Lee's Summit R-7 School District: 5 Things School Administrators Should Never Say During An IEP Meeting

Lee's Summit R-7 School District: 5 Things School Administrators Should Never Say During An IEP Meeting

5 THINGS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD NEVER SAY DURING AN IEP MEETING

1).“We cannot hire another nurse just for your child.”

I know it seems as if this response would be preferable to explaining to the board of education that it now must hire a full-time nurse. If you choose to handle it this way, you won’t be spending your summer by the pool. Instead, you’ll get to spend your time with the... school district’s attorney preparing for direct and cross examination.

While it is often difficult to draw a distinction between nursing services and medical services, that is precisely what you must do. If the student needs nursing services to assist him or her in taking part in the educational process, then that is what must be provided — period.

2). "Your child will be graduating at the end of the month whether you like it or not."

Graduation with a diploma is considered a change of placement under an IEP. Any change of placement triggers extensive due process rights. If the parents disagree with their child (who has not reached the age of majority) graduating they can stop it by filing for due process. This would trigger a Stay Put. Stay Put means there can be no change of placement or reduction of services while the disagreement is being worked out.

3).“We’ve spent too much time on this already, let’s move on.”

Face it, sometimes you are not going to be able to agree. While the development of the IEP is supposed to be a collaborative process where, ideally, the team reaches consensus on each and every item contained in the IEP, sometimes that is not going to happen.

When it becomes clear consensus will not be reached, remember that a decision still needs to be made. Instead of being argumentative, explain to the parents it appears the team is unable to reach agreement and that, as the administrator, it is your responsibility under the law to make the final decision, and then do it.

4). "I won’t let you add your comments to the parental concerns section of the IEP form because the IEP is a School document and I disagree with your description of the events that occurred"

This question has been responded to in the United States Federal Register where it was said, “Parents are free to provide input into their child’s IEP through a written report if they so choose.”

5). “We don’t think that is appropriate, but if you want it, we’ll put it in the IEP.”

This comment by a school district administrator is a natural consequence of not making the decision required. Too often we add items to the IEP we know are inappropriate in order to appease the parents. When faced with this temptation, remember the first rule in school law — nice guys and gals finish last. You have an obligation to the child to develop an appropriate IEP that will provide educational benefit to him or her, not to appease the parents, as appealing as that may be during a tense moment. If it is on the IEP, anyone (including the due process hearing examiner) who looks at it will have no legal basis to ignore your peace offering and will expect it to be implemented.

Hawke Blog | A Father's Journey Through the Special Education Maze

Hawke Blog | A Father's Journey Through the Special Education Maze

2 Mo. Principals Accused Of Not Reporting Violence | KMBC Home - KMBC Home

2 Mo. Principals Accused Of Not Reporting Violence | KMBC Home - KMBC Home

PARK HILLS, Mo. —Two eastern Missouri middle school principals are expected to face misdemeanor charges, alleging they violated the Missouri Safe Schools Act by failing to report violence.

The Park Hills Daily Journal reported that St. Francois County prosecutor Jerrod Mahurin plans to charge Central Middle School's principal and vice principal. As of Wednesday morning, formal charges have not been filed.

A probable cause statement said school resource officer Craig Newberry learned that a 14-year-old boy struck a 12-year-old girl in the buttocks with his knee, causing a fractured tail bone. The incident happened at the school on March 29 and was not reported to police by either principal.

The Safe Schools Act requires administrators to report an act of violence as soon as reasonably practical to police. Last week, a detective spoke with both the principal and vice principal. Both said they were aware that the girl had been injured by the boy, but did not report it.

The probable cause statement said the vice principal told police her own daughter had been playing with the same boy, causing bruises to her arm. The vice principal said she spoke to the boy earlier in the day on March 29 - before the 12-year-old girl was hurt - and told him to keep his hands to himself.

Central superintendent Desi Mayberry said a district review found the injury happened during horseplay and wasn't an assault that needed to be reported under the Missouri Safe Schools Act.

Mayberry said if prosecutors choose to press charges then all teachers and principals in the county are at risk of criminal charges every time a student gets hurt while under their care.

But Mahurin said he will prosecute any case necessary to protect victims, especially children.

Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/2-Mo-Principals-Accused-Of-Not-Reporting-Violence/12257844#ixzz2tsZ5PIVR

Does your school have a secret history of abusing disabled children? Find out here - National special education | Examiner.com

Does your school have a secret history of abusing disabled children? Find out here - National special education | Examiner.com



Missouri
1. North Mercer R3, Mercer, MO (Seclusion Room: Closet converted to seclusion room)
2. Underwood Elementary School, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Lee’s Summit, MO (Seclusion: Child kept in closet for most of a month)

Lee's Summit R-7 School District: How Do They Sleep At Night?

