Aspies For Freedom

Bottom line...my son's school is NOT working out.  My son has been getting E's on his assignments, because his teacher isn't monitoring his work like she should.  Basically his assignments are all blank.  

We have been trying acommodations  for over a year, and they are not helping.  I worry because my son is only in 3rd grade and is having so many difficulties.

I contacted this autism school this week which has won a blue ribbon for excellence.  all of his doctors rave about this place and i had even seen it mentioned in a book.  only problem is, the tuition for the aspergers program is over $50,000 a year.  with therapy it's over $80,000 a year.

so...i was told that if all else fails with the public school system and they cannot provide an "appropriate education", they they have to pay for the child to go elsewhere.  how does this work though?  what are the steps?

i have documented everything over the past year...emails, conversations etc.  my son has had countless doctors make recommendations for a one-on-one aide, but the school told me they were for the "severly disabled."  i have also been contemplating getting an attorney that specializes in special-ed.  help!!!!! tnx

I will work on it when I get to the office and send you a PM Kattoo13.

i just got it.  thank you!!!!!

You have a ton of POWER, on paper they have failed your child, your child is not Getting a "fair and adequate education" can't remember the words written on your parents rights page of your 504... Don't let them waste your time.

Bring a professional with you to the next meeting.  We have a (an independent one) social worker working with us right now (he says that we as parents have so much power that we don't know about) You have to find someone who knows how to work your particular system.  It's like trying to settle with the IRS and hiring a former IRS agent to help you pay pennies on the dollar.

(We looked at a school yesterday - not strictly for Aspergers, but has around 25% HFA kids, it would cost $42,000 per year for it- we are in the process of trying to decide if that is what we want - we are in a worse position than you because John is getting adequate grades, so on paper they can say they are educating him (they aren't he already knew it all).

hi john,

very true...in fact i even have an email from his teacher saying she agrees my son needs a one-on-one aide but that it's "not possible."  i have saved  his blank papers marked "e" with his teacher's note that says "we went over this as a class."  obviously, my son is having great difficulty following along.  i've also saved her nasty letters where she says "noah chose not to pay attention."

our next meeting is next week! my son's psychologist wanted to be there, but she has 2 appointments.  she is going to chime in via conference call between her appointments.  if they do not approve the aide, i will retain an attorney.  luckily, my mom works for the bar association.  she knows attorneys, but i still have to pay.

so how was the school that you looked at? i will be attending an open house next week.  i just want to get a feel of what it will be like.  i had mentioned it to my son and he is all for it.  i let him know it wasn't definite, but that i am trying to make things happen.

i hope things work out for your son.  what has happened so far?

Usually it is quite a process.  What I think I would do if I were in your shoes would be to have the IEP next week with the appearance of your advocate (by way of psychologist) appearing by phone.  I would also see if you can get a facilitator to go.  I will send you a PM with that number.  See what their plans are.  

If they approve the aide, you go with it and see how well it works for him.

If they do not, do not approve the IEP.  Ask for an outside assessment.  Do not sign the IEP paperwork at the meeting.  Send a certified letter the next day asking for the outside assessment.

They will approve or deny the the request.  If they deny it, you need to ask for a hearing.  At this point, you need an attorney or a well versed advocate to proceed.

If you get the requested assessment, either through a regular approval or a due process hearing, then you will use the place you had your son assessed recently.  

You will then have to use that documentation for another meeting or hearing.  I believe you will need another hearing.  After that point, if the school says it cannot provide your child with the schooling, you will have the option to have him schooled elsewhere, and they will have to pay for it (supposedly.)

I think this process will take at least a year.  That is just my guess.  I think more like 1.5 years to 2 years is more accurate.

More than anything else, get an advocate, get an attorney, get someone on your side.

thank you for taking the time to help me out!

You have a slam dunk as far as getting an aide - particularly because the budgets for next year are set this school year.  Call them every day, don't wait for an anuual review.   Johnn has only been in public school since this past September, we have had 7 separate IEP's made, without a lawyer, Like Korrigan said, there is a certain amount of "going with it"  they have to show you how well they actually follow thru on all the modifications they agree to follow.  The second they don't, be annoying (be polite, do it in a short note-email) The second they don't follow thru and it has a negative impact on your childs ability to learn (which is what they are supposed to be doing there at school) then, you get a new IEP, that day, this will make the process go a little faster.  You may find- where we are now, that more than a full time aide is the answer.  John never needed (cuz he was in a small private school) nor had an aidde till november 2007.  SHe is not actually helping him learn though - she just makes sure he knows what is for homework, as he doesn't really hear spoken instructions- in other words, the aide is not the solution... for us, for now.

Why are these schools so expensive? They shouldn't be so dear. It's ridiculous what they are charging.

A good private school in my area, which is well rated, is $1200 per month.  That is the mid-range for private schools in my area.  

That does not include before or afterschool care.

They do it because they can.  The (public school) system has failed, and parents want the best for their kids.

I think it would be cheaper to homeschool the children but realise not all parents would feel up to doing so. In theory, state schools should be fine but it depends very much on how well they are funded, and it seems in the US that they are poorly funded.

My kids and I went to state schools and we did fine most of the time but employers often prefer to see a private school on a resume and some even go by the suburb a person lives in to determine if they will give them a position with their company.

I went to a private Catholic school in primary but didn't find it any better in general than the state high school. It could have been the times though, rather than the respective merits of each system.

But I can also see that kids with special needs, whether they are highly gifted or have something such as Asperger's, often need to be in a smaller class and this is more likely to be available in a private school.

Hi,
Well I went through the same thing with my son.
After nearly 3 years of the similar experiences, I finally got a telephone number of an attorney who did pro bono work ,through the ASA.
The district came up with their list of appropriate settings and I went to observe each one.
I had found a school, very similar to the one that you describe, also non-public, also $$$$.

We took this attorney to the IEP meeting with us. We stated our choice of placement and the because we were had an attorney present, the school district caved in.
We would have taken it further, however, I think the district saw we were serious.

Good luck and I would like to hear how you get on.

Not funded poorly (considering what the US can do)? In California they're having massive budget cuts and laying off about 10,000 teachers. That looks like the government isn't funding it right, at least not in this state.

this is not an option for us.  i am a single mom who doesn't get any child support.  i need to work to pay the bills.  i also need to have time to myself ie my job.  if i didn't, i'd go insane.