. Eighteen of those states have added a third exemption, which allows parents to opt their children out for philosophical or personal beliefs.
Click on the map to see a larger version showing which exemptions are allowed in what states.
In many of the states with the philosophical option, experts say the exemption rates have jumped to 2 or 3 percent of the student population. Typically, the rate is 1 percent or less. Kansas and Missouri have seen a slight increase in exemption requests during the past few years, but are still hovering around the 1 percent threshold. The exact figures can be difficult to track because they rely on survey from school districts and do not include home-school children.
In Missouri, there has been a push over the past five years to add a philosophical exemption for parents, but the idea has yet to win legislative approval.
Questions and Concerns
Should Kansas and Missouri let parents exempt their children from vaccinations for philosophical reasons?
Yes (72.7%)
No (24.2%)
Not Sure (3.0%)
Pediatricians like Dr. Scott Dattel are getting more questions than ever from parents concerned about vaccine safety. Dattel said many of the fears are fueled by rumors circulating on the Internet. However, Dattel insists there is no proof of a connection to autism, a claim that is backed by piles of medical research.
A study released in early September showed no link between the measles vaccine and autism. Those findings debunked a 1998 British study, which originally linked the so-called MMR vaccine with a subgroup of autistic children.
"Vaccines are given to kids. Autism happens to kids. I don't think there is a true link. It just does happen," Dattel said.
Taking a Risk
Dr. Scott Dattel
"These vaccines actually protect against diseases that can kill."
So what is the harm of children skipping their shots? Health experts point to this year's measles outbreak -- the nation's largest in more than a decade -- as an example. A Center for Disease Control report found the majority of the 135 people infected did not receive the measles vaccine for personal reasons.
Doctors say it has been so long since some diseases were prevalent, parents are underestimating the potential dangers.
"These vaccines actually protect against diseases that can kill," Dattel said.
Thad Wilson heads the Mid America Immunization Coalition, a group comprised of medical and educational leaders who are trying to boost vaccination rates. He said it is good for parents to ask questions and educate themselves about vaccines. But he worries personal convictions could begin to interfere with public health. Wilson said the development of vaccines ranks in the top four public health advances of the 20th century.
"I've seen a child die of measles. I've seen someone who had polio and I know the devastation caused by it," Wilson said. "If everyone is allowed to do what they want, we'll end up back where we were in the 1920s with large outbreaks."
Looking Forward
Aimee and Joel Davis are not ruling out vaccines for Cole in the future. For now, it is a risk the Lee's Summit couple is willing to take.
"Who knows? But it sure would be nice to have some answers instead of that big question mark we've had hanging over us for the past six years," Joel said.
In Missouri, there's been a recent push to add a philosophical exemption, but it has yet to win legislative approval.
lsautism2 - 9:12 AM
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PLively, So because you work with children with autism, you know more than a parent who lives with autism 24/7? That is what your post implied. The two are no where equal. People extremely close to parents of children with autism don't even understand fully what we go through. No one can understand unless they have been there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lsautism - 8:38 AM
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Actually I wasn't referring to your post, but the post before yours. I am sorry that you took such offense to mine. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-concedes-vacci_b_88323.html After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims. The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff's identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case. The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
jaylomom - 12:03 AM
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My son also who will be nine in Feb. has Autism and I have believed from the get go it was because of the shots. I remember after that shot my son would sit there and shake and that is when he started showing signs. By age two he quite talking, but I am very lucky to say he is doing much better now. He still has Autism and will the rest of his life. If I had to do all over again I would not allowed my sons to be given the "shot".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLively - 12:02 AM
