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Old 04-29-2015, 06:13 AM
 
Location: Chicago
6,160 posts, read 5,636,950 times
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Anyone else HATE dealing with some IEP/504 plans? I've got these two in particular...

I've got one student who is allowed to turn in homework late. No biggie. I talked to his parents during conferences and found out that he has ADD and forgets to bring his homework (shouldn't parents remind him? what will he do when he gets a job?). He often turns it in weeks late. I've been putting in zeroes for the assignment until he turns it in. His parents got somewhat mad about the zeros. I basically told them that until I receive the assignment, a zero will be in the grade book. I also explained that I would like all assignments turned in by the class period after they were originally due (he will have an extra two days). I think this is fair considering my homework should take most students no more than 10 minutes.

I have another student with an IEP for reading and writing. He has difficulties reading and writing, so needs a modified version of just about everything. No offense to him, but why is someone with reading and writing difficulties taking a foreign language class (not required for graduation)? Reading and writing make up about 50-75% of everything we do in class.
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Old 04-29-2015, 06:23 AM
 
Location: On the brink of WWIII
21,088 posts, read 29,044,105 times
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As a special education teacher I live IEP /504. Teachers need to know that theses are LEGAL documents and can and have been enforced by the courts. As the teacher of record, you are responsible to make sure the IEP / 504 is carried out as written.
What does the 504 plan say? Is it his responsibility? His parents? or the teachers? The plan will or should have details as to who is responsible for what actions. How much extra time is written into the 504? That will be your deadline, not what seems "fair."

You complain about the student having problme with reading / writing, but it sounds as if you have not even read the IEP? If this is so, I highly suggest you not only READ the IEP, but have copies of teh GOALS and OBJECTIVES kept i a secure locked drawer of your room. The goals have to be montored and progress reports written that are due at specific times.

Also, the school year is almost over and you are just now addressing IEP needs??? What have you done in the way of modifications / adaptations that are written in the IEP?

Another suggestion, ATTEND the IEP meetings so you know what is going on with students in your class and you can participate in teh IEP development and offer ideas and insight..
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Old 04-29-2015, 06:45 AM
 
Location: Chicago
6,160 posts, read 5,636,950 times
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Here's the thing, I am NEVER given a copy of the IEP, just an email from the student's counselor explaining things.

For the first student, here's what I was provided "extra time on all assignments/assessments in all areas". Extra time could be a day, it could be a month? His counselor said it was up to me to decide, as long as I was reasonable.

For the second student, I was told that I would need to provide written assignments (longer things like compositions) in an alternative format, and allow him extra time for reading.

The second student was placed in my class in late March (transfer from another school). The first student, I have been with since January. I have no problems with SPED students or abiding by their written 504s or IEPs, however it seems like #1 is abusing the "extra time" goal, and #2 probably shouldn't have been placed in a level 2 French class halfway into the semester, especially when most of our class consists of reading and writing. It's been difficult to accommodate #2.

This is my first year teaching at this district. None of my students have ever had IEP meetings, so I've never had a chance to go.

When I make accommodations, is this something I should be communicating with the counselor or parents? I've always just made accommodations and proceeded.
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Old 04-29-2015, 07:59 AM
 
Location: My beloved Bluegrass
20,098 posts, read 16,013,631 times
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Sheesh, most teachers would love to only deal with 2 IEPs - in a class, let alone all classes in an entire year.

As in case #2, if that student is headed to higher ed, especially if they have plans to attend a liberal arts college, they need to have a foreign language. They need it for admittance, scholarship consideration. and it will assist them when they are taking it at the university level. And maybe, just maybe, they want to learn French. All that aside, you really don't have an option, you must follow it. Saying that they need extra time to read or you need to give them shorter writing assignments is more than reasonable - and should be an easy accomodation for a teacher to make.
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Old 04-29-2015, 08:57 AM
 
Location: So Ca
26,574 posts, read 26,439,806 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lepoisson View Post
I am NEVER given a copy of the IEP, just an email from the student's counselor explaining things.
You need to request a copy of the IEP. Otherwise, how do you comply with it? I'm amazed that you would be expected to accomodate these students without it. As someone else pointed out, it's a legal document. And it has a lot of information in it that you need to know, such as type of learning disability; for example, if it's a processing disorder, is it visual or auditory, in which case you would want to address that in your teaching.
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Old 04-29-2015, 09:19 AM
 
Location: Chicago
6,160 posts, read 5,636,950 times
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When there is no time limit for turning in assignments late, how would you handle this? For short book assignments that take most students no more than 10 or 15 minutes, do you think having an additional day or two is acceptable?

For case #2, his writing accommodation is because his handwriting is poor. I've been allowing him to take tests on my computer. Seems to work well. Everything else I expect him to write out. I asked if he would be interested in using an iPad or laptop to take notes and do classwork, but his parents said it's not necessary. The reading accommodation is because of slow processing. This one I've had much trouble with. We read aloud in class, so it's difficult to provide more time.

Thanks for your help everyone! I taught college for a few years, then taught at a private school. So this IEP/504 accommodations stuff is all new to me. The only thing I ever had to handle at the university is students with extended time on exams (which they took at the disability services office).
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Old 04-29-2015, 10:22 AM
 
Location: Middle America
37,409 posts, read 53,253,590 times
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You should be getting at least the portions of the IEP that are relevant to your instruction. Request a copy. And follow it to the letter...it's not optional. You're required by law to make the noted accommodations and modifications, so you need to see what is spelled out to insure compliance. If it's vaguely written (I worked in a specialized setting writing absolutely exhaustive IEPs, but would get students in from public settings who came with the worst, half-assed, vague, unhelpful IEPs, so I know quality varies), collaborate with the special ed dept.on how they suggest you accommodate/modify in the case of ______ activity. I've done read aloud (which has worked well with slower processing speed students when you pause and recap, which also keeps everyone engaged). I've also given students the assignment ahead of time to familiarize themselves with.
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Old 04-29-2015, 09:36 PM
 
Location: Paradise
3,663 posts, read 5,647,151 times
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I thought it was required by law to get students' IEP's & 504's? I always do.

If you don't like with what you've been required comply, attend students' IEP's and you can have input. I threw a hissy fit at one about a student using a calculator in my class and, eventually, it was removed from the IEP. And always request an copy. There is a lot of information included on the IEP's, but typically, there is only one page that you have to be concerned with.
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Old 04-29-2015, 09:48 PM
 
Location: Middle America
37,409 posts, read 53,253,590 times
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I've always not only made them available to classroom teachers, I've invited classroom teachers to participate in IEP reviews to give input.

I've noticed that regular ed teachers seldom opt to attend.
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Old 04-30-2015, 09:03 AM
 
Location: Paradise
3,663 posts, read 5,647,151 times
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When we receive them, we have to sign a paper stating that we received them. And I am pretty sure that it is federal law that classroom teachers receive them.
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