Help please have 1 week to decide

[Gemini85]

My son has an iep and it’s his three year evaluation point but the case worker of the school is telling me to not get him reevaluated because he will most likely lose his services as he has reached all of his benchmarks so I do it or not I am so confused I feel like the school is trying to keep him in sped do they get money for this if my child stays in there why be so Adment about not getting the evaluation or could she genuinely care about my kid I’m so lost as to what to do I do want him yo get evaluated to see his progress but then if he loses his services and he needed them I would feel awful also if I skip the evaluation would he have to wait a whole other three years for a full evaluation someone help give some advice losing sleep over this

[Bonovox92]

User IDEA, a student must be evaluated at least every 3 years . I don’t know why his case manager is advising you not to.—legally they have to. He should be tested, determine his needs, develop goals and recommend services.

If he is found no longer to qualify and you agree, then he no longer receives services and he may still receive support through a 504 plan if he needs it. If you don’t agree, then you don’t give your consent and you are in stay put.

[anirush]

Do not let them push you in to stopping something you feel he still needs. I had the same problem in my grandson's grade school. When he got to middle school the special ed coordinator questioned why his grade school had not done more.Many schools do not like the paperwork caused by an IEP. Tell then he is doing well because of guidelines put in place. Point out things at home he struggles with. If you need to get a letter from his psychiatrist saying why he still needs these services.

My grandson's school does evaluation every year.

Good luck!

[OTmamaCO]

As another commenter said, it is legally required for the school to re-evaluate every three years - it is called a triennial re-evaluation (a lot of SpEd staff use the term "tri"). They can do evaluations more often (with your permission) but at a minimum are required every three years. The evaluation should show his current skills and educational needs. It sounds like you are feeling that the decision of whether or not he should continue to have an IEP is up to you - and how stressful that must feel! In reality (legally), it is not your decision to have to make. They need to do a re-evaluation so that there is good information on how he is doing, what his current skills are, and what areas he may still need support in. That information should then guide the question of if he still qualifies for services and continues to have an IEP.

It seems like a very confusing situation. Is there anyone who can help you sort this out? Is there someone who has been working with him, maybe his resource/learning teacher, a speech therapist, or OT who you feel comfortable talking to? Sometimes that person may be the case manager, but if you don't feel you are understanding what the case manager is telling you and you feel more comfortable with one of his other providers, ask them to explain the situation to you.

Also, they should have given you a long document that outlines parent's rights related to the special education process. In my state it's called "Procedural Safeguards". At the end of that document, it should have resources including a state parent support resource. I would suggest you call that resource and ask for someone who can help you understand what the school is telling you. They can advise you on if the school is doing things properly or not, and help clear up confusion.

It can be so complicated, and so very stressful! Especially if you are feeling that all this rests on your shoulders to decide. I'm sorry you are going through this and hope you are able to get clarification and support. You clearly are a wonderful, loving advocate for your son. Take care.

[Gemini85 in reply to OTmamaCO]

Thank you so much for weighing in and yes I do feel like it is all on me as my husband works full time and tells me to make these decisions. Thank you for the insight I just always feel so uncomfortable when it comes time for these meetings but I think I am going to just have them evaluate him this way we can move forward with what he does and does not need and go from there and I do not feel comfortable with any of them to be honest to talk to as he has had a different speech ot and resource room teacher every year

[OTmamaCO]

Just another thought - you may already know this, but you can bring someone with you to the meeting, like friend or family member. Sometimes it helps just to not feel alone, and they can take notes for you so you can just focus on the conversation, or help you ask for clarification if something is confusing. The staff will have you sign a consent for release of information so that they are allowed to talk about your son with this person present.It can feel awkward if it’s just you and a bunch of school staff. Sometimes just having someone you know sitting there with you can help you feel more relaxed so that you are better able to take in the information and participate in the discussion.

Hope that helps. You are doing great and asking the right questions! Take care ♥️

[Meangreenllamabean]

IEP plans have goals and they are required to evaluate him every 3 years though you can request additional evals at any time. Even if he is found to have met his goals (for example being able to read at grade level) and no longer need services that doesn't mean he doesn't need accommodations due to having ADHD.

He may lose his IEP but get a 504 plan which provides accommodations to help him continue to be successful at school. These could be the same accommodations he had under his IEP like extra time on tests, extra movement breaks or a quiet testing space.

You lose nothing by going through with the evaluation. As questions come up for you write then down and get them answered at his IEP meeting. Don't let then rush you through it, make sure your concerns are addressed and questions answered. You can do this!

[Gemini85 in reply to Meangreenllamabean]

Thank you so much your comment really put my mind at ease !I will request a 504 if iep is canceled on him

[HoldingonLou]

I know it is so confusing. What grade is your child in? I had this same experience and I live in Virginia. How the case worker explained it to me was in the IEP, there are goals written out with various levels of achievement & a time period in order to achieve them. I pulled out my copy and every 9 weeks I get updated as for progress. If you don't get this you need to ask. Each goal they had given my child, the teachers had documented he had Mastered. Well, I read them & I know better but hey, they gotta make themselves look good too ya know. So since each goal was mastered when evaluated my child would no longer be viewed as in need of an IEP. I sat down and thought about things and rewrote some new goals myself. I sent them to the case worker and he said, yes we can make additions to the IEP per parent's request. Some were dismissed because they overlapped with mastered goals. With these new goals added, the child couldn't master them in 9 weeks so the review could still be done. I still needed the pediatricians backing for this. Without the 3 year review, the accomodations would remain for the remainder of the year. This was his last year at this school and by request, a new review was started in the fall. I have definitely seen where people tweak stuff to make the results favorable for the school's reporting. As the parent, you just need to be deligent your child receives the services he needs. Good Luck