I teach High school LD and Ed. I have several students who want out of the program. Although they still show significant weaknesses and/or create disruptions and distractions, they simply don't want the support. When I presented this to my director, she suggested that we start by decreasing the amount of services, then do a re-eval (with parent input on the entire process). My question is what liabilities do we have if a BD/ED student has a severe disciplinary action (or legal issue) after being released from the program?
In my experience you let an Ed kid out of the program and in a few weeks they wind back up in the alternative school for discipline issues, they do this a few times and then get a psych consult and wind back up in an ED classroom. Although I have seen 1 or 2 that do well because having to go back to an ED classroom is a motivating factor to stay out of class. AS for LD if they can suceed without modifications, and I suceeded without modifications then they will be fine but if they start failing be forwarned after the first failing 6 weeks they may demand to be put back in teh program. Make sure you tell them everything, YOu can ARD them out but I would just let them sign up for regular Ed classes the next year and help them to find the easiest teachers that way they can fall back to CM if they need to and if not then ARD them out the next year.
CM is Content Mastery and an ARD is an Admission Review and Dismissal I thought no matter where you were int eh country we all had ARDS I guess they are called something else other places, itis the meeting you have once a year to review IEPS etc. Sorry.
I am also experiencing this to some degree with my grade 8 LD students. Because they are heading off to high school next year, they are really concerned about being successful and being as independent as possible. ( In our school community, there isn't any stigma about the Resource Room--there are often students who are not identified who ask to come down for extra help with some of their work. It isn't a negative place to be!) While I admire this, I know that some of them just won't be able to cope with the pace, demands, and distractions of their classrooms (35+ students and some teachers who are not willing to modify their program significantly). We are doing the grade 8 math curriculum, but most have reading and writing skills more than 2 years below. We've decided to keep things as they are for right now, and are going to try to "wean back" support as the year goes along.
I agree, there are lots of students (non spec ed) who come wanting help! Not really much of a stigma - it is really the ED students who don't see the value in what we have to offer. This is where I'm concerned about the liability of having them out of the program - what happens if they have a severe issue (or legal) and we no longer provided services? What responsibility level would we have?
If the parents agree to take them out of the program or if they are 18 there will be no legal responsability to you or the school. They will probably, be sent to an alternative school which might just be a better place for them anyway, lots of ED kids like going to alternative schools and get in trouble just to come back I worked at an alternative school for 4 years we had habitual offenders that said they would be back because they would beg us not to let them leave. As long as all are in agreement when you remove the child there is no recourse, but I would make sure you have the school attorney look over all paperwork.
I agree. As long as the team decided, or the student is 18 and decided for him/herself, you should be fine.
Emily Bronte, I would like to know why some districts are placing students with Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism in classrooms with others with ED (Emotional Disturbance)? People with AS (Asperger's Syndrome) do not have psychological issues, it's a developmental disability. I am a special education teacher with AS (Asperger's Syndrome) and I have spoken to other teachers who say that the district wants to place their AS students into an ED program. I volunteer my time with the school where I school to inform parents, teachers, and other students about what AS all entails. I'm very fortunate that my parents worked with me in school and I was able to finish college and obtain my teaching degree. I just wish more teachers and school personnel were more familiar with this condition. Thanks for allowing me to share my story. Troy in Downey, CA (I proudly embrace my own autism) AspieTeacher
You know Troy, I can tell you exactly why they want to put As kids into ED classes, I have 3 AS kids, lower functioning mind you but still very smart and all 3 of them have anger issues and they are in my class with 2 other autistic and Downs syndrome kids at times. I have opted to keep these kids, but all 3 have been in an alternative school fro ED kids and everytime I have to take one down because of violent behavior they talk of putting them either back inteh ED school or into the ED classrooms, they do this so they are not a danger to the other kids. I have figured out many times why my kids act out and have stopped many outburst before they begin but all of mine have siezure disorders and all 3 get violent normally a day or 2 before a seizure and there is nothing I can do to stop that so the district thinks they would be better off in an ED class where they are more equipped to handle that kind of situation verses keeping them in a class with defensless kids and fewer teachers. See, I am fighting to keep one of my kids in my class right now, I think he would get worse in an ED class.
