IEP Question - Where should the request go.

[khaoskat]

I am working with a family of a child who has been put into a facility.  The facility is in a different school district than child resided in with parents.

We (parents, CPS, myself) want to get an IEP started for the child.  Do we file the request with the school district where parents live or the school district where the facility is, or with the virtual school the child attends?

[karne]

Do you mean that you want to get the eval process started?  Where I live, the eval is done by the local public school-this includes kids who live in one school district, but attend school in a different school district. So, a child may live in one district, attend a private school in another district, and would thus have the eval done by the district in which he/she actually attends school.

ETA:  Re: the on-line piece, my guess is that you will be still looking at the school district your facility is in if the child is technically a resident there.  Surely the facility must have come across this issue before?  I would connect with the director of spec ed in the facility's school district and ask to consult about the situation.  You are really going to be wanting to look at continuity of care depending upon how lengthy the stay will be for the child.  How old is the child?

[Drummer's Wife]

It's up to the school to start an IEP.  It's usually a pretty lengthy process; they will need to do an extensive evaluation (may include several specialists), and meet as a team to decide what to do next.  I guess I would talk to the facility and next, the school district the child now resides in.  If this is a 0-3 aged child, then Early Interventions might be the best place to start.  In my experience, IEP's take a while to get into place, so it may be something that will be going by the time the next school year starts. 

If your concerns are something that needs to be addressed asap, then I'd talk to the pediatrician, Child Find, or individual therapists (ie Physical, Occupational, Speech-language, Behavioral, etc.).  If you have to go through the school system, it's likely going to be slow going. 

eta: I missed the virtual school aspect.  Sorry.  I would assume you would start with the district which that falls under - though I could be wrong and it could now be the one that the facility is within the boundary areas.  Good luck figuring it out.  It's not as easy as just filing for an IEP, though.  That's pretty much the end of the process (well, and the beginning of treatment) - not sure how it works with online schooling. 

[khaoskat]

Sorry, let me clarify...we want to get the IEP process started (ie send out the letter requesting an eval).  The child is older (like young teenager).  We are not sure how much longer the child will be at the facility.  We have asked the facility, and usually they are contacted by the virtual school their residents attend to let them know what is on the IEP for services..they have not initiated one before.  The child maybe going back to parents or may remain...we are waiting on the Court's decision...

I know it wont be fully completed prior to the end of the school year.  Or rather we may have finalized the IEP right around the time school ends..but at least it will be in place.  I am sure this child is going to be in summer school, be it virtual academy or public school because child is so far behind child's peers.

Just trying to figure out WHERE we need to send the request...school district of parents (Court has ordered them to pay for the child's education anyways); school district where facility is located; or Virtual School...so there wont be any further delay and it is started.

[karne]

I wouldn't assume anything-ie, that services wouldn't start before the end of the school year, that summer school will be approved, etc.  I would ASAP contact the dir. of spec ed in the faciliy''s school district.  Again, I'm sure this won't be the first go around about this issue they have worked with, if indeed they are the responsible district.  I would get the letter requesting the eval in ASAP as well.  The district has a certain amount of time to respond, as well as a certain amount of time in which to perform the evals, and then meet w/parents/guardians.  If the parents are still legally responsible this will require lots of good communicatio, and obviously they'll have to do the requesting..

Summer school on an IEP, at least here, can be hard to come by. You'd be surprised.  There are very narrow, and strict definitions of who requires an "extended school year", so it's best to really be looking at that now.  Again, if the child remains in the facility, there may be extended school year as part of being a resident-I don't know.  

I am completely unfamiliar with how a virtual learning academy is involved in this, but I have to think that they coordinate with the local district.

[Linda on the move]

I believe that you would send the request for the evaluation to the home school (school where he would go if living with his parents). They are paying for it, so they would rather do it themselves. I would suggest detailing what kinds of problems the child has and/or what you want him evaluated for.

You aren't really asking the home school for an IEP because they aren't educating the child, you are requesting evaluation(s).

The IEP itself is a funky issue because of the virtual school. Many of the accommodations through an IEP are irrelevant with virtual school, and depending on what kind of services the child needs, the virtual school may not be appropriate. Having a tutor paid for by the school that comes to the child *might* end up making more sense. Not every school can meet every SN child's needs.

While working on that process, the virtual school *may* be able to adjust the work the child is given to the level that is appropriate. I'd work on this while waiting for the eval process to shuffle through (which can be VERY time consuming).

Last, summer school is a different issue that someone just working with the child one-on-one. There are options for arranging that outside of regular "school" channels.

[khaoskat]

Linda - the facility already has a tutor who is there during school hours...available to all students (regardless of being on an IEP or not).  In Ohio, most virtual schools are public schools, not private...Also, since the child is in a virtual school, the child is at his/her actual work ability grade level not based upon age.  So, for instance, even though the child should be technical be in 8th grade, but is performing on a 5th grade level (giving examples, not what is truely going on with this child), they are given work at the 5th grade level to complete.

Oh, and I understand the point about all the child may get is a tutor....but others do not, so hence the reason...we have someone yelling why is this child not on an IEP....an IEP in this child's case will be more important when the child goes home...but since we have the child in one place with little chance for interruption prior to the completion of the IEP, I want to get it started, done and in place.

I will call the school district where the facility is located and see who I need to send it to on their end.  I may just CMA and also send one to the child's home school district (ie where the parents live).

[Linda on the move]

The other question, the more important question is: what is going on with this child that makes learning so difficult? What is the dx?