Problems in ISDs for kids with special needs

Education & Academics Other Education & Academics
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Ladies,
What follows is a letter to the editor of the Keller Citizen. He didn't print it this go around, but I thought I'd put it out there anyway. Nevertheless, an ad was placed inviting the community to attend an open meeting with an Advocacy, Inc. attorney. I'm certain there are some of you out there that have dealt with or have friends who have dealt with similar issues in Keller ISD or other area ISDs. If you need help, please consider attending the meeting noted in the letter. Elise Mitchell, the attorney who will be speaking & answering questions, can help you work the system- no matter which ISD you're in. If you need any more info, please call my cell at 214-543-4332. Darla

Keller ISD: not as exemplary as they'd like everyone to think

Is your child not getting his or her needs met by the Keller I.S.D.? Does she have diabetes? Does he have autism? A hearing disability? A speech impediment? A feeding tube? Is the school district not working with you to develop an individualized learning plan? Do you know what a 504 is and whether or not your child is eligible for one? Can I assure you you're not alone?

Many parents and their children have gotten the run around from K.I.S.D. officials, and they will continue to do so until you speak up for your child and be his advocate. Annonymous letters do no good. Parents must willing to do what it takes, even make a few waves, to get their child the services she is entitled to by federal mandate! This environment of "ignore them and they'll go away" by KISD principals and other administrators is unacceptable in a school district whose mission statement reads, "... [we] will achieve the highest standards of performance by providing exceptional educational opportunities for all students." Well, Dr. V, not all children are getting "exceptional educational opportunities," and you know it!

If you are not sure where to get help, please come to an open meeting on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7:00, at Niki's Italian Bistro at the corner of Rufe Snow and North Tarrant. Elise Mitchell, an attorney for Advocacy, Inc. will be there to answer your questions and assist you in getting KISD to provide the assistance and testing for your child your tax dollars are suppose to pay for, you know, when they aren't helping to build new multi-million dollar football stadiums!

Darla Gaylor
Keller

Addendum response:

Misty,
Some of these parents have been going to the adminstrators for 5 + years & cannot get help with out much resistance. There are some good campuses whose principals help rather than hinder, but they are sadly fewer than there should be.

Since I pulled my daughter from the ISD in the last 9 weeks of last shool year, I have come in to contact with 10-15 parents who have fought & fought & fought for their kids. One friend has a child who is autistic with diabetes & all they have done is struggle.

I'm glad you are at a campus with administratiors that put kids first, and this is not a knock on the teachers or those directly in charge of the programs at the schools- I've talked with several who try to help as much as they can, but recieve much undo pressure from above to push some of these kids aside. It's really a shame. Jenni La Plant, the director of Special Ed., Dr. V, and Vickie Watts, principal at Shady Grove, are 3 specific people who should probably look for other jobs, as working with children is probably not their true calling in life.

I placed that ad in the paper on behalf of 8 parents who have been working with Advocacy Inc. & are trying to reach out to other parents in similar circumstances that may not understand "the system". I will not put my oldest back into KISD, and my youngest will never go to Keller, although we moved here for the schools...HA! So, thankfully, I don't have to worry about my kids being black-balled by their teachers or administrators, as has been the justifiable fear of some of these parents.

Yes, there are always two-sides to every story, and the vital administrators in the KISD have worked very hard over the last few years to make sure the side of these children & their parents is not being heard. It appears as if your child's need is not as readily apparent as Jenni La Plant's down-syndrome child, your child just doesn't have a need.

It's very sad, and there is another side. I am glad you can say with certainty your campus does all they can and should to help. Check them off the list, but if all was so great in KISD for these kids, they would not have earned the reputation in surrounding school districts for being so awful...and that tidbit comes from multiple sources- including the director of my youngest's pre-school, who has several friends at the state ed. level.

Darla

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I have to add that there are many campuses that are a part of KISD. I am a teacher on one of the campuses, and I can assure you that your child is receiving excellent aid in attending the one in which I teach. I've taught in two other school districts, which also did a more than excellent job of working with special needs students. We've had teachers with masters in special education and who specialize in autism. I have at least one diabetic student each year with the appropriate modifications, and we are all given tons of IEPs and other modifications for 504 students and students of all types of disabilities. I feel like probably parents from one campus have had problems and went to the paper. The problem is that this article is not stating the truth and has not checked out all KISD campuses. I've always thought that a good reporter would first do some research before writing. If it's an ad printed up by an outside individual, then maybe the research isn't necessary. Also, I'm wondering if the person who wrote this article knows that we are checked very often with "surprise" visits from the state to make sure that everything is in order and as it should be? I know that can only tell so much, but we are doing everything required by the state.

