This happened to us today . The student came from another school last year and apparently the family didn't realize the IEP would follow him. He was due for a re-eval meeting and parents refused testing and all services. He was seeing me, the speech-therapist, the school psych, and the OT. Apparently in this family's culture admitting to having a child with a disability reflects negatively on the parents. This kid really needs the help and was one of my favorite kids to work with. I'm bummed.
Yes. It's really hard to let go when you know the child needs help but the family refuses it for one reason or another. It's a shame.
There was a girl last year who's adopted mom refused service... terrible story all around... the girl has PTSD from physical and sexual abuse, she's basically at the level of a kindergartner in both math and reading, but sitting in a fourth grade classroom without SPED support because her IQ is far too low to show a discrepancy for LD, the adopted mom won't sign for Emotional Disability, and there's nothing there to qualify her under OHI. The school is actually beginning to peel away Tier 3 support for her, because it's not doing her any real good, never will do her any good, and is basically just taking away potential service from kids who would benefit.
My MIL refused services for my ex-husband. She took it personally, like it was somehow admitting failure on her part. Instead of permitting testing, she pulled him from public school. He needs accommodations for work, but without a history of special education services, he is out of luck. Now there is a huge problem trying to get disability benefits with no history. She did him a great disservice.
If the student desperately needs the help, the district can file due process against the parents, I believe, in order for the IEP to be kept until a hearing can be convened, as the IEP would be put into stay-put status. Did the parents reject a re-evaluation or the IEP altogether? Did the meeting turn into an exit meeting or has one been scheduled?
With the little girl who was adopted it might be possible to contact the social services in the area about it. Often if a child is adopted through foster care they are still monitored or in contact to some extent.
I've had it happen several times, usually because parents don't understand the process or they are worried about the stigma. With several families, we have been able to work past the reluctance, but with some we have not. It's difficult, and sad, but there is little we can do other than provide all of the support we can within the classroom.
From my experience, unless it's a "this child has severe intellectual disabilities and parents are refusing services" type of situation, schools won't take anything to due process, because if only for PR reasons, you never want to be in a courtroom with a parent on the other side, even if you are "right."
We had one of our 6th graders's parents refuse the continuation of services at their middle school transition meeting last May. It was a bit of a shock to myself, the elementary school teachers, and P. We all begged the parent to reconsider, but she just didn't want her daughter to go into middle school with a "label." She felt not getting services would challenge her daughter. We had to exit her. Luckily the classes were already set up at that point so this girl does happen to be in inclusion classes. She is actually adjusting pretty well and is pretty self motivated. She's not afraid to ask me for help, so I try to keep an extra eye out for her when I can.
Seems the parents realized that there weren't really going to be any educational advantages to her having the label.
The school can file due process on the parents, especially if the lack of services is detrimental to the student. gr8~could the child not qualify as ID?
No, her IQ would be too high for that. She falls neatly into the 70's for IQ... too high for ID, too low to show a discepency. And the only way mom will sign off on SPED services is for LD or OHI, and there's nothing there for OHI.
I've never had a parent refuse services once the testing was completed. I've had parents refuse initial testing though. I've also never known of our county filing due process on a parent. I had a big, strong, construction worker daddy cry hysterically when his son was diagnosed with a learning disability. It was something I will never, ever, ever forget. This was close to 5 years ago and I think about it multiple times per day. We never know what goes through the minds of these parents. They want the best for their children, but sometimes they think the best thing is just "fitting in" instead of getting the help they need.
Could you try ADHD/ADD? Doctors will label anyone with that. Might be worth a try to get her what she needs.
Last year I had a parent agree to testing for her son. She came back a few hours later & said she changed her mind about the testing. At the end of the year, I tried to retain her son, after many conversations. Her response was to pull him out of our school and put him in a different school. Apparently, this school will get him on grade level and he will be back for 2nd grade. We'll see if he comes back.
If I had a dollar for every time I said this, I'd be rich. Low IQ isn't a disability. Not knowing much besides IQ, I'd possibly DNQ her. What is the disability???
Try having the school psych look at the subtest scores. Low block design scores tend to be indicative of ADHD and issues with executive functioning.
No, she fits all the criteria for an Emotional Disability. She just doesn't meet the criteria for Learning Disability or Other Health Impairment, which are the only levels mom would accept.
