aging out of EI and transition to school based services

[Peony]

So we now on this journey and I'm not liking it so far. Now I am remembering why we ended up not going this route with my oldest and choose to go private.  I don't know enough about how school based services work in order to make sure that I am being told correctly. 

DS1 turns 3 in late April, we have had one planning meeting that talked about what happens. It was supposed to happen in early Dec, and then got moved to a couple weeks ago. DH and I just decided to take an extended spring break with the kids in April we will be gone for 3 weeks at the beginning of April. The school based service company freaked out and is now frantically scheduling his evals and transition meetings. I am in CO BTW, but I am being told that he can slide for the month of May and then school is out but when school starts up again in late August, if he is not in a preschool, then we get no services. We are on the waiting list at my girls' school but no telling if we will get in, and other schools in the area will only accept children for the 2013/2014 waiting lists. Preschool is that competitive here. DS1 isn't potty trained and if he isn't, he can't go to our preschool anyway. They are assuming that he will go to our preschool and apparently need a meeting scheduled with the teacher for March when the school can't even tell me if DS1 can go there yet. Is this just the way it is?

[AbbyGrant]

I'd bet the reason they're rushing is because I think EI and the school are supposed to have kids officially transitioned by their 3rd birthday, at least that was an issue for us.  My son had only been in EI a few months and the school, well both of them really, had to move things along to make sure we met the date.  

As far as needing to be in preschool, and a private one at that, I've never heard of that. My son was not in preschool when he transitioned to the school last fall, and he still isn't.  For the moment, he receives services at the preschool intervention office. The goal is to have him ready to enter a special education preschool classroom at one of the elementary schools in the fall.  If I had chosen to put him in a private preschool, they could have sent someone to provide some services there. 

I would call someone and get some clarification about all of this.  I can't imagine they only provide services to kids in private preschool.  That doesn't even sound legal.  

[Peony]

There are no public preschools here so they really do send the therapists around to the various private PKs. Well, the elem schools have very limited slots for PK students the year before they go into K, but they aren't free. It costs around 5 hundred a month. I know kids that get services get in first but that would be another year away for us, and there are not any special education programs, they go in with the regular kids and get pulled out for services. They pay for 6 hours of preschool a week, the rest of the cost is up to the families because there is no PK that only does 6 hours a week. Half day is 4.5 hours and you have to do at least 2 days a week to get a slot. 

[khaoskat]

I would look to see if Colorado has a program to help parents with the process and any legal issues.

I can tell you in Ohio that they are required once the child turns 3 to provide services...We have school based services for those who are at least 3, but not in K yet.  We have public school programs that are considered "inclusive".  It is a mixed room of about 12 student, it has about 5 kids with various special needs (and levels of special needs), and about 7 regular/non special needs kids in the room.  They go 4 days a week.  The teachers provide services in the classroom as well as therapist pull out sessions.

http://www.cde.state.co.us/early/downloads/CHILDFIND/compendium209.pdf

http://www.cde.state.co.us/spedlaw/

[AbbyGrant]

Well if they'll pay for the preschool, then that changes things a bit, but since there are no places that will take a child for six hours that's a pretty worthless offer.  I still wonder if there might have been some miscommunication or wrong information given.  Why can't they provide services in some other location if preschool slots are so competitive?  Home?  An office? I don't think they can just say no private preschool slot, no services, at least not legally anyway.  

Edited by AbbyGrant - 1/30/12 at 5:14pm

[Peony]

I have no idea why they can't just meet us at the library or something. There are no places in their office to meet, it is small. I'm talking to the main coordinator there. I was instructed that I could prove that we couldn't get into an accredited preschool program then they would waive that requirement, they were resistant to telling me that. I haven't asked yet what proof was needed. My EI SLP did tell me that she has a mom that is resisting putting her child into a preschool and is fighting it, they are not taken it easily. 

Ok so it sounds like this isn't normal procedure, I was wondering how it worked in other places. I've only heard nothing but complaints about this place for years. I've yet to meet anyone who actually likes the services they receive or has had an "easy" time getting services. I am in a small town in a very rural area. 

[Aufilia]

My understanding, from when we went through this, is that they are legally required to offer services but that doesn't mean they're required to offer them on YOUR terms.  They offer services that are appropriate to your child's needs and that fit into their service model, but it's up to you to take what they offer or not.  If they are offering you a spot in the district's preschool program, that most likely satisfies the requirement that they offer you services (unless your child really needs a TON more services than are available in the preschool).  Our district's service model includes the preschool program, and does not include roaming therapists, so having in-home therapy wasn't possible, and they aren't required to hire a therapist just for you. (I don't believe it would if you were required to pay, because I thought they had to offer a "free, appropriate public education," but that wording may apply only to elementary students).  When DD was in EI services she had PT at home 2x/month and PT at the EI office 2x/month, but when we transitioned to the school district they offered a spot in the developmental preschool only.  We initially declined it but ended up sending her there later, and the services she got for special needs there were fully adequate (and really, more complete than she got from home visits since she was in preschool 12 hours per week). 

