Now You See It, Now You Don't. The student that had trouble at the Washington School who was supposed to be coming to Ford to be placed in a regular class with an aide is not coming. Or at least not to the place agreed to on the IEP. His mother told me that she was told today that there is no money for an aide now (10 days after the IEP was SIGNED and that he is going to placed in a regular behavior class at Ford).
My understanding of how federal law works is that your right to an education has NOTHING to do with money. How can we not have money to properly educate one child when we can afford to create another Deputy at a hefty six figure salary and our current superintendent makes $182,000 a year?
Well I guess that explains it. It takes a lot of money to keep the superintendent in the lifestyle she is accustomed to. There is that money they have saved by leaving the Parent Liaison position open. Uh oh, I better keep quiet on that matter. I wouldn't want to ruin my chances on getting that job.
Maybe if I go to work for them I can get some of their special pens, they write the IEPs in. You know, the ones with disappearing ink.
Yep! The Teacher Aides are the first to go! Every year there are less and less Aides because the pay is so big. Not! I worked as an Aide for 25 years and I can tell you my pension sucks. And I can't collect Social Security because it is considered Double Dipping! That mother needs to tell LPS that she is going to sue!
ReplyDeleteHave I told you lately, Stanley, that I love you?
ReplyDeleteO God.... the stew is a brewwing
ReplyDeleteThere is no question that money is tight, but I don't understand how they can go back on what was agreed upon on the child's IEP, if this is in fact what happened. We have seen money become available for things like a new deputy that wasn't originally budgeted for, but there is no money for an aide for the final quarter of the year??? What would that cost for the balance of the year, 5 grand? I think that a child is much better off in a reg ed classroom with an aide if they can handle it, than being placed in a behavioral class. What better test than the final quarter of the year so that the IEP team can guage it's success when making plans for next year. We surerly cannot afford additional outplacements, when we have the necessary tool available in the system.
ReplyDeleteBTW: Be careful identifying students online.
Rick you made a very good point. Having an aide for the rest of the year would give the IEP team a good idea if an aide would be necessary going forward. The classroom environment change may be enough. Your other point about having the money for a new Deputy so we ought to have money for an aide for a quarter. As for protecting the child's identity, I try to be sensitive to confidentiality but in this case if I made any mistakes on this one, it's because I was so moved by the tears in the child's mothers eyes when she told me the the story.
ReplyDeleteShawn, you know I like cooking or at least stirring the pot.
ReplyDeleteLeslie, litigation is always an option for the parent but the child would be better off if LPS just steps up to the plate and honors its word.
ReplyDeleteSomething is stewing...I don't get it...a legal document can be changed, then again was it a typographical error...is this child a minority? Aides and the clerks always are the first to go...always the peons...the bottom line is how much in LEGAL FEES IS THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPENDING TO CONTINUALLY DO THIS TO KIDS??? Lynn received the largest amount of funding ever in the history of Lynn - NO MORE EXCUSES!!! ONE THING I HATE MORE THAN ANYTHING IS I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS WE HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY...WHOSE KIDDING WHO...WHO APPROVES THE BUDGET...I THINK IT'S THE SC...LET'S GO SC MEMBERS START ASKING TO SEE WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING, FOR WHAT, AND HOW MUCH...ENOUGH SAID THIS IS A DISGRACE!
ReplyDeleteIf you go to City Hall make sure you study and ask for a full copy of the budget city side and federal grants money...OT or special projects also! Review City $ and Federal $...
DOES ANYBODY REALLY CARE? REMEMBER CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ARE DISABLED IN DIFFERENT WAYS...AMERICA'S DISABILITY ACT IS NOTHING TO FOOL AROUND WITH...WHEN THE FEDS INVESTIGATE THEY HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE...DON'T LET OTHERS BRING YOU OR ANYONE ELSE DOWN...FIX IT OR THEY WILL LEAVE YOU HOLDING THE BALL AND TAKE OFF RUNNING!