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I would surely vaccinate subsequent children. Why would I put my children at risk for illness or even death when there are vaccines to prevent these illnesses? Sorry but the Federal Court didn't rule that vaccines cause Autism. The court simply found that there might be a possible relationship. That's a huge stretch from that to a causal relationship. Reread my comments. There is no judgement passed. I'm simply stating that not vaccinating a child puts other children at risk. Please, make no assumptions about how blessed I am or that I haven't had to make the decision they made. I take care of children with Autism. You have no clue when you pass judgement on me about my choices, my decisions and my experiences. And, you are clueless about what I'll live with the rest of my life. Pot/kettle/black The only disservice we can do for families of Autistic children is support the idea that vaccines cause Autism. It's a hell of a lot more compassionate to work together to find a cure. Focusing on vaccines as the culprit is a distraction from the task of helping Autistic children and their families.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lsautism - 9/24/2008
0 Votes
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If your first child was a beautiful, typical child until the vaccines and then disappeared within himself, would you vaccinate the children that came after him? The United States Federal Court just ruled in favor of a family and their ruling was that vaccines caused their daughter's autism. Do I know if autism is caused by vaccines? No, I don't. Would I expect the Davis family to vaccinate their second child? Not in a million years. It is easy to sit back and pass judgement when you don't have to walk in another families shoes. How blessed you are to not have to make the decision that they had to make. But, please don't make judgements on something that you have never experienced and won't have to live with for the rest of your life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLively - 9/24/2008
0 Votes
Report User
The possibility of vaccines as a cause of Autism has been studied over and over. The one thing which DOESN'T cause Autism is vaccinating a child. But, not vaccinating a child puts that child and those around her at risk. If parents want to put their own children at risk for vaccine preventable illnesses that's one thing. To put other children at risk is unacceptable. For example, Haemophilus Influenza type B causes invasive infection which results in blood infections and/or, meningitis. It killed many children, and gave others brain damage or hearing loss. Funny though, I haven't seen a case of invasive Haemophilus B since routine immunization with the HIB vaccine was initiated in the early 1990s. The prevention of disease by vaccines is actual, not theoretical. The causal relationship between vaccines and autism is theoretical and, fortunately, has been disproven. Regards, Paul H. Lively, D.O, F.A.A.P
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
iolan - 9/24/2008
0 Votes
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If parents reject vaccinations, their child or children should not be allowed in public schools or any other place where large crowds are. Also if their child comes down with the disease and there are complications resulting in long hospitalization, they should have to bear the cost themselves. And if it is serious enough to endanger the life of the child, they should face criminal charges. Phillip L. Crown 821 E. Broadway IOLA, KS 66749
LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo - As a baby, Tristan Davis showed all the signs of being a normal, healthy child. His parents say he met all the major milestones of a developing baby, including walking and talking.
However, for the past six years, Aimee and Joel Davis say their oldest son has not uttered a single word.
"We always describe it as a dimmer switch," Aimee said. "It was just like slowly, slowly he was fading away. And then by the age of 2, he was gone."
Tristan, who turns 8 next month, has a severe case of autism. The brain disorder affects his ability to communicate and causes wild mood swings. While playing in the backyard, Tristan has a tendency to dart off and climb fences, forcing Joel to chase him down in neighbors' yards. Inside the house, he is under constant surveillance.
What Happened?
"I definitely believe in my heart the vaccinations triggered his autism."
So what caused such a rapid, dramatic change in their son? It is a question that vexes thousands of parents who have children with autism, a disorder now diagnosed at a rate of one out every 150 children.
Looking back, Tristan's parents say the turning point was a round of vaccines he received as a toddler. Aimee said her son immediately became sick and battled through a month of various illnesses. Joel's brother and sister had also suffered adverse reactions to vaccinations, so the family assumed it could be something in the genes.
But when the parents later received the autism diagnosis from a doctor, they suspected something else.
"The timing was too coincidental to ignore and I definitely believe in my heart the vaccinations triggered his autism," Aimee said.
Not Alone
Related Links
Thousands of Unvaccinated Children Enter Schools
The Davis couple is far from alone. It is a belief shared by a growing number of parents around the country. Doctors say they are getting more questions about vaccine safety. The fear of a possible link to autism and other health problems is causing parents not to immunize their children.
For instance, the Davis' younger son, Cole, started kindergarten this year without getting his vaccine shots. The 5-year-old is still allowed in the classroom with other students because the family filed for an exemption with the Lee's Summit School District. The paperwork states the vaccines go against their religious beliefs.