[AbbyGrant]

"Free and appropriate" starts at 3, so it covers preschool. I don't think the school requiring parents to pay tuition at a private preschool constitutes "free." Also, given that there's a shortage of private preschool spots and limited public pre-K, requiring children to be in preschool would mean some children would be excluded from services if they couldn't find a slot. I'm glad to hear that the school will waive that requirement if needed, albeit reluctantly.  Since they already have therapist that go from school to school, they won't need to hire a special therapists to see kids that are not in preschool.  

Also, school services are not simply take it or leave it.  Of course parents need to be realistic about what the school has to offer and be reasonable in their expectations, but they don't just have to take whatever the school throws at them. It doesn't sound to me like the OP was looking for special treatment.  

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by Peony 
 The school based service company freaked out and is now frantically scheduling his evals and transition meetings. I am in CO BTW, but I am being told that he can slide for the month of May and then school is out but when school starts up again in late August, if he is not in a preschool, then we get no services.

I skimmed responses and it seems pp have addressed why the school's company is spun up. But what they told you about preschool/services is likely not correct and I would ask to see that in writing; there is a lot of paperwork involved with special education services for a reason--make sure you get it.

Here is a link to your state's special education law so you can check it out yourself; like a lawyer in court you don't want to ask a question you don't already know the answer to:

Special Education Law - CDE - Colorado.gov

I recommended reading "Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy"; the information from the book can be found on their site as well (Table of Contents). Reading "Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition," would be a good idea as well).

You could also contact an advocacy service in your area (some are likely free or low cost) and ask them to explain what the district is obligated to offer.

Advocacy people with disabilities, The Legal Center

Google search: colorado special education advocate

[Polliwog]

Originally Posted by AbbyGrant 

I'd bet the reason they're rushing is because I think EI and the school are supposed to have kids officially transitioned by their 3rd birthday, at least that was an issue for us.  My son had only been in EI a few months and the school, well both of them really, had to move things along to make sure we met the date.  

As far as needing to be in preschool, and a private one at that, I've never heard of that. My son was not in preschool when he transitioned to the school last fall, and he still isn't.  For the moment, he receives services at the preschool intervention office. The goal is to have him ready to enter a special education preschool classroom at one of the elementary schools in the fall.  If I had chosen to put him in a private preschool, they could have sent someone to provide some services there. 

I would call someone and get some clarification about all of this.  I can't imagine they only provide services to kids in private preschool.  That doesn't even sound legal.  

In our area, services can be provided at a school setting or a district office/classroom of some sort. That is not the case in other places where I've lived.

[AbbyGrant]

Originally Posted by Polliwog 

In our area, services can be provided at a school setting or a district office/classroom of some sort. That is not the case in other places where I've lived.

Oh yeah, I'm sure it varies from place to place.  It was just the requirement for parents to pay to put their child in private preschool that seemed fishy to me because that would essentially exclude children whose parents couldn't afford to do so not to mention the issue of limited availability of preschool openings.

[Aufilia]

Originally Posted by AbbyGrant 

"Free and appropriate" starts at 3, so it covers preschool. I don't think the school requiring parents to pay tuition at a private preschool constitutes "free." Also, given that there's a shortage of private preschool spots and limited public pre-K, requiring children to be in preschool would mean some children would be excluded from services if they couldn't find a slot. I'm glad to hear that the school will waive that requirement if needed, albeit reluctantly.  Since they already have therapist that go from school to school, they won't need to hire a special therapists to see kids that are not in preschool.  

Right, that's why I was trying to say, that if it's not free I don't think it sounds like it fits the law.  Our preschool was free, and the district provided transportation to and from it either from home or a daycare within the school district.  We entered mid-year when we choose to go and had no problem getting a spot, and I know other kids entered later in the year than we did. 

[askew]

My DD is transitioning out of EI this summer, and I got so frustrated with the limited options they presented me, I pulled her completely and she will go to the same Montessori school my son went to, and we will continue OT and Speech privately. We have decent insurance that will cover 50 sessions a year of combined PT/OT/ST. We will cash pay after that point. The only option they offered us was a 2 hour 3x a week morning program at the local elementary school. We wanted dd to go the same school as DS, and then have services afterward. This was not an option for them- so we said thanks but no thanks.