 Your Child’s Education
Many
children who have come through the foster care system require supportive
measures for successful learning in a classroom setting.
If behavioral and emotional issues, learning disabilities, or
other physical and cognitive challenges are present, parents should be
aware of the laws, resources and services that exist to ensure that your
child’s needs are recognized and appropriately addressed.
Although systems
are in place that can meet a variety of special needs, parents should be
aware that accessing these services requires a firm understanding of
your child’s legal entitlements, his or her needs for accommodation,
and available resources. Networking
with other parents and supportive professionals during this process can
provide you with valuable information and support.
News
Alert: As
of March, 2003, the Maine Department of Education has published a
comprehensive “Guide to Special Education in Maine.” This guide
contains a wealth of detailed information for parents and professionals
in a format that is easy to understand. Copies can be ordered by
contacting Janice LaChance at Maine Parent Federation, (207)623-2144. or by
downloading an electronic copy from the Southern Maine Parent Awareness
website at www.somepa.org/public/publications/seg.php.
The
Language of Special Education
The following are some
common terms that will help you to understand the system for
accommodating children with special needs.
IDEA
(Individuals with Disabilities Education Act): National
legislation which requires schools to accommodate students with various
disabilities through multi-disciplinary assessment and the creation of
an individualized education plan. Disabilities included under this
legislation include:
-
Autism
-
Blindness or visual
impairment
-
Deafness or hearing
impairment
-
Mental retardation
-
Orthopedic
impairment
-
Serious emotional
disturbance
-
Learning
disabilities
-
Speech/language
impairment
-
Traumatic brain
injury
ECT
(Early Childhood Team): The
group that determines eligibility for services and develops a plan for
children up to age 5. The ECT is usually made up by Child Development
Services staff members, specialists such as an Occupational Therapist or
Speech Therapist, parents, and evaluation professionals.
PET
(Pupil Evaluation Team): The
group that evaluates a child’s need for special services at a
particular school. Members of this group will include the following:
-
One
of your child’s regular teachers
-
One
of your child’s special education teachers or service providers,
if applicable
-
School
administrator
-
Parent(s)
or legal guardian(s)
-
Someone
who can interpret evaluation results as they relate to your
child’s educational needs
-
Individual(s)
with knowledge or expertise related to your child’s special needs
-
Your
child, if appropriate
-
Representatives
from community agencies that may be providing transitional services
(for children 16 years or younger)
-
Other
qualified professionals, such as a psychologist, speech or
occupational therapist, medical specialist, etc.)
The
PET will meet at least once to gather information and make decisions
about your child’s educational needs. You can request a PET meeting by
contacting your child’s teacher, school guidance, or school
administrative offices. Referrals can also be made by school staff,
child development services staff, or other educational or human services
professionals.
IEP (Individualized
Education Program): A
written description of the educational program that had been developed
in response to your child’s special needs. The plan should highlight
your child’s strengths and weaknesses, identify your child’s present
level of academic proficiency, list learning goals, and define the
services that the school district is required to provide.
IFSP
(Individual SAT (Student Assistance Team)):
Most
Maine school districts have an established SAT whose function is to
develop appropriate IEPs for students who are identified as having a
qualifying disability. Members of this committee usually include a
combination of teachers, social workers, special education
professionals, mental health counselors, psychologists, and medical
specialists. Check with your school administrative offices to find out
if your school district has an SAT and who should be contacted.
If your child is
already enrolled in school, it is a good idea to begin with your
child’s teacher, since he or she has the most direct impact on your
child’s learning environment and is familiar with your child’s
social behavior and academic performance. Ask for a private meeting with
the teacher, so that you can ask questions and provide related
information about your child’s behaviors, learning
patterns/challenges, and health conditions. Let the teacher know if your
child learns best in a particular kind of environment or if there are
certain learning styles that do not work for him or her such as lecture
or written formats. Your child’s teacher may recommend more in depth
assessment if the challenges appear to require more intensive assistance
and arrange for a PET meeting. You may also request a PET meeting by
contacting the school principal, a guidance counselor, school social
worker or school psychologist.
