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Does school have to offer summer school for special needs

tiffu22

tiffu22

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My ds7 with autism needs extra help in reading. He's behind about 2 years from what I can tell. So far when I have asked about summer school in the past they tell me there are no programs that fit him. They are pretty much for improving his daily life skills, which he has no problems with. We should be having his meeting for his IEP in a few months. I just think he need extra help during the summer.
 
You can ask for extended school year. I'm not sure what the requirements are to receive it. My son has multiple disabilities and he has always gotten ESY.
 
I thought public schools had to offer ESY IF the child shows regression... Something like that... I've had to fight for some of my own students to get ESY and sometimes I've won for them and some not. Definitely check. ESY=extended school year... But it's only like 4-5 weeks 3-4 x per week for a short time.
 
The main problem is that he retains what little he does know so there is no regression. He is also getting good grades but only because he has an IEP so it is different from all the other students.
 
Ask the school to increase expectations... Tell them you really want him closer to grade level work.
 
autumnsky said:
Ask the school to increase expectations... Tell them you really want him closer to grade level work.
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LOL they have basically told me he can't because of his autism, just in better words.
 
We need Joy! I am sure she has the answer.
 
OMG that makes me MAD! That's bullshit!!! If he's retaining what he's learning, they can increase expectations!
 
You can pay to have an independant assesment and then call an IEP to have the findings considered for ESY. Your insurance, if you have any, may pay. ESY usually is not a fight especially for a child with Autism. The school will ALWAYS say he is meeting or exceeding goals they set forth in the IEP to deny services. Keep something in mind and I can't stress this enough. Follow up every conversation with a letter or email just to let them know you are documenting his educational path. Also, if you come off as a fighter, not mean, but that you will fight for his rights they will be more willing to give. The non fighter parents rarely get services. Sad, but true. Good luck.
 
A friend of mine whose son is autistic and also 7 yrs. old ALWAYS gets ESY....I agree you have to keep in their ear about it otherwise they will just let it slide...this is based on what my friend tells me. Good luck!
 
NannyMcCheapy said:
You can pay to have an independant assesment and then call an IEP to have the findings considered for ESY. Your insurance, if you have any, may pay. ESY usually is not a fight especially for a child with Autism. The school will ALWAYS say he is meeting or exceeding goals they set forth in the IEP to deny services. Keep something in mind and I can't stress this enough. Follow up every conversation with a letter or email just to let them know you are documenting his educational path. Also, if you come off as a fighter, not mean, but that you will fight for his rights they will be more willing to give. The non fighter parents rarely get services. Sad, but true. Good luck.
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Do you know how or who I get to do this. I also think where we live hurts us as well. We are 30 min from Joliet which where any programs would be. What I would love is to get a tutor for him but I just can't afford it. I would like to add that I do try to teach him myself but it is always a battle with him.
 
You can request it. However, not all co-ops offer ESY.

The teacher is supposed to be 'progress monitoring' which will show if there is 'significant regression'. I test my students on their goals EVERY WEEK. after Christmas break it is especially important because that is when you can really see how much break affects them. If the kids show 'significant regression' we are supposed to offer ESY, but NOW that we are a year round school, there is no more SPED summer school. only for those who failed 3rd, 6th, or 8th grades in the city.

I would recommend contacting a college and see if students have to do thesis papers over the summer or offer tutoring. Also, most eighth graders or catholic school have to do service hours. mostly kids just need someone to sit with them and practice practice practice.
 
What do the expectations on his IEP say?
My dd was not autistic, but had an IEP and when I had a teacher friend look at it--she had a fit--she told me to NEVER sign at the table, to take it home (so that she could look it over) she told me to tell them that I needed time to look this over--or not to bring my dh and my dh wants to see it---
She looked at the expectations and and explained that the school wrote it for their success and not my dd. Over all the years she was in school we only had one teacher argue with me about that---the teacher insisted I was setting my child up for failure--but I insisted I was setting her up for success. I explained what I had been taught--and she changed the expectations. I know you can request changes with an IEP--so look yours over--see what they have--and go in very prepared with all your questions and answers.
Write out what you expect--and how you want it achieved--include ESY--in the IEP--explain reasons---
Write out more examples etc
I also agree--if for some reason this doesn't work for you--check with your local college and and see if anyone is majoring in special ed and would want to tutor your child--you can usually get a college child pretty cheap--as they are just happy to have hours--if not check with local churchs and see if any offer free tutoring services--or if there are any agencies that offer free tutoring.
Does autism have a support group? We did for our dd learning disability--they gave lots of ideas on places to go and what to do for them--etc.
Good luck!!!
 