I am so thankful for all of the very gifted teachers we have on our campus who work with the special needs kids. It has to be one of the most difficult jobs of any other educator.

Please don't think I'm being uncaring toward these students. I am not at all. These students need the extra care and are receiving it through our schools. I cannot speak for every KISD campus, but I can speak for my own. I also know that every campus has to follow the same KISD guidelines as we do, so if there is a campus with problems, then the first and most appropriate step would be to go to the administrators about it rather than the paper.

My principal, unfortunately, is not the best one I've worked under, but we all have laws to follow. The article states that "KISD is not as exemplary as it want's everyone to believe," which means you are inferring that ALL of the schools have a problem, but in your added section, you mention only one. You should instead have said "x" school is not what people think it is (or whatever). Dr. V is the best superintendent I've ever worked under, and that is including my internship and student teaching way back when. One of the major problems with giving special need's students what they require is that so many people have fought for the inclusion program. Now students with disabilities are required to be mainstreamed into regular ed classes. I've had many parents fight tooth and nail to have their child mainstreamed into my advanced class even when teachers explain that the child would not be able to be successful. The parents only find out the hard way when their child is so stressed and frustrated. I understand parents wanting their children to be a part of the regular ed classroom, but those teachers are not specialized in the disabilities that the special ed teachers are - and that is in any ISD.

I feel that there are many parents who expect something that is impossible to give regardless of the disability or school. Our admin does have flaws, just like any other, but we also have requirements that must be met in order for the campus to continue going (not being shut down). Your particular campus is obviously abiding by those laws, or it would cease to exist.

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As a teacher in a different ISD I am so sad to hear that kids are not getting the help they need and deserve! I know our school works very hard to ensure that every child is successful at his/her level and gets every accomodation they need! It's a shame that that doesn't seem the norm these days.

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It's nice to see that you have some teachers that care, but I know from experience, the administration is caught between a rock and a hard place.
The requirements for NCLB (No Child Left Behind) often contradict the rights of children with special needs.

The administration has to meet the requirements NCLB or they become singled out and labeled as a low performing school.
My aunt works for the Texas school system as a legal consultant. She often complains about it being a nightmare the way the current rules are set up to trample all over special needs children's rights. She goes blue in the face trying to convince the political side they are being unfair and are greatly risking their skins with possible law suits by the way things are currently run.
Fortunately there has been agreement, politically, that NCLB needs to be re-written to accommodate those with special needs. But how long will it take them to agree on exactly how and actually get the legislation passed? It's been too long already!
RPocai

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I have 2 special needs kids in the Birdville ISD. Their special-ed dept. is OUTSTANDING! There is no way my kids would be where they are today without the fantastic resources provided to them by BISD.
I don't have any experience with the Keller ISD, but I do know there are laws stating that the school MUST provide special ed services for students diagnosed with a special need. The law is on your side. Good luck!!

Kerry

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The Coppell ISD special education department had 100% turnover last year before things got better. Some schools within the districts are better than others. My son could not get the help he needed because of the principal at his home school. He moved to another school and immediately improved. Unfortunately, the problem may be over funding. School districts are not getting the support they need from the state for average students much less for our special students. Then add the funding of foreign national student ESL classes which is huge in this state and you end up where our state is today.

Good luck and may your children not suffer long term damage.

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Darla,

My kids are in the EMS-ISD and it is great! My son Logan has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome and has been in special needs classes from the beginning. This school district takes great care of him. He is repeating the second grade because his teacher's last year could see he would have had problems moving up to third. I am totally satisfied with his progress so far this year. He has his IEP in place and I attend every ARD meeting he has to make sure his voice is heard. If we as parents don't protect and look out for our children, then noone else will. I think the main thing is to stay involved and be ever watchful. Good luck with that. :)

Michelle

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unfortunately, Keller ISD does not take autism seriously and just wants to warehouse those kids until they can get rid of them. They have had multiple opportunities to do something unique with dev delay students and instead they just drag their heels. You would be better served trying to get into any other district than Keller ISD. Sending a child to Keller special ed is sending a child to failure.

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Thank you for letting all parents know whats going on ..schools do not like parnets to talk but I think we should ! We should all meet once a month or every other month and form a strong group to stand up for our children!!