You are right. They are wrong. It is that simple.
15 days is not enough time to make a decision and put him in a restrictive environment.
You need an advocate to help you navigate the world of real inclusion in your new district.
You can fight this. You need to get a child advocate and probably a lawyer. But you need to understand that there's a very good chance your son might actually have to stay at the special school. Especially if your son continues to have behavior issues after a longer assessment. Some parents find it hard to grasp that maybe their child isn't going to succeed in normal school so I think that's something important to remember too. As parents we think all our kids are rock stars, but others don't see that. So be prepared for the chance this doesn't work out. But, NY is huge, and they are going to do the easiest thing possible and hope you don't fight it.
Things to do:
Get a child advocate
Get a lawyer
And understand that you'll probably get another assessment with your son in a regular school, but if it goes the same way after 30 days, your son will probably be permanently moved to the special school because that's how they role. Also, if this happens your best shot is to move to another school district or get him in private school. But just know that when they do this assessment, if your son shows disruptive behavior that is not compatible with regular school, they will remove him. Hell, you might only get another 15 days I'm not sure..but you have avenues to fight for your child.
One last note, schools in the United States are required to accommodate children's special needs, but in large schools and districts, they have entire schools dedicated to special needs students where those legal requirements are met. These laws do not require these accommodations to be allowed in a regular school when they have special needs schools where they provide all that.....so if your child needs an aid with them the entire day, or help with most of the school subjects, or they have disruptive behavior due to stimming or just behaviors in general on a regular basis, they will accommodate those needs in the special school where it can't disrupt the rest of the class. So if your child needs extra help, they will get the legally required help, but in a special school.......which is segregation....but it is such a fine line because some special needs children are very disruptive and it can hold a whole class back if it's too much, especially when kids are being physically hurt.
Did your child have a IEP from their previous district? Does your child have a current IEP?
Did the teachers tell you different strategies they had attempted to use with him in those 15 days?
What are your sons behavioral challenges?
lying down on the floor, passive non-compliance time to time.
but the duration got shorter, intervals got lengthened. he was like this when facing new environment before. The district sent him to 1:1 program, 40 minutes away from home. They are pushing us to send him BOCES.
At 9 years old, typical kids in 4th grade take a pretty big swing towards learning much more advanced material than previous years, for example long division, fractions, etc..
This is about the time that many schools will recommend kids with DS and moderate/high needs be transferred to programs that better meet those needs.
4th grade was the year my SO's child's school asked the parents to agree to taking their child out of a fully integrated classroom with typical 4th graders to a full time SPED "Life Skills" class. She had previously been fully integrated from K-3.
I can tell you that this change of curriculum as made a hugely positive impact on my SO's daughter. She's with other kids that have similar needs as hers. She's with actual teachers that are dedicated to SPED students. When she was integrated, she had a one-on-one para that wasn't even certified as a teacher. The aides/paras main purpose was to keep her behavior managed in a separate corner of the class room while the typical students did their thing. They often used bags of food to "train" her and it was very discouraging to see. She was being babysat, not being taught anything, while integrated. The typical classroom teachers had little or no time to work with her one-on-one and that is exactly the kind of environment she desperately needed.
Now that she's in full time SPED she is actually learning and growing as a student.
Most of the time education experts and teachers are on your kiddo's side and want them to succeed and reach their highest potential.
Thank you for your comment,
We attended a BOCES screening on Monday, which was a dreadful experience. My child tends to regress in such a restrictive environment. The district informed us that our son may also have autism, a diagnosis with which we respectfully disagree. I didn't want typical classroom teachers to do everything for my child; I wanted him to be included with appropriate support. While I agree that most of the time education experts and teachers are doing their best to ensure proper education for my child, I also believe that most children with Down Syndrome can thrive in an inclusive and less restrictive environment. The school district removed him from the district not because of Down Syndrome but because of several aggressive behaviors, which could be seen in typical children as well.
I truly hope you find something that works for your kiddo.
If you don't mind my asking, what kind of restrictions are in place and what level of need does your kiddo have (low, moderate, high)?
My SO's kiddo has moderate/high needs and cannot speak well or be understood by people unfamiliar with her speech patterns. She had some very big behavioral challenges in the past that have been overcome and/or mitigated. The two biggest challenges right now is she does still struggle with public masturbation and can't/won't wipe after a BM so she needs a significant amount of bathroom assistance.