ESY can be tricky...all depends on the district, some districts will automatically say yes and some will fight you till the end.

OK...so 1. myth they will try to throw at you is about regression. Regression is often the reason that ESY will be included in an IEP but it is not a requirement in order to get it. "catching" your child up to where they should be is a perfectly legitimate reason for them to provide ESY. To that end there can be no "single criteria" for determining whether or not ESY is needed.

An independent assessment is expensive, and unless you are sitting on a pot of gold don't pay for one simply to procure ESY services. You'd be better off putting that money into getting services for him in the summer on your own.

If there are no regression/recoupment issues and he's still 2 years behind, I'm of the opinion that his IEP could use some tweaking. Are the reading services, goals and benchmarks aggressive enough to help him get caught up? It sounds from your post like he is capable of it? so I'm wondering if your energy would be better spent fighting for more/better reading services throughout the school year?

I don't know your area well, but (and this is rare for me to say) sometimes when they say there are "no programs" to fit his needs this is actually true (in the summer months). Be careful that you know what you are asking for. You don't want him to just end up wharehoused in a regular summer school just to appease you. That's not going to help, and in some cases can even hurt. Maybe what you need are creative ESY services, one of the things courts will look at is whether or not the parents can provide a structured educational environment during the summer. Maybe a district laptop loaded with a good interactive reading program that you can use with him during the summer would be more beneficial?

The other thing is remember not to wait too long to request ESY, most districts will try to "schedule" this discussion during the last IEP meeting of the year. The courts frown on districts who employ these tactics to prevent parents from having time to pursue their right to an appeal of the decision.
 
icoupon2 said:
ESY can be tricky...all depends on the district, some districts will automatically say yes and some will fight you till the end.

OK...so 1. myth they will try to throw at you is about regression. Regression is often the reason that ESY will be included in an IEP but it is not a requirement in order to get it. "catching" your child up to where they should be is a perfectly legitimate reason for them to provide ESY. To that end there can be no "single criteria" for determining whether or not ESY is needed.

An independent assessment is expensive, and unless you are sitting on a pot of gold don't pay for one simply to procure ESY services. You'd be better off putting that money into getting services for him in the summer on your own.

If there are no regression/recoupment issues and he's still 2 years behind, I'm of the opinion that his IEP could use some tweaking. Are the reading services, goals and benchmarks aggressive enough to help him get caught up? Not sure if it is. I have asked for more reading hours and to change it to am since he has a hard time in the pm but have been told that it is what it is. It sounds from your post like he is capable of it? I believe he is it just takes so much more for him to learn. I'm wondering if your energy would be better spent fighting for more/better reading services throughout the school year?

I don't know your area well, but (and this is rare for me to say) sometimes when they say there are "no programs" to fit his needs this is actually true (in the summer months). Be careful that you know what you are asking for. You don't want him to just end up wharehoused in a regular summer school just to appease you. That's not going to help, and in some cases can even hurt. Maybe what you need are creative ESY services, one of the things courts will look at is whether or not the parents can provide a structured educational environment during the summer. Maybe a district laptop loaded with a good interactive reading program that you can use with him during the summer would be more beneficial?
I'm a little worried about this as well.
The other thing is remember not to wait too long to request ESY, most districts will try to "schedule" this discussion during the last IEP meeting of the year. The courts frown on districts who employ these tactics to prevent parents from having time to pursue their right to an appeal of the decision.
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I plan on getting with the teachers soon and let them know what I want, but I just don't know what I want yet KWIM.
 
Definitely make sure that if you have a conversation with the teacher that you follow up for sure with an email. You want to have the documentation in case later you need it.

Try not to get discouraged just keep reminding yourself that you are doing this so your son gets an education he is entitled to. Never let them set expectations low. As our son's neurologist has always told us "The day you say XXXX can't do something, he never will." No one knows what any child's potential is. But I can guarantee you that if limitations are placed on a child they will limit that child.
 
"It is what it is" :gah:

That's pisses me off. That's school code for lady what do you expect from him/us. That's not acceptable. That is code for we don't want to work any harder than we are. :gah:

Can I ask what types of reading goals and benchmarks are in his IEP?
 
I don't have it handy right now, I don't believe there are to many. What I do remember it talks about how many mins each day he has. He has had some behavioral issues and problems with staying on task in the past and that is mostly what was in the IEP. I'm really kicking myself for not trying harder to get him more help.

Can I request that reading and laugage skills are done in the am or do I have to go by what they so for all the kids. DS loves math and he does it the am, so when it comes to doing reading after lunch he is tired and does not want to as much as I think he would if it was in the am
 
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