Lee's Summit R-7 School District: How Do They Sleep At Night?



Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Sometimes I sit and relive the past four years. I think of all of the tears, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, and hurt that my family has gone through. Then I think of all of the other families that are going through the same thing. Their lives being destroyed while they sit back and helplessly watch it happen.

One thing always comes to mind. How do the people that are paid with my tax dollars sleep at night? How can they destroy the life and future of another human being and then take their paycheck? How can they hug their children while they are destroying the lives of other children?

I was raised in the 60s and the 70s. My parents were strict and taught us to be honest, caring, and loving human beings. We were taught that you never progress in life without hard work, integrity, honor, and respect. You never hurt others or lie.

I wonder what the parents our of teachers, principals, superintendents, legislators, and school board officials taught their children. Would they be disgusted by the things that their children do to innocent children? Would they be dismayed that their children care about nothing more than self promotion and the almighty dollar? Would they be proud that their children are successful because they are robbing children of their future? My parents would disown me. They would not tolerate the behavior that I see every day.

I have been to many school meetings and sat across the table as these people have lied, cheated, and stolen my child's future. I have seen my legislator sell out my child to further his political career and then lie about it and call me a politcal stalker. I am powerless to stop them. They have all of the power and my hard earned tax dollars have bought it for them.

How many lives are going to be destroyed before this is stopped? How many people are willing to stand up for their children no matter what the consequences are? I am. I have been for four years. Its a lonely journey and I invite you to join me.

U.S. Departments of Education and Justice Release School Discipline Guidance Package to Enhance School Climate and Improve School Discipline Policies/Practices | U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Departments of Education and Justice Release School Discipline Guidance Package to Enhance School Climate and Improve School Discipline Policies/Practices | U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education (ED), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), today released a school discipline guidance package that will assist states, districts and schools in developing practices and strategies to enhance school climate, and ensure those policies and practices comply with federal law. Even though incidents of school violence have decreased overall, too many schools are still struggling to create positive, safe environments. Schools can improve safety by making sure that climates are welcoming and that responses to misbehavior are fair, non-discriminatory and effective. Each year, significant numbers of students miss class due to suspensions and expulsions—even for minor infractions of school rules—and students of color and with disabilities are disproportionately impacted. The guidance package provides resources for creating safe and positive school climates, which are essential for boosting student academic success and closing achievement gaps.

"Effective teaching and learning cannot take place unless students feel safe at school,"U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "Positive discipline policies can help create safer learning environments without relying heavily on suspensions and expulsions. Schools also must understand their civil rights obligations and avoid unfair disciplinary practices. We need to keep students in class where they can learn. These resources are a step in the right direction.”

The resource package consists of four components:

• The Dear Colleague guidance letter on civil rights and discipline, prepared in conjunction with DOJ, describes how schools can meet their legal obligations under federal law to administer student discipline without discriminating against students on the basis of race, color or national origin;
• The Guiding Principles document draws from emerging research and best practices to describe three key principles and related action steps that can help guide state and local efforts to improve school climate and school discipline;
• The Directory of Federal School Climate and Discipline Resources indexes the extensive federal technical assistance and other resources related to school discipline and climate available to schools and districts; and
• The Compendium of School Discipline Laws and Regulations, an online catalogue of the laws and regulations related to school discipline in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, compares laws across states and jurisdictions.

"A routine school disciplinary infraction should land a student in the principal’s office, not in a police precinct,"Attorney General Eric Holder said. "This guidance will promote fair and effective disciplinary practices that will make schools safe, supportive and inclusive for all students. By ensuring federal civil rights protections, offering alternatives to exclusionary discipline and providing useful information to school resource officers, we can keep America’s young people safe and on the right path."

The guidance package is a resource resulting from a collaborative project—the Supportive School Discipline Initiative (SSDI)—between ED and DOJ. The SSDI, launched in 2011, addresses the school-to-prison pipeline and the disciplinary policies and practices that can push students out of school and into the justice system. The initiative aims to support instead school discipline practices that foster safe, inclusive and positive learning environments while keeping students in school. The Department of Justice enforces Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race or national origin in public schools, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin by schools, law enforcement agencies, and other recipients of federal financial assistance.

The guidance package also results from President Obama's Now is the Time proposal to reduce gun violence. It called on ED to collect and disseminate best practices on school discipline policies and to help school districts develop and equitably implement their policies. To both continue ED/DOJ efforts in connection with SSDI and fulfill the administration's commitment to "Now is the Time," the guidance package was developed with additional input from civil rights advocates, major education organizations and philanthropic partners.

To view the resource documents, visit www.ed.gov/school-discipline.

ICAA Sponsors Trips to the Missouri State Capitol Building | The International Coalition for Autism and All Abilities

ICAA Sponsors Trips to the Missouri State Capitol Building | The International Coalition for Autism and All Abilities