[blindkid] Justifying a Specialized Environment fora Visually-Impaired Child

[Heather Field]

Hi all,
I believe that if the IEP is not signed it still becomes the working IEP 
after a certain time; I think it's a week. Obviously, it's important to keep 
dialogue going by not signing the IEP until one is happy. However, not 
signing does not keep the IEP with which parents disagree from being used. 
Schools cannot teach a child who requireds an IEP unless there is one. 
Therefore, they use the latest one available. So, it is extremely important 
for parents to be very proactive in resolving IEP issues or that with which 
they disagree in the IEP eill be enacted. Equally, that which should be in 
the IEP but is not, will not be enacted.

Reading up on the specifics is really important. Sorry I don't have the 
exact wording on the unsigned IEP.

Best regards,
Heather Field

-----Original Message----- 
From: Richard Holloway
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 9:02 AM
To: empwrn at bellsouth.net ; NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of 
blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Justifying a Specialized Environment fora 
Visually-Impaired Child

Excellent point Marie. That makes me think of one really critical detail as 
well. Hopefully this never happens, but if it comes up-- in case you 
disagree with an IEP-- that is, if a meeting comes to an end and you feel 
the IEP is not right or not complete, simply don't sign it. You have no 
requirement to sign it just to close out the meeting for them.

Further, if you do sign and then you change your mind, you can call for a 
new IEP at any time. They don't have to like it, but they do have to deal 
with it. The problem there is that they end up with a current  IEP "in 
force" until you change it in the next IEP, so they are less motivated to 
act quite as quickly to resolve things.

it will probably never come up, but just in case keep it in mind! I will 
mention for example, that in our case the worst we've ever had in an 
official IEP was that it ran really long before things were worked out. I 
think our most grueling meeting ran a little over 4 hours with around a 
dozen people in it. On the other hand, our last one was less than an hour. 
(They aren't all terribly painful!)

There was post fairly recently with a link to some IEP resources I think. If 
I can find it I'll repost or maybe the author of that will recall it.

Richard



On Oct 14, 2011, at 9:25 AM, Marie wrote:

> Hi Mary,
>
> Other people here are much better informed about the specialized 
> environment part of your question so I'll let you hear from them on that 
> one.
>
> As far as the IEP process, I think it's very important that you understand 
> your role and power as your child's first advocate. I highly recommend the 
> Wrightslaw website (google Wrightslaw, sorry I don't have it readily 
> available). There is lots of great information on the site and they have 
> books which explain the IEP process and your role quite well.
>
> Above all, if your child is to remain in public school or under public 
> school services, remember that you need a team and though your team 
> members do not always agree with you, it is best to keep things in a team 
> frame of mind. Then if things get bad and you ever go to court over team 
> squabbles, you are the reasonable person that maintained the cool head and 
> understood the law.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Marie
>
> sent via the Verizon Network from my Blackberry
>
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