"Why play that 'what if' game?" Joel said. "We're going to take it on a day-to-day basis and do what's best for our child."
Mandated Vaccinations
Courtesy: National Vaccine Information Center
Related Links
NVIC State Exemptions
Tell Us What You Think
Updated vaccination records for students are mandated by law before they enter into school districts. However, in 48 of 50 states -- including Missouri and Kansas -- parents can get a legal exemption for medical or religious reasons. Eighteen of those states have added a third exemption, which allows parents to opt their children out for philosophical or personal beliefs.
Click on the map to see a larger version showing which exemptions are allowed in what states.
In many of the states with the philosophical option, experts say the exemption rates have jumped to 2 or 3 percent of the student population. Typically, the rate is 1 percent or less. Kansas and Missouri have seen a slight increase in exemption requests during the past few years, but are still hovering around the 1 percent threshold. The exact figures can be difficult to track because they rely on survey from school districts and do not include home-school children.
In Missouri, there has been a push over the past five years to add a philosophical exemption for parents, but the idea has yet to win legislative approval.
Questions and Concerns
Should Kansas and Missouri let parents exempt their children from vaccinations for philosophical reasons?
Yes (72.7%)
No (24.2%)
Not Sure (3.0%)
Pediatricians like Dr. Scott Dattel are getting more questions than ever from parents concerned about vaccine safety. Dattel said many of the fears are fueled by rumors circulating on the Internet. However, Dattel insists there is no proof of a connection to autism, a claim that is backed by piles of medical research.
A study released in early September showed no link between the measles vaccine and autism. Those findings debunked a 1998 British study, which originally linked the so-called MMR vaccine with a subgroup of autistic children.
"Vaccines are given to kids. Autism happens to kids. I don't think there is a true link. It just does happen," Dattel said.
Taking a Risk
Dr. Scott Dattel
"These vaccines actually protect against diseases that can kill."
So what is the harm of children skipping their shots? Health experts point to this year's measles outbreak -- the nation's largest in more than a decade -- as an example. A Center for Disease Control report found the majority of the 135 people infected did not receive the measles vaccine for personal reasons.
Doctors say it has been so long since some diseases were prevalent, parents are underestimating the potential dangers.
"These vaccines actually protect against diseases that can kill," Dattel said.
Thad Wilson heads the Mid America Immunization Coalition, a group comprised of medical and educational leaders who are trying to boost vaccination rates. He said it is good for parents to ask questions and educate themselves about vaccines. But he worries personal convictions could begin to interfere with public health. Wilson said the development of vaccines ranks in the top four public health advances of the 20th century.
"I've seen a child die of measles. I've seen someone who had polio and I know the devastation caused by it," Wilson said. "If everyone is allowed to do what they want, we'll end up back where we were in the 1920s with large outbreaks."
Looking Forward
Aimee and Joel Davis are not ruling out vaccines for Cole in the future. For now, it is a risk the Lee's Summit couple is willing to take.
"Who knows? But it sure would be nice to have some answers instead of that big question mark we've had hanging over us for the past six years," Joel said.
In Missouri, there's been a recent push to add a philosophical exemption, but it has yet to win legislative approval.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Why You Must Not Be Blind When It Comes To Your Child's Education
I was talking to a friend today and some things came to mind. Many people
want to know why I fight with the school district and the State. I have
earned quite a reputation as a crazy mom. There are many people that are
happy with the education that their children are getting and wonder why I am
not. Well, let me explain it to you.
I have known that my son has autism since he was three years old. I lived
in a very small town in Illinois and the district felt that he "wasn't
right" and put him into school. They didn't know what the problem was, but
they were determined to find out and give the best that they had.
This was a town of 1,200 people. Their resources were very limited. I
didn't even know that my child had an issue. I was blind. Something that
would affect my judgment for the next ten years.