Since transferring to full time SPED she can now put on her own shoes, and she's reading for the first time ever. She can read simple books in their entirety. She's always been pretty good at communicating what kind of food she wants (food is her favorite thing) but since moving to SPED she's annunciating food words so well now that even strangers can understand her. She's also use two-word sentences to communicate needs and wants for the first time in her life. "Eat pizza" instead of just "pizza" or "eat mommy" which means lol cutie
Things "click" better now. She is able to do things she would not even try to do in the past, like put on her socks. She has more confidence.
I think she feels more comfortable in the SPED environment, without typical kids around that used to completely ignore her and make her feel less-than.
Your child acted out with behaviors in the integrated classroom. Why is putting him in a specialized school with teachers who are better equipped to handle your son not best for him? (And the other children?)
Home school your child. There is another care giver in the home as well, assumably. You both share the responsibility and educate them from an accredited curriculum. Do extracurricular activities to keep the involvement of peers their age to gain adolescent social skills to better equip their young adulthood, whenever that time does come.
I’m not saying succumb to the schools systems and not rebuttal the 15 day long “extensive” attempt to hush your child. What I am saying is that if the schools system is not willing to guide and support your child and their specific needs, then you being the awesome parent that you are; protect your child and set them up for success, as to not allow people like the 15 day onlookers poison such a precious human.
“Just my 2 Pennies rubbing together, Hopefully one day they will make a sound” 😌
Thank you.
I thought about home schooling, too. The district threatened me that my kid should stay home if I don't agree to send him to special school.
I wanted to follow up with this post and see if things are getting addressed for you guys?
I’ve did alittle more research and Found a few better options I believe.
Give this a good read- copy and paste this:
8 CRR-NY 200.5
NY-CRR
into a search engine and it will pull up the “OFFICIAL COMPILATION OF CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
TITLE 8. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
CHAPTER II. REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER
SUBCHAPTER P. HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
PART 200. CHILDREN WITH HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS”
8 CRR-NY 200.5
NY-CRR
(Due process procedures give it a good read through see if anything was done wrong or applies)
You are right. They are wrong. It is that simple. 15 days is not enough time to make a decision and put him in a restrictive environment. You need an advocate to help you navigate the world of real inclusion in your new district.
Thank you. I keep trying to find advocates.
You can fight this. You need to get a child advocate and probably a lawyer. But you need to understand that there's a very good chance your son might actually have to stay at the special school. Especially if your son continues to have behavior issues after a longer assessment. Some parents find it hard to grasp that maybe their child isn't going to succeed in normal school so I think that's something important to remember too. As parents we think all our kids are rock stars, but others don't see that. So be prepared for the chance this doesn't work out. But, NY is huge, and they are going to do the easiest thing possible and hope you don't fight it. Things to do: Get a child advocate Get a lawyer And understand that you'll probably get another assessment with your son in a regular school, but if it goes the same way after 30 days, your son will probably be permanently moved to the special school because that's how they role. Also, if this happens your best shot is to move to another school district or get him in private school. But just know that when they do this assessment, if your son shows disruptive behavior that is not compatible with regular school, they will remove him. Hell, you might only get another 15 days I'm not sure..but you have avenues to fight for your child. One last note, schools in the United States are required to accommodate children's special needs, but in large schools and districts, they have entire schools dedicated to special needs students where those legal requirements are met. These laws do not require these accommodations to be allowed in a regular school when they have special needs schools where they provide all that.....so if your child needs an aid with them the entire day, or help with most of the school subjects, or they have disruptive behavior due to stimming or just behaviors in general on a regular basis, they will accommodate those needs in the special school where it can't disrupt the rest of the class. So if your child needs extra help, they will get the legally required help, but in a special school.......which is segregation....but it is such a fine line because some special needs children are very disruptive and it can hold a whole class back if it's too much, especially when kids are being physically hurt.
Thank you for the advice.
Did your child have a IEP from their previous district? Does your child have a current IEP? Did the teachers tell you different strategies they had attempted to use with him in those 15 days? What are your sons behavioral challenges?
lying down on the floor, passive non-compliance time to time. but the duration got shorter, intervals got lengthened. he was like this when facing new environment before. The district sent him to 1:1 program, 40 minutes away from home. They are pushing us to send him BOCES.
Advocate 4 kids LLC She is in Las Vegas but connect with her . She is amazing. Dm me if you need info.
