UPDATE from this morning. I’ve put in several calls and emails to various people. In the meantime…

[mater-three]

As some of you know, I have a special needs son. He’s 20. In the state of Tennessee, they can stay in school until they are 22. He will probably go until next semester just to get his general education degree because of the reason I’m about to disclose. Matthew struggles with the chaos of drop-off so the TEACHER asked that we drop him off at 8:30. At least two days every week, she comes up with another reason why he can’t come to school. Today, it was that they have fire drill at 8:35 so we have to go later or keep him home because they can’t get him until after 8:35. I CANNOT drop him off at school and be back in time for work. She knows this. She also doesn’t want me to drop him off earlier. Last week, it was because she didn’t have enough staff one day and it rained another day. It’s always something. I’ve started to get .


Matthew is functionally around 5. The selection of work after school is significantly limited because of his lack of focus.

She’s all but told us that she’s not intending on helping him so that he can get a job after school. We work with him at home, but life skills are something the school are supposed to help us with in order to allow him some sense of independence. We have a program called special growers where adults like him can help plant and grow vegetables. Afterwards, they sell them to the public. People in the program work around 10 hours a week and get paid minimum wage. That would be perfect for him - but she must refer us in order to get him a spot. However, she has no intention on helping him find any sort of employment after school. I’ve tried to get information about doing it myself but they keep telling me his teacher must sign him up for the program. I’m hitting brick walls regardless of what I try to do. Ugh!


I don’t know what to do. I’m advocating as best as I can honestly. We’ve had amazing teachers until he hit high school and got her. There’s only one special Ed teacher in his high school so switching him is not an option.


Has anyone ever dealt with anything similar? Do you know if there are avenues to report the teacher or freaking make her do her job? I am ready to scream.

This post may be hard to follow as I’m aggravated.

[EarlGrayHot]

Keep going up the chain of command until you find someone who will help.

[carterscutie85]

I agree. Take it above her. And get everything she has said in writing. Sounds like she's given up on your child and that isn't OK.

[WellPreserved]

Does your district have a "transition coordinator"? If so, I'd communicate with him/her. If not, I would start immediately taking your son's situation up the chain of command and treat it as two separate issues - the inability of the school to accommodate your son during the school day, the unwillingness of his teacher to assist (fill out paperwork/referral) for out of school programs for your son. The most immediate need seems to be for your son to get the school to sign off on his participation in the agricultural work program. I think this could be quickly resolved with a meeting with the school's administration or school board. The inability to accommodate your son during the school day indicates another IEP meeting is in order.

I'm not a teacher but I did navigate high school(s) with a special ed kid and it's frustrating when one teacher can cause issues but know that legally, your son's school is required to provide appropriate accommodations and legally, they are required to provide transition services to your child.

"Special Growers" sounds like an awesome program for your son and I hope it works out for him. I would point out to the school that information on this program and other like it, both state and private, should be available to parents with special needs kids rather than requiring parents to search out the information on their own. That's a complaint that I would take up the chain all the way to the school board. Frankly, your situation is something that I would take to the school board during their public hearing as I would be willing to bet that you are not the only parent experiencing this frustration. Get your complaint on the public record.

[Heyteacher]

WOW, I would be PISSED if I were this persons administrator.

You need to email this person AND CC the person next in line-be it a director or principal in charge of the teacher and the program. Outline EVERYTHING you have done to accommodate the teachers requests. Then outline everything she has done to harpoon those efforts. Do NOT speculate on why the teacher is behaving in this way-just keep to the facts, not the emotions behind it. Document dates, and times and keep ALL email communications going forward. Try to communicate everything from now on in writing only. This way you can’t have a “he said she said” situation.

If neither responds adequately then you need to write another email, and CC the next person in line until you reach the superintendent. Ultimately if that fails, contact a consumer advocate in the media. It is amazing what a little media attention will do when a school district doesn’t want to play ball.

Good luck to you~

[jas]

Your district should have an ESE coordinator / advocate. Contact them after talking to the principal. You need to take this through the chain of command.