These wonderful people put my son into a classroom of six students and two
teachers. They gave him OT and ST. They worked on his social skills. They
worked on any issue that came up. Not because they had to. He didn't even
have an IEP yet. They did it because they saw a child that needed help to
be successful in life. They treated him like a human being that needed
guidance and support. He was not another drain on their budget. They had
practically no budget. It didn't matter. HE mattered.
When my son was five we moved back to Kansas City. This is where my husband
and I were raised. We carefully called and interviewed every school
district on both sides of the state line. We wanted to make sure that Jake
would get the best that Kansas City had to offer.
After several phone calls and interviews we chose Lee's Summit. I went and
told the personnel here that the district in Illinois felt that Jake wasn't
ready for regular kindergarten. They felt that he needed 1 on 1 or small
group instruction for at least one more year. It stated it in his IEP.
Lee's Summit assured me that they were a big district that could handle all
of his needs and issues and that the best thing for Jake was going to
kindergarten. Once again, I was blind.
Jake went to Prairie View from kindergarten through sixth grade. He had
some amazing teachers there. They were kind, supportive, and made
accommodations that his IEP didn't call for. We had no issues there. I
truly felt that we had picked the best school district that we could have.
I volunteered in his classroom every week for at least 2-3 hours. I helped
with the school carnival. I helped with health fair. I wrote to the Kansas
City Star and told them what an amazing job they were doing with my son.
I didn't know much about autism and I felt like the district was doing all
that Jake needed. Little did I know that when he got into high school my
only hope for him would be living in a group home. That is where we are
now.
WHY? Because the district never addressed his autism. They didn't address
his dysgraphia. They didn't address his social issues. They didn't address
his written language issues. Why didn't they? I didn't demand it. In
seventh grade the only goal he had on his IEP was to be able to write a
paragraph. This is a child with autism, dysgraphia, and a written language
deficit.
I thought that you had to believe in the experts and trust them. That
blindness has caused the loss of my son's independence. If I had educated
myself and fought for him, he would have a different future. His future was
stolen and I stood back and let it happen.
I gave the school district a five year old with potential. They have given
back a child that will never leave home. I let them do this to my child.
My silence and acceptance granted them permission to destroy my son's
future. He could have been an independent tax paying citizen. Now he will
be a burden on tax payers. Not to worry, Lee's Summit. You have no group
homes here, so he won't burden your city.
Your children still have a chance. Your children still have a future. I
pray that none of you ever have to read the following and have it apply to
your child. But, if you continue to sit back and do nothing, you will face
the same situation that I face today. I let the State of Missouri and the
Lee's Summit School District steal my son's future. I will live with that
until the day that I die because Jake will be living with me until the day I
die. What will happen to him after that, only God knows. I pray that you
never have to go to bed at night and think about that.
Education/Training (Required)
Post secondary Goal(s)
Jacob' goal is to attend post-secondary training or a 2 year college with a
focus on computer game designing.
Transition Services
School
Assist Jacob in information-gathering process: post secondary institutions,
programs of study, prerequisites, registration process, methods for
exploring grants, loans, etc. Encourage to enroll in coursework needed to
pursue computer technology. Academic support as needed.
Student
Recommended that Jacob apply to Vocational Rehabilitation by junior year to
see what kind of assistance may be available if he qualifies. Utilize
assistance from counselor, caseload manager, and outlines provided by the
school when picking courses in line with his goal of comp. game design.
(This is has this whole mess started. These are the people that chose this
engineering class. It turns out that this class is civil engineering
class.)
Parent
Assist Jacob in exploring the possibility of applying to Vocational
Rehabilitation beginning his junior year. Also assist him in choosing
appropriate coursework to meet his transition goals. Assist Jacob in
visiting a post secondary school, completing registration, and deterring
financial aid needs.
Outside Agency (specify agency) Vocational Rehabilitation
Conference with Jacob and his family on possible post secondary services if
he qualifies. Career Assessment at Joe Herndon will be made available to
Jacob.
Employment (Required)
Post Secondary Goal(s)
Jacob's goal is to be employed in the field of computer game designing.
