Best Long Island School Districts for Special Education (Northport, Nassau: environment, work)

[Kbinspections]

You can also hire a child advocate who helps you with the maze of paperwork and explain and fight for your rights with the school district.

Remember, the school district will try to spend the least amount of money they can within the law. Squeaky wheel gets the oil. Good luck!

[DecoDiva]

Speaking of special needs kids, there's a federal program called the Katie Beckett Waiver (in NY it's called the Care At Home Program) which offers great benefits to special needs kids and their families. I used to be a Case Manager for that program, it's wonderful. If your child is developmentally delayed, contact OMRDD in Hauppauge (Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilites), or if the child is more medically fragile and/or "technology dependent", contact the DSS (Department of Social Services). This program is a real life saver for families, and NY has the best programs in the country.

[iluvmycuties]

Okay, so here's my sister's problem. Thought I'd run it by everyone:


Her 3 year old son is showing some some odd behavior (lining up, speaking in the 3rd person, some sensory issues).

She requested an evaluation through the SD. The SD gave her a sheet with agencies on it and said choose 3. She did so randomly b/c she had no clue about which was what or who was better.

The agency sent out 2 evaluators. Both came at once and evaluated within 90 minutes. She says she was not given any time to go into specifics, but was merely given a questionaire and was asked to respond to verbals questions with a yes/no/sometimes/never/always.

By the end she was told her son had scored an 88, and that 85 would have qualified her son for services. They also said in the same breath that her son played inappropriately with the doll (hitting and dropped it) and could benefit from a place like Just Kids. They suggested she enroll him in the fall out-of-pocket. They also said he did have sensory issues and could take him to a private facility on 110 where they accept insurance.

My sister called the agency and cancelled the other 2 evaluations and then called the SD to ask for another agency and another evaluation b/c she believed the first one was not done correctly. The SD said they would call a CPSE meeting first, once the 2 evals came in, to determine whether or not her son could get another evaluation.

Isn't her son entitled to an IEE right away without having to wait for that CPSE meeting? Couldn't she go to LIJ and have the district pay for it without having to wait for this meeting?

[okaydorothy]

I can just go from memory. When my son was just about 3,I called the school district and was put in touch with early intervention. I took him to St. Charles(now alternatives for children) and had two apptointments for him on different days. They did suggest speech and OT and also recommended an integrated program for him. HOWEVER the school district didnt go with the integrated program but did offer him speech and OT in our house a few times a week. Almost 2 years later, I had to fight with the district to get him into the integrated program where he THRIVED and improved and just did a total change in the first month. I often regret not pushing harder when he was younger to have him in that program.

Depending on the school district ; it can be a huge fight. If you sister feels that her son needs the therapy/programs I would fight for it. You are paying the taxes and it seems like having two evualators come on the same day at the same time is overload. I would have another evualator come and then go back to the district again.

its a battle.
d

[okaydorothy]

By the way, Just kids is great. Alternatives for children is also wonderful.

d

[iluvmycuties]

Thanks Dorothy!

I think what the problem is that she wants an independent evaluation (which I KNOW she is entitled to); however, the SD is not automatically sending her son for it. They are waiting for the CPSE meeting to, I am assuming, prove that they provided adequate evaluations, which would then clear them of the financial obligation to pay for the IEE. I know they must accept an IEE at the next meeting, but the question is who is going to pay for it. It is going to be expensive for 4 diff evals (psych, speech, o/t, p/t).

[amylawgill]

I would be interested in knowing your opinion on special education for children in Port jeff

[iluvmycuties]

Amy,

I'm new to Port Jeff; however, both my sister and I are already experiencing problems with the district. Red tape central. We're both most likely going to have to hire advocates just to bypass this mess and get the services for our children NOW, rather than wait for them to duke it out with us. My friend lives here and has a child with autism. She is not happy with the inclusion classes. She prefers to bus him out of district to a school for special needs.

[okaydorothy]

I acually know a parent who had three private evuals and the school district didnt take the reports seriously and now they want the child evual by the school district.

Call it anotehr waste of taxpayers money.
d






OTE=iluvmycuties;4021329]Thanks Dorothy!

I think what the problem is that she wants an independent evaluation (which I KNOW she is entitled to); however, the SD is not automatically sending her son for it. They are waiting for the CPSE meeting to, I am assuming, prove that they provided adequate evaluations, which would then clear them of the financial obligation to pay for the IEE. I know they must accept an IEE at the next meeting, but the question is who is going to pay for it. It is going to be expensive for 4 diff evals (psych, speech, o/t, p/t).[/quote]

[i4j]

Hi All,

What a great posting area....I just found it!
Question: Aside from Vincent Smith for higher functioning kids with PDD in the high school age group, are there any other private schools in the area which are good in your opinion? Is it worth sending a child to boarding school??????

My daughter visited Vincent Smith, I loved it, thought they totally got her, but she felt it was too small, coming from a public school that is inclusion.

Thanks for your comments...