Those Who Would Like to Teach My Son

Above Photo of brilliant child! :)

It has taken me two days to write this blog. I still can't believe what transpired at the CSE meeting for Lucas. At least I am to the point where I can find the humor in it. The wine has helped.

Here in NYS, a child needing services is followed by the county's Early Intervention Program from birth - age 3. At that time, the services transition to The Committee on Preschool Education (CPSE) and the county shifts the responsibility of services to the home school district. When the child turns 5, services shift again to the home school and CSE takes over. The child must start kindergarten in order to receive therapy services and if the parents decide the child is not ready, they must then drive the child back and forth to the school to receive them. This is where we find ourselves as Lucas turns 5 in August.


I have already sat through the last CPSE meeting where the therapists who have worked with Lucas reported that his progress is outstanding. Physical therapy has been coming only on a monthly basis to consult with us and is shocked at the progress each month because of our physical program (despite the lack of direct PT services). Our OT, having found Lucas's adaptive and fine motor skills to be age appropriate - an in many cases above age appropriate - focuses on a handwriting program that utilizes his wonderful reading and spelling skills. Speech therapy has been coming out twice a week and has also morphed according to Lucas's unique set of skills. The Speech therapist gives Lucas "Reading Homework" which is books that he is to read, talk about and "report" to her at the next session. 


Everyone of these sessions is tailored exactly to who Lucas is and if their report of his skills went to committee without the diagnosis listed, they would probably decide to test him to figure out exactly where he fit because his academic skills are well beyond a kindergarten level. 


With all of this in mind, I headed into the CSE meeting on Monday. Naively believing there was no discussion to be had because I am not sending Lucas to kindergarten, we will be continuing our program and if his speech is not at peer level next year I will apply to the district to homeschool. I thought the meeting was a formality. 


The people who "know better" apparently thought differently.


I went to the meeting with the latest round of reports from the therapists, and more importantly myself, to give an accurate picture of Lucas's development to the group which consisted of a psychologist, special education teacher, PT, OT, ST, school principal, and the school district coordinator of services. None of which have ever met Lucas. 


Cue Amusement.


When I finished talking (and they apparently were done humoring me), the projector screen lit up an on it was Lucas's IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for next year.  I knew they had to put one together - this is the part where I could use the wine. 


 The Special Education teacher began by saying he would be placed in a supported classroom where there is a greater staff to student ratio. I cut her off - "Why?" I asked. "Because that is the classroom that is most supportive of children with learning disabilities," she said annoyed to have been interrupted. Silence.  "What learning disability?" I pressed. Silence. Paper shuffling. "Are you assuming he has a learning disability because of his diagnosis?" I insisted. Silence. 


The psychologist came to her rescue, "No of course not, this is simply the classroom that has built in aides to assist with transitions and management of routine." Cut her off -"Why would Lucas need that?" I asked, "Did you not read the report from the preschool he had attended that said he did all of those things independently?" Silence. Paper shuffling.


I smiled, "It doesn't matter, he isn't going to kindergarten next year anyway." 


The point at which I began to really wonder who exactly had the learning disability was when the coordinator said, we should really have had the school nurse be part of this committee. Beyond annoyed, I cut her off too, "Why? I just reported that Lucas has not been sick in over 2 years." (Minus the nasty stomach flu that killed us all but she didn't need to know about that!) 


"Because of his respiratory problems," she said - "You just reported that you work on them daily."


"No, (you freaking idiot) I don't work to remedy a problem, I work to build respiratory excellence, that is why he runs, that is why he is never sick, that is why he learns easily." I snapped.


Paper Shuffling - and the dawn.


The Special Education Teacher (?) was not about to let it go.  "Mrs. Spiesz, according to the standardized test results I have in my hand, your son has a significant learning disability, severe communication problems, and is not yet even able to run."


-sidebar- VERY PISSED OFF NOW - because apparently I am a liar.


"What evaluation are you looking at?" I demanded. And then it dawned on me.


The regulations state that each child receiving services must be evaluated every three years. His first set of evaluations were done before he aged out of EI - WHEN HE WAS 2!!!!! He isn't due for the next evaluation until after he turns 5.


Not caring I now started to laugh. In the meeting. Out loud. "You all sat down and wrote an educational plan for kindergarten based on a standardized evaluation from when he was 2?"


Dead Silence now.


The answer was yes they did. They did not contact his therapists, they disregarded the CPSE reviews because those were not "standardized" and chose the most appropriate method of planning was to use tests done when Lucas was 2. Plus that allowed them to give him an IEP and put him in the supported classroom where Lucas would bring in some cash from New York State.


I'm pretty sure I wouldn't send a dog to them to be trained, let alone my brilliant son who loves to learn and be independent.


I can't help but feel for other parents too, many of which believe their child's best chance is to be taught by people who know better than they how to teach their child. These people are not interested in teaching Lucas. He was number 121 on their roster and had "Down Syndrome." Their plans for him were written long before they ever thought about meeting him.


The meeting did not end well either, I had done some homework and found out that the school historically attempts to "educate" children with T21 until middle school, where they of course see a "plateau" and decide a 12:1:1 classroom is best. I let them know I was aware of their outcomes and had loftier goals for Lucas. I am not surprised children "plateau" in this system. I am not surprised that children who "graduate" from this system end up achieving far less than their full potential.