Section
504: This refers to a
section in the Federal Rehabilitation Act, a precursor to the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). The law prohibits schools from
discriminating against a person with a documented disability which
significantly impairs one or more major life activities. The purpose of
504 is to eliminate barriers to “full participation” in programs
which receive federal funding, including schools. More people are
covered under this Act than are covered under IDEA, but it is less
detailed in terms of what accommodations and services are required.
Students who do not qualify for services under the IDEA can make a new
request for accommodation under 504.
Services
for Pre-School Children
Developmental
delays and learning difficulties often become apparent well before a
child enters kindergarten, and in light of this, IDEA legislation covers
pre-school children from infancy through age five.
If
a young child is demonstrating developmental delays or cognitive
deficits, the first step is to request an evaluation through Child
Development Services (see page 14 for a listing of CDS offices).
Evaluations can be requested by a parent, or by a physician or other
professional (with parental consent). Once screenings and assessments
have been completed, CDS will convene a Early Childhood Team meeting to
determine eligibility of services and create an “Individual Family
Service Plan” or “IFSP” for the child. (Family’s of children
between 3 and 5 years of age may request an IEP instead of an IFSP). The
plan may include any of the following services:
-
Audiology
- Speech/language
therapy
- Physical
therapy
- Health
services
- Family
counseling
- Diagnostic
medical services
- Family
training
- Psychological
services
- Service
coordination
- Social
work services
- Transportation
- Occupational
therapy
- Assistive
technology
- Developmental
therapy and special instruction
- Nutrition
services (up to age 2)
- Vision
services (up to age 2)
The
IFSP or IEP must be re-evaluated on a regular basis through additional
Early Childhood Team meetings.
Services
for School Age Children
As
with pre-school children, the process of evaluating a child for special
education services can be initiated by a parent, a school staff member,
CDS (for children who received pre-school services), or other
professionals working with a child.
The
following steps have been suggested by parents who have gone through
this process with their own children.
-
Write
a letter to the school principal or special education coordinator
with a copy to the school psychologist (A sample letter can found on
the next page). In the letter, state your concerns and request a
complete learning evaluation for your student. Include documentation
of your child’s conditions/difficulties – more is better.
-
Keep
a copy of the letter for your records.
-
After
a few days, call the principal and restate your concerns, request an
evaluation, and thank him/her.
-
The
assessment must be completed within 50 days.
-
If
your student falls 40% below standards, he or she is eligible for
special education services.
-
If
your student does not qualify for special education services, you
can request a 504 evaluation.
Sample
Letter
Date
Name of
Principal/School Social Worker/Psychologist
Name of School
Address
City, State Zip
Dear (Mr./Mrs./Ms.
):
I am writing to refer
my child, (child’s name), for special education services. I understand
that the school has 15 school days prior to provide me with a consent
form and convene an initial PET meeting. During this meeting, I
understand that we will determine which full and individual
educational evaluations are needed.
I believe it is
important to gain a better understanding of (child’s name)’s
learning difficulties in order to effectively plan for (his/her)
educational needs.
I understand that
evaluations need to be completed within 45 school days. I look forward
to receiving copies of the evaluation reports at least one week prior to
the next PET meeting.
I am available
(dates/times) at (phone number) to discuss a mutually agreeable time for
the initial PET meeting.
Thank you for your
cooperation and assistance. If I may provide further information,
feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Telephone Number(s)
Community
Resources
ALLTech™
(formerly Maine Education Center for Assistive Technology and Software
or MECATS)
37
College Avenue - Bailey Hall 301C
Gorham, ME 04038
(207)228-8114
Services:
ALLTech provides comprehensive services that support the use of
technology by all Maine citizens, including children, youth and adults.
Staff
provide assistive technology assessments, consultation, and
training.
Child
Welfare Training Institute
Adoption Support and Preservation Training Program
Lisa Hinckley
295 Water Street
Augusta, ME 04330
(207)626-5202
Services: The Office of Multilingual and
Multicultural Programs handles initial assessment and placement of all
Portland students who are English language learners and conducts parent
outreach programs to keep multi-lingual parents informed and involved.
