It's been too long since I posted last, so this is going to get long. Hell, even if I posted every day, this would be a long one. Sorry, in advance, if this goes in circles and turns into a novel. :)
I'd love to report that C is doing great, but that's not going to happen yet. He continues to refuse to even try to do his school work unless someone is right there beside him, keeping him on track. He's still having frequent verbal altercations but is making decent progress with controling his physical reactions.
At visitation last night, we met with his therapist. It went well and she's working with us to try and figure out something to keep him from failing 6th grade. At this point, that's where he's headed unless we can get him to do his work. She suggested looking into getting a one-on-one aide so that he'll have someone there to help him when he needs it and to keep him on-task. I think this is a great idea. I have brought it up at IEP meetings but it was always knocked down. They don't feel that it's necessary because he is capable of doing the work. They don't want him to use it as a "crutch" and feel that he needs to have someone there all the time. Plain and simple, they don't want to pay for it. I get that he could use it as a crutch and come to depend on it. He already depends on it, he's just not getting it. Is it not possible that he really does "need" a crutch? He's always been extremely dependant. Always. Maybe if he were to get a one-on-one aide and get to where he's doing better at school, and build his self-esteem, he would get to a point where he didn't feel that he needed it any longer. So, the therapist said I would have to talk to the school board office and get it put into his IEP through them due to VA laws. Okay. I'm on it.
I called the school board office this morning and was pretty much told that it would never happen. They most likely wouldn't approve it and that when he gets out of the facility he'll go back to TCAP (Tri-County Alternative Program which is for emotionally disturbed kids) where he would be with only 3-4 other kids and 2 teachers so there would not be any need for the 1/1 aide. TCAP would be like a step-down from the facility and he'd stay there until he was ready to return to regular school. So, pretty much, it's not gonna happen due to the fact that the facility would expect the county school system to pay for the aide.
BULL SHIT! Have you heard of IDEA? NCLB? You know, the federal laws that were put into place to protect children with special needs and provide Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)? Yes, FEDERAL laws. If C needs a 1/1 aide it is the responsibility of the school system to provide that to him at no cost to his family. C is disabled. He is in Special Ed. Yet they want to deny an accomodation that could help him tremendously even though they (the county/school board) are getting funding from the government to teach my special ed child which isn't being used for him since he's not at the public school? Where is his funding going? It's not going to the facility because they are getting ready to go after the school system for that money; the money that is rightfully theirs since C is getting his education there right now. Needless to say, I'll be pushing this. I have fought this school system since C was in Kindergarten to get him the help that he needs. I have never had to take them to court before but I have definitely gone "rounds" with them over several issues. Most of the time they find a way around it; just enough to keep me happy enough to stop pushing. Not this time. Enough is enough. My child will get what he needs to succeed which is what these federal laws are in place for. This school system is getting funding for my child's education and that is where that money needs to go. They are going to get a fight this time.
On another note, I'm still waiting on a call-back from his doctor. She still hasn't ruled out Asperger's Syndrome. She feels that he may very well have it but hasn't made a decision or diagnosis yet. I brought this up with the therapist as well and she's supposed to be getting on top of that.
I was reading through my FB wall last night and came across a link to a site about Fragile X Syndrome. FXS is often associated with Autism/Asperger's so that's something else I'm looking into. There are genetic tests that can be done to rule this out or confirm it. It's rare that any insurance will cover the testing but it's still an option. I was up till 3am reading on this and have continued with it today. I'm finding some very interesting things and will be following up on it. I'm gathering info on the condition and family medical info and may be contacting a Genetic Councelor soon.
I think that's about it for now. Hopefully I'll have better news to report next time.
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