[mater-three]

Does your district have a "transition coordinator"? If so, I'd communicate with him/her. If not, I would start immediately taking your son's situation up the chain of command and treat it as two separate issues - the inability of the school to accommodate your son during the school day, the unwillingness of his teacher to assist (fill out paperwork/referral) for out of school programs for your son. The most immediate need seems to be for your son to get the school to sign off on his participation in the agricultural work program. I think this could be quickly resolved with a meeting with the school's administration or school board. The inability to accommodate your son during the school day indicates another IEP meeting is in order.

I'm not a teacher but I did navigate high school(s) with a special ed kid and it's frustrating when one teacher can cause issues but know that legally, your son's school is required to provide appropriate accommodations and legally, they are required to provide transition services to your child.

"Special Growers" sounds like an awesome program for your son and I hope it works out for him. I would point out to the school that information on this program and other like it, both state and private, should be available to parents with special needs kids rather than requiring parents to search out the information on their own. That's a complaint that I would take up the chain all the way to the school board. Frankly, your situation is something that I would take to the school board during their public hearing as I would be willing to bet that you are not the only parent experiencing this frustration. Get your complaint on the public record.

I left a message with the principal. I will try and call the school board tomorrow. I have to be back online for my job in 5 minutes so I can’t call now.


My friend has some advocate names but she gets up late because her son has severe sleep issues. I’ll call them tomorrow too I guess. I’m about to throw something at her car (I’m not serious).

[cgd5112]

Contact the Special Education Director in your district. Inform her of everything you've said here. Additionally, moving forward, if you haven't already, have his teacher email you every time she requests a drop off delay. This creates a pattern of proof of the district limiting or not meeting accommodations and access to education. Like the other moms said, CC the Principal when you email the SPED director from the get go. If you have emails from the teacher. Let them know. Forward them and keep copies of the emails in a file.
You can also reach out to the board of education, file a complaint and possibly request mediation re this matter. The district can decline ( at least. in MA they can -don't know if in other states). But it flags the district with the BOE.
It's a lot of stressful work. Sounds like you've already been as accommodating to the teacher out of the goodness of your heart but are not required to.

Lastly, drop your son off a bit early. Make it 10 minutes. Park and walk him to the principals office on the days the teacher requests another change in drop off time. Let the admin there know the situation and ask them to walk your son to his classroom.

[LiveWhatULove]

What are his goals on his IEP? Have you had your meeting? They should definitely consider you input into setting his transitional goals. She cannot ignore the written goals.

It looks like you already went to the principal, but I am always a big believer, in starting with the person I have the conflict with and documenting, clearly in writing, my concerns. I tend to be a pretty non-confrontational and a sympathetic person, so I tolerate a lot — but on occasion, teachers & people misinterpret this as I am apathetic, in which they will take advantage of me… So clearly in writing I express the problem they need to fix, such as: 1) I am not able to drop my son off late, this is disrupting his education and family well-being, so we need another solution and 2) I want my son to transition to special growers, how do we make that happen? This is the last ditch effort for the teacher the last option to find solutions, before I go up the chain of command.

I hope you get some solutions.

[Quorra2.0]

I agree with others to push this up the chain of command and to utilize email as much as possible so that IF other actions need to be taken you have the documentation.


Title 34, sub B, chapter III part 300:

§ 300.34 Related services. 12) Rehabilitation counseling services means services provided by qualified personnel in individual or group sessions that focus specifically on career development, employment preparation, achieving independence, and integration in the workplace and community of a student with a disability. The term also includes vocational rehabilitation services provided to a student with a disability by vocational rehabilitation programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.

§ 300.43 Transition services.

(a) Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that—

(1) Is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

(2) Is based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests; and includes—

(i) Instruction;

(ii) Related services;

(iii) Community experiences;

(iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and

(v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.

(b) Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(34))

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/s ... I/part-300

Matthew has rights. This teacher either has no business being a sn teacher OR the district needs to start ponying up funds to properly meet their legal obligations under title 34 by hiring more teachers and aides so that this doesn’t continue to happen to him or any other students with sn.