This office also houses the Multilingual Resource Library, offering
books, videos, and native language materials for teachers, students, and
parents.
SPIN (Special Needs Parent
Information Network)
Maine Parent Federation
1-800-870-7746
www.mpf.org
Services: Information and training for parents
regarding meeting your child’s educational needs. MPF distributes the
free “Guide to Special Education in Maine.” Copies can be ordered by
contacting Janice LaChance 623-2144. or downloaded via MPF’s website
at
www.somepa.org/public/publications/seg.php.
Project
FREE
Maine Parent Federation (see above)
Services: Provides information, training, and
support to parents, educators, and others as they encourage and promote
children's learning.
Maine Department of
Education
(207)624-6650
TTY: (207)624-6800
www.maine.gov/education
Services: Information on education laws and
regulations, school data, special education resources, and applications
for home schooling. DOE recently published a “Guide to Special
Education in Maine,” a comprehensive resource book available to all
Maine through the Maine Parent Federation (see above).
National
Special Education Resources
NICHCY
(National
Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities)
1-800-695-0285
www.nichcy.org
SERI
(Special Education Resources on the Internet)
www.nichcy.org
www.seriweb.com
Alternative
Classrooms and Schools
Millions
of competent and successful American adults can tell stories about being
labeled as “slow” or “a trouble-maker.” For many, these
negative messages were turned around in adulthood when they discovered
an ability to master new information and skills in their work –
usually due to a hands-on approach to learning.
Today,
we understand that what looks like behavioral problems or intellectual
deficits may actually be a lack of fit between the format in which
information is presented and the child or youth’s way of receiving and
processing information. Many children who would have dropped out of
school thirty years ago, are now being accommodated through alternative
classrooms or vocational programs in regular public schools, as well as
in private schools that are oriented to non-traditional learning styles.
Many
of these educational programs utilize hands-on experiences and engage
multiple senses in the learning process. Classroom size is usually
smaller, allowing teachers to give more individual attention to each
student, so that each child/youth’s strengths, needs, and interests
can be identified and worked into individual learning goals.
Finding
the best educational setting for your child is a process that involves
collaborative planning with your child’s education team, networking
with other parents, visiting school sites, considering financial issues,
and talking to your child or teen about his/her needs, goals, and
choices. It is important to keep an open mind as you carefully consider
all of the benefits and weaknesses of each option.
A
listing of schools offering alternative classroom settings can be found
on-line at the Maine Department of Education website, www.maine.gov/education/eddir.
Home-Schooling
Often, parents choose
home-schooling when the local school department does not have the
resources or specially trained professionals needed to successfully
educate their son or daughter. Home-schooling is a demanding undertaking
that should be carefully thought out and researched prior to removing a
child from the public school system. The time commitment required of parents is significant. In
addition to planning academic activities, opportunities for
socialization, cultural enrichment, and recreation must also be
considered.
Despite all of the challenges,
it is a choice that more and more families are exploring, and as a
result, many support networks and informational resources (many
web-based) have sprung up over the past several years.
In order to pursue the
home-schooling option, parents must fill out an application for the
Department of Education. Application forms can be requested by telephone
or downloaded from DOE’s Home Instruction website, listed below.
Central
Maine Self-Learners
Suzane Cook, Group Coordinator
(207)933-5055
www.cmslhomeschool.org
Department
of Education
Home Instruction Coordinator
Edwin Katuck, PhD.
(207)624-6776
www.state.me.us/education/hs/homepage.htm
Home Education and Family Services
Shirley Minster, M.S. Ed
657-2800
email: info@homeeducator.com
www.homeeducator.com
Homeschoolers
of Maine
Ed and Cathy Green
(207)763-2880
email: homeschl@midcoast.com
www.homeschoolersofmaine.org
Maine
Home Education Association
Vickie Packard 839-8974
Biran LaGassie
449-7698
e-mail: mehomeed@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/mainehomeed
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