Transition Services
School
Assist Jacob in researching employment statistics in the field of computer
game design and related fields. Provide instruction in completing job
applications and role playing interview communication skills. Support
provided in academic areas as needed.
Student
Jacob will practice filling out job applications and will participate in
role-playing communication interview skills. Continue to consider
employment statistics that he has researched. May wish to consider part-time
employment after age 16 outside of the school setting.
Parent
Assist Jacob in assimilating researched employment information. Assist with
consideration of part-time employment if family feels that would be a growth
experience after age 16.
Outside Agency
A Vocational Rehabilitation counselor will conference with Jacob and parents
on possible services in the area of employment if he qualifies.
Independent Living
Post Secondary Goals
Jacob plans to live with his parents while receiving post-secondary
education/training. His long-term goal is to live semi-independently in a
group home as an adult.
Transition Services
School
Jacob will be encouraged to enroll in course work that will help facilitate
independent, living, such as Family and Consumer Science classes. Personal
Finance, auto and home care, etc.
Student
Jacob will enroll and participate in courses to assist with instruction in
independent living skills.
Parent
Parents will assist Jacob in choosing appropriate classes for transitional
skills and will support him in hands-on types of assignments that may be
done at home to help in the transference of information. Family may wish to
access services through the Regional Center for sem-independent living as
well.
Outside Agency
May privately assist parents in the area of semi-independent living needs.
want to know why I fight with the school district and the State. I have
earned quite a reputation as a crazy mom. There are many people that are
happy with the education that their children are getting and wonder why I am
not. Well, let me explain it to you.
I have known that my son has autism since he was three years old. I lived
in a very small town in Illinois and the district felt that he "wasn't
right" and put him into school. They didn't know what the problem was, but
they were determined to find out and give the best that they had.
This was a town of 1,200 people. Their resources were very limited. I
didn't even know that my child had an issue. I was blind. Something that
would affect my judgment for the next ten years.
These wonderful people put my son into a classroom of six students and two
teachers. They gave him OT and ST. They worked on his social skills. They
worked on any issue that came up. Not because they had to. He didn't even
have an IEP yet. They did it because they saw a child that needed help to
be successful in life. They treated him like a human being that needed
guidance and support. He was not another drain on their budget. They had
practically no budget. It didn't matter. HE mattered.
When my son was five we moved back to Kansas City. This is where my husband
and I were raised. We carefully called and interviewed every school
district on both sides of the state line. We wanted to make sure that Jake
would get the best that Kansas City had to offer.
After several phone calls and interviews we chose Lee's Summit. I went and
told the personnel here that the district in Illinois felt that Jake wasn't
ready for regular kindergarten. They felt that he needed 1 on 1 or small
group instruction for at least one more year. It stated it in his IEP.
Lee's Summit assured me that they were a big district that could handle all
of his needs and issues and that the best thing for Jake was going to
kindergarten. Once again, I was blind.
Jake went to Prairie View from kindergarten through sixth grade. He had
some amazing teachers there. They were kind, supportive, and made
accommodations that his IEP didn't call for. We had no issues there. I
truly felt that we had picked the best school district that we could have.
I volunteered in his classroom every week for at least 2-3 hours. I helped
with the school carnival. I helped with health fair. I wrote to the Kansas
City Star and told them what an amazing job they were doing with my son.
I didn't know much about autism and I felt like the district was doing all
that Jake needed. Little did I know that when he got into high school my
only hope for him would be living in a group home. That is where we are
now.
WHY? Because the district never addressed his autism. They didn't address
his dysgraphia. They didn't address his social issues. They didn't address
his written language issues. Why didn't they? I didn't demand it. In
seventh grade the only goal he had on his IEP was to be able to write a
paragraph. This is a child with autism, dysgraphia, and a written language
deficit.
I thought that you had to believe in the experts and trust them. That
blindness has caused the loss of my son's independence. If I had educated
myself and fought for him, he would have a different future. His future was
stolen and I stood back and let it happen.
I gave the school district a five year old with potential. They have given
back a child that will never leave home. I let them do this to my child.
