Ugh. This doesn't seem fair.

Re: Ugh. This doesn't seem fair.

• funchicken member

  May 2013

  That sounds similar to what our district does, but I don't know why.  My DD has SPD and ADHD, but she doesn't qualify for special education services.  We're doing half-day mainstream kindy next year.
  

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• mommyof4boys member

  May 2013

  -auntie-:

  This is where an IEP comes in.

  The "I" in IEP is individual. All you have to do persuade them that your son's IEP goals can not be met in a half day program which shouldn't be too difficult in a half way decent school district. Look especially at weighing his social goals and opportunities to intereact with NT peer models contrasted with pull-outs for speech/social skills, OT and any other services he will be getting. Every IEP states a break down of time spent in a special education setting (pull outs) vs mainstream; it's one way LRE is measured. If he has a 2 1/2 hour instructional day and he's missing 30+ minutes daily for some service delivery that already 20% of his day in Sped.

  I'm really leery of "all ASD kids" in any statement. Kid on spectrum can be all over the place in terms of FAPE/LRE. Some of the higher functioning kids with ASD haven't even been identified by the start of kindie. Some kids with autism have profound ID, some have high IQs and have mastered all the math and reading required for the next 6 years. Some are aggressive behaviorally, some are rule-bound and the best behaved kid in any class.

  I wonder if your transition team made the choice of half day. Did his preschool teachers feel half day was appropriate to his emotional maturity and stamina levels? Your child care situation doesn't factor into this from the district's perspective. Or if the teacher he's getting is the best one for kids on spectrum with lots of experience. Do they offer a hybrid class where kids spend part of the day in a special ASD classroom and then part with the half day mainstream class? Will he be having a 1:1 para or shared aide; that can sometimes drive class assignments.

  piggy backing on Auntie, my youngest will be starting kindergarten next year.  He's doing a split program meaning part day typical day and part day special needs kindergarten.  This is how we did it for my twins who also have ASD.  Our district does a 1/2 typical kindergarten and full day paid kindergarten for typical kids.  It costs about $6,000 per kid to be in that class.  They have a full day kindergarten for kids with IEPs that is free as well.  He'll be in the developmental kindergarten with the IEP kids for part of the day. 

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• MirandaHobbes member

  May 2013

  auntie:

  This is where an IEP comes in.
  The "I" in IEP is individual. All you have to do persuade them that your son's IEP goals can not be met in a half day program which shouldn't be too difficult in a half way decent school district. Look especially at weighing his social goals and opportunities to intereact with NT peer models contrasted with pullouts for speech/social skills, OT and any other services he will be getting. Every IEP states a break down of time spent in a special education setting pull outs vs mainstream; it's one way LRE is measured. If he has a 2 1/2 hour instructional day and he's missing 30 minutes daily for some service delivery that already 20 of his day in Sped.
  
  Exactly. This is what I'll tell them at the meeting if he is getting pullouts his time spent in the mainstream classroom is going to be so minimal..
  I'm really leery of "all ASD kids" in any statement. Kid on spectrum can be all over the place in terms of FAPE/LRE. Some of the higher functioning kids with ASD haven't even been identified by the start of kindie. Some kids with autism have profound ID, some have high IQs and have mastered all the math and reading required for the next 6 years. Some are aggressive behaviorally, some are rulebound and the best behaved kid in any class.
  
  Agreed I have no idea their reasoning. It was at the kindy roundup meeting that one of the kindy teachers told me this. I didn't pay attention to it at the time because I couldn't believe that would be true.
  I wonder if your transition team made the choice of half day. Didnbsp;his preschool teachers feel half day was appropriate to his emotional maturity and stamina levels?nbsp;Your child care situationnbsp;doesn't factor into this from the district's perspective.nbsp;Or if the teacher he's getting is the best one for kids on spectrum with lots of experience. Do they offer a hybrid class where kids spend part of the day in a special ASD classroom and then part with the half day mainstream class? Will he be having a 1:1 para or shared aide; that can sometimes drive class assignments.
  
  No, in fact, we discussed at his last IEP that we were going to try to write into his IEP that he needed full time kindy. I've only seen his IEP for this year, nothing specific to next year. His new elementary team hasn't even met him. I naively thought that full day kindy was a given at this school because at the tour they said everyone who requested full day got it. I may be overreacting, this may be open to discussion at his meeting next week. I was just alarmed when I saw the half day kindy teacher listed on the meeting attendees.
  
  

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• birdie_1010 member

  May 2013

  In our school district it is a matter of para support. If a student requires para support the district only receive funding based on the state required 1/2 time kindergarten attendance. They can't afford to pay for paras the other half of the day without that funding. It is wildly unfair.

  

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• typeset member

  May 2013

  birdie_1010:

  In our school district it is a matter of para support. If a student requires para support the district only receive funding based on the state required 1/2 time kindergarten attendance. They can't afford to pay for paras the other half of the day without that funding. It is wildly unfair.

  
  
  Is there a way around this, auntie? 

  
  

  11/10/10 The Kid

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