Planning and preparation are on-going activities that contribute significantly to success in the ARD process. You cannot control what others do, but you can control what you do. Being prepared for problem-solving in the ARD meeting will help you to become a full-meaningful participant in the meeting, as well as to be respected by the other ARD team members.
Wrightslaw.org addressed this issue in a blog post: My child’s IEP said she was to receive ESY services – OT, PT, and Speech Therapy. ST was provided throughout the summer. There was no OT or PT. The district stated it was not able to find therapists. They said I could find a therapist, and I did. Then, the district failed to provide information in a timely manner to the therapy agency. No services were provided during summer. The school offered to provide these services during the school year to “make up.” But my child regressed in all of her motor skills [...]
Many parents have questions about what to do when they are presented with an IEP that is not appropriate for their child. You should advise the IEP team that you don’t think the IEP is appropriate, that it does not provide your child with enough help or the right kind of help. You should use facts to support your position (i.e., facts from an evaluation of your child from a private sector evaluator, graphs of your child’s test scores). Be polite but firm. Tip: Think how Miss Manners handles difficult situations and use this idea to guide you. [...]
In general, the term Related Service means: “services designed to enable a child with a disability to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as described in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) as may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.”
A must-hear webinar featuring Diana MTK Autin and Michael Yudin examining the Endrew F. decision by the Supreme Court and its implications for the education of children and youth with disabilities. […]
Schools refuse to accept the fact that "education" as used in an I'E'P is not just grades. This issue comes up in the context of arguments over whether FAPE has been provided, and whether a child should be eligible for an IEP. The argument frequently turns on whether a child who earns good or even exceptional grades can be eligible, and whether good grades insulate a district from charges that FAPE has been denied. Schools view the scope of their responsibility narrowly to include only academics, frequently to the exclusion of equally important issues such as emotional and social well being. [...]