My silence and acceptance granted them permission to destroy my son's
future. He could have been an independent tax paying citizen. Now he will
be a burden on tax payers. Not to worry, Lee's Summit. You have no group
homes here, so he won't burden your city.
Your children still have a chance. Your children still have a future. I
pray that none of you ever have to read the following and have it apply to
your child. But, if you continue to sit back and do nothing, you will face
the same situation that I face today. I let the State of Missouri and the
Lee's Summit School District steal my son's future. I will live with that
until the day that I die because Jake will be living with me until the day I
die. What will happen to him after that, only God knows. I pray that you
never have to go to bed at night and think about that.
Education/Training (Required)
Post secondary Goal(s)
Jacob' goal is to attend post-secondary training or a 2 year college with a
focus on computer game designing.
Transition Services
School
Assist Jacob in information-gathering process: post secondary institutions,
programs of study, prerequisites, registration process, methods for
exploring grants, loans, etc. Encourage to enroll in coursework needed to
pursue computer technology. Academic support as needed.
Student
Recommended that Jacob apply to Vocational Rehabilitation by junior year to
see what kind of assistance may be available if he qualifies. Utilize
assistance from counselor, caseload manager, and outlines provided by the
school when picking courses in line with his goal of comp. game design.
(This is has this whole mess started. These are the people that chose this
engineering class. It turns out that this class is civil engineering
class.)
Parent
Assist Jacob in exploring the possibility of applying to Vocational
Rehabilitation beginning his junior year. Also assist him in choosing
appropriate coursework to meet his transition goals. Assist Jacob in
visiting a post secondary school, completing registration, and deterring
financial aid needs.
Outside Agency (specify agency) Vocational Rehabilitation
Conference with Jacob and his family on possible post secondary services if
he qualifies. Career Assessment at Joe Herndon will be made available to
Jacob.
Employment (Required)
Post Secondary Goal(s)
Jacob's goal is to be employed in the field of computer game designing.
Transition Services
School
Assist Jacob in researching employment statistics in the field of computer
game design and related fields. Provide instruction in completing job
applications and role playing interview communication skills. Support
provided in academic areas as needed.
Student
Jacob will practice filling out job applications and will participate in
role-playing communication interview skills. Continue to consider
employment statistics that he has researched. May wish to consider part-time
employment after age 16 outside of the school setting.
Parent
Assist Jacob in assimilating researched employment information. Assist with
consideration of part-time employment if family feels that would be a growth
experience after age 16.
Outside Agency
A Vocational Rehabilitation counselor will conference with Jacob and parents
on possible services in the area of employment if he qualifies.
Independent Living
Post Secondary Goals
Jacob plans to live with his parents while receiving post-secondary
education/training. His long-term goal is to live semi-independently in a
group home as an adult.
Transition Services
School
Jacob will be encouraged to enroll in course work that will help facilitate
independent, living, such as Family and Consumer Science classes. Personal
Finance, auto and home care, etc.
Student
Jacob will enroll and participate in courses to assist with instruction in
independent living skills.
Parent
Parents will assist Jacob in choosing appropriate classes for transitional
skills and will support him in hands-on types of assignments that may be
done at home to help in the transference of information. Family may wish to
access services through the Regional Center for sem-independent living as
well.
Outside Agency
May privately assist parents in the area of semi-independent living needs.
Friday, August 29, 2008
OSEP URGES STATES TO BETTER IDENTIFY DISTRICTS' IDEA NONCOMPLIANCE
OSEP URGES STATES TO BETTER IDENTIFY DISTRICTS' IDEA NONCOMPLIANCE
http://www.specialedconnection.com
BALTIMORE --
States must be more diligent in looking for signs of IDEA noncompliance and reporting every such problem -- no matter how small -- to OSEP as part of their State Performance Plan/Annual
Performance Report, department officials told attendees at the National Accountability Conference, held Aug. 24-26.
