NEED AND ADVOCATE IN HOUSTON TEXAS

[sheilag3]

It seems like I have to fight each time I talk with the schools in trying to get help for my grandson and that is not what I want to do. My grandson is a mess and all over the place, he is 13 yrs old and take vyvance and intuitive forgive me for the spelling. He came to school late at 930 instead of 8 am and the nurse refuse to give him his medicine because she says she has a window and that is 30 min before or 30 min after for him to take meds, mind you she never told me this before. He went downhill that day and got in trouble at an after school program mouthing back in forth with the principal, earlier that day I got a call when he went to the principal office at 1pm and they made a point to say that he didn't get his medicine that day because he was late but he is still responsible for his actions. They gave him three day suspension and before he returned they came by the house to say they were going to send him to an alternative school for 3 months for his behavior. I went for an appeal but I'm in Houston Texas and not able to find an advocate to speak up for me. Can someone help me please. He does not have a stable home and he was not getting his meds that is the reason that I asked the school to give it to him when he arrived.

[WendyKirkpatrick]

First, does your grandson have Special Education Status. If not, you can write to the School District's Office of Special Education and request in writing, a special education evaluation for your grandchild. They have 30 days to respond or you can report them to the State. You can get free special education services, including therapy, through this program. You can go on-line and look up (in your state) advocate services for special needs children and adolescents. Some of these programs will assist you for free, even if it means providing legal counsel. Unfortunately many American Schools prefer to make families feel they MUST medicate children and they withhold information about services. He may need more time in smaller special education classrooms and some time in the mainstream classrooms. Is your grandchild interested in art, music, sports - - maybe getting him involved in things he is very good at will build his self-esteem. I also found behavior modification in the home very helpful. You can find books on the subject. Give him a list of expectations and reward good performance and privileges are taken away for not complying. Lots of positive reinforcement. Maybe a tutor after school could help with his homework to help grades go up. Some high school and college kids will do this for a small amount of money per hour. Best of luck to you and your family. Wendy Kirkpatrick

[sheilag3 in reply to WendyKirkpatrick]

Thank you so much Wendy, its been hard to get replies when you need immediate help.

[OneDayAtATime1]

Does he has a 504 plan with the school? If not you can ask his school for one. These are legal accommodations the school must abide by. You may be able to implement him getting his medication whether he is late or not into his 504 plan, as well as other accommodations that may be helpful and even may be able to keep him from being suspended when he is in trouble.

[sheilag3]

Good morning, now I have a problem with making decisions for my grandson. His mom is has lupus and is on drugs and father in prison. The wrote a note that says the I will make educational and medical decisions in her place cause she is not in the best of health. When I started requesting services for him to be tested through special ed, the school stated then that I have to legal right to make decisions for him regardless to what the mother says, I need to be a legal guardian. I heard about the Caregiver form through Family code chapter 34 that a parent can sign given a person the right to make decisions and it doesn't require a court order, just a notary. Do any of you know of this form.