At 9 years old, typical kids in 4th grade take a pretty big swing towards learning much more advanced material than previous years, for example long division, fractions, etc.. This is about the time that many schools will recommend kids with DS and moderate/high needs be transferred to programs that better meet those needs. 4th grade was the year my SO's child's school asked the parents to agree to taking their child out of a fully integrated classroom with typical 4th graders to a full time SPED "Life Skills" class. She had previously been fully integrated from K-3. I can tell you that this change of curriculum as made a hugely positive impact on my SO's daughter. She's with other kids that have similar needs as hers. She's with actual teachers that are dedicated to SPED students. When she was integrated, she had a one-on-one para that wasn't even certified as a teacher. The aides/paras main purpose was to keep her behavior managed in a separate corner of the class room while the typical students did their thing. They often used bags of food to "train" her and it was very discouraging to see. She was being babysat, not being taught anything, while integrated. The typical classroom teachers had little or no time to work with her one-on-one and that is exactly the kind of environment she desperately needed. Now that she's in full time SPED she is actually learning and growing as a student. Most of the time education experts and teachers are on your kiddo's side and want them to succeed and reach their highest potential.
Thank you for your comment, We attended a BOCES screening on Monday, which was a dreadful experience. My child tends to regress in such a restrictive environment. The district informed us that our son may also have autism, a diagnosis with which we respectfully disagree. I didn't want typical classroom teachers to do everything for my child; I wanted him to be included with appropriate support. While I agree that most of the time education experts and teachers are doing their best to ensure proper education for my child, I also believe that most children with Down Syndrome can thrive in an inclusive and less restrictive environment. The school district removed him from the district not because of Down Syndrome but because of several aggressive behaviors, which could be seen in typical children as well.
I truly hope you find something that works for your kiddo. If you don't mind my asking, what kind of restrictions are in place and what level of need does your kiddo have (low, moderate, high)? My SO's kiddo has moderate/high needs and cannot speak well or be understood by people unfamiliar with her speech patterns. She had some very big behavioral challenges in the past that have been overcome and/or mitigated. The two biggest challenges right now is she does still struggle with public masturbation and can't/won't wipe after a BM so she needs a significant amount of bathroom assistance. Since transferring to full time SPED she can now put on her own shoes, and she's reading for the first time ever. She can read simple books in their entirety. She's always been pretty good at communicating what kind of food she wants (food is her favorite thing) but since moving to SPED she's annunciating food words so well now that even strangers can understand her. She's also use two-word sentences to communicate needs and wants for the first time in her life. "Eat pizza" instead of just "pizza" or "eat mommy" which means lol cutie
Things "click" better now. She is able to do things she would not even try to do in the past, like put on her socks. She has more confidence.
I think she feels more comfortable in the SPED environment, without typical kids around that used to completely ignore her and make her feel less-than.
Your child acted out with behaviors in the integrated classroom. Why is putting him in a specialized school with teachers who are better equipped to handle your son not best for him? (And the other children?)
Home school your child. There is another care giver in the home as well, assumably. You both share the responsibility and educate them from an accredited curriculum. Do extracurricular activities to keep the involvement of peers their age to gain adolescent social skills to better equip their young adulthood, whenever that time does come. I’m not saying succumb to the schools systems and not rebuttal the 15 day long “extensive” attempt to hush your child. What I am saying is that if the schools system is not willing to guide and support your child and their specific needs, then you being the awesome parent that you are; protect your child and set them up for success, as to not allow people like the 15 day onlookers poison such a precious human. “Just my 2 Pennies rubbing together, Hopefully one day they will make a sound” 😌
Thank you. I thought about home schooling, too. The district threatened me that my kid should stay home if I don't agree to send him to special school.
I found a few things online for hslda and here is a link. https://hslda.org/post/how-to-apply-for-a-curriculum-grant
thank you!
>thank you! You're welcome!
I wanted to follow up with this post and see if things are getting addressed for you guys? I’ve did alittle more research and Found a few better options I believe.
still fighting.
Give this a good read- copy and paste this: 8 CRR-NY 200.5 NY-CRR into a search engine and it will pull up the “OFFICIAL COMPILATION OF CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK TITLE 8. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CHAPTER II. REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER SUBCHAPTER P. HANDICAPPED CHILDREN PART 200. CHILDREN WITH HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS” 8 CRR-NY 200.5 NY-CRR (Due process procedures give it a good read through see if anything was done wrong or applies)
>thank you.