The officials' remarks came during a discussion of Indicator B-15, which seeks to
measure a state's ability to identify and correct noncompliance by LEAs in the Part B program. A similar indicator, C-9, measures states' ability to identify and correct noncompliance in the Part C
program for infants and toddlers.
There are at least two ways in which states can step up their efforts to identify noncompliance by LEAs, according to Greg Corr, associate director of OSEP's Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division. First, states must review all due process hearing decisions for evidence that LEAs are not complying with the IDEA, Corr said. Second, states should monitor data coming in from LEAs and treat evidence of noncompliance from that source in the same way they would treat evidence discovered through any other route, such as a self-assessment, an on-site visit,
or a desk review of records, Corr said.
MORE DISTRICTS TAKE AUTISM COORDINATION INTO THEIR OWN HANDS
More school districts are seeking to hire their own full-time autism experts -- a departure from the traditional approach of hiring outside consultants to temporarily work with districts. The roles and backgrounds of autism specialists vary from place to place. But many educators agree every district needs a local go-to person -- or people -- when it comes to educating students with autism and
organizing training opportunities for staff.
"Schools are absolutely overwhelmed" with autism cases, said Mary Ann Winter-Messiers, coordinator of Project Preparing Autism Specialists for Schools at the University of Oregon. "School districts are desperate to have people who know what they are doing." The need to have a local
coordinator who organizes staff training in autism services for new and veteran teachers grows more dire as the number of students with autism keeps climbing.
According to the Education Department, 166,424 children ages 6 to 21 had autism in 2004, compared with 224,594 in 2006. There also is a sense of desperation among educators because
students with autism have a wide range of needs and abilities. This range makes teacher training and program development time-consuming and expensive.
** For access to the full articles above, sign up for a FREE Special
Ed Connection® trial subscription!
Go to http://www.specialedconnection.com/SEC/freetry.htm , complete
the registration form and click on SUBMIT.
http://www.specialedconnection.com
BALTIMORE --
States must be more diligent in looking for signs of IDEA noncompliance and reporting every such problem -- no matter how small -- to OSEP as part of their State Performance Plan/Annual
Performance Report, department officials told attendees at the National Accountability Conference, held Aug. 24-26.
The officials' remarks came during a discussion of Indicator B-15, which seeks to
measure a state's ability to identify and correct noncompliance by LEAs in the Part B program. A similar indicator, C-9, measures states' ability to identify and correct noncompliance in the Part C
program for infants and toddlers.
There are at least two ways in which states can step up their efforts to identify noncompliance by LEAs, according to Greg Corr, associate director of OSEP's Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division. First, states must review all due process hearing decisions for evidence that LEAs are not complying with the IDEA, Corr said. Second, states should monitor data coming in from LEAs and treat evidence of noncompliance from that source in the same way they would treat evidence discovered through any other route, such as a self-assessment, an on-site visit,
or a desk review of records, Corr said.
MORE DISTRICTS TAKE AUTISM COORDINATION INTO THEIR OWN HANDS
More school districts are seeking to hire their own full-time autism experts -- a departure from the traditional approach of hiring outside consultants to temporarily work with districts. The roles and backgrounds of autism specialists vary from place to place. But many educators agree every district needs a local go-to person -- or people -- when it comes to educating students with autism and
organizing training opportunities for staff.
"Schools are absolutely overwhelmed" with autism cases, said Mary Ann Winter-Messiers, coordinator of Project Preparing Autism Specialists for Schools at the University of Oregon. "School districts are desperate to have people who know what they are doing." The need to have a local
coordinator who organizes staff training in autism services for new and veteran teachers grows more dire as the number of students with autism keeps climbing.
According to the Education Department, 166,424 children ages 6 to 21 had autism in 2004, compared with 224,594 in 2006. There also is a sense of desperation among educators because
students with autism have a wide range of needs and abilities. This range makes teacher training and program development time-consuming and expensive.
** For access to the full articles above, sign up for a FREE Special
Ed Connection® trial subscription!
Go to http://www.specialedconnection.com/SEC/freetry.htm , complete
the registration form and click on SUBMIT.
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