504 Plan

Jay and I recently met with the school to begin a 504 Plan for Quiet Tiger.

As a child with a disability, that hand difference makes her qualify for assistance or "special education" by law.  Now, don't get all worked up that I used the word "disability."  Good gosh, y'all, the limb different community gets their panties in a bunch over this and it drives me NUTS!!!  You can see my previous blog post rant if you really want to get into that.  But I won't go down that rabbit trail right now.

Also, with the RAD and PTSD diagnoses, Quiet Tiger again qualifies for assistance from the school district as these fall under the DSM of qualified mental and behavioral disabilities.

The year so far hasn't been all that great in public school, and a couple of awkward happenings in music class led us to believe that we need more teachers educated about how to handle a limb difference.  As for the RAD, we need after school accommodations as well.  I'll expand on that in a bit.

The school has been really quite amazing to deal with regarding all of Quiet Tiger's issues up until now.  They have never wanted to put anything into writing, into a formal IEP or 504 Plan.  Despite having a copy of Quiet Tiger's IEP from Texas, they never wanted to do anything formal here in Minnesota because of money.  Special Education is expensive.  Call it illegal, call it what you may, it honestly wasn't a big deal to us last year.  They have complied with our wishes just verbally last year.  They have honestly been very easy to talk to, very understanding, even sympathetic when it comes to the RAD and how she treats me at home.  But the reason why they don't want to get something formal in writing is money.  Special education is costly to schools.  But we qualify for multiple reasons and we will seek the help for 1 main reason:

Although the school has been wonderful to work with thus far, 

any change in school administration could change things and 

we could find ourselves fighting the system

to get our daughter the help, accommodations and understanding she needs.  

We've already seen it happen.  Last year, Quiet Tiger's gym teacher was absolutely fantastic to work with!  She gave us equipment to use and keep at home for months before a new activity was planned.  She kept me apprised of everything they were doing that required 2 hands.  This year, that gym teacher now teaches at another elementary school and we find ourselves dealing with someone new.

It is time for something formal in writing with the district.

After some wonderful messages back and forth to a friend from high school who has a limb different daughter, and a friend from our days in Nebraska with a son with a limb difference, I made the call to get the ball rolling.

A couple of weeks ago we met with the principal, the 1st grade teacher and the school social worker to begin the process.  The meeting took a rushed half-hour and we outlined what we hoped would help our girl during her entire school career.  The meeting went just okay, but anything dealing with Quiet Tiger just drains me way past empty.  At one point, as the teacher pushed our request to eliminate computers and iPads at the request of our team of attachment therapists and the principal tried to support his staff, I felt like I was on the verge of saying, "Bring me my daughter NOW because I'm DONE.  I'll just homeschool her if you can't even attempt to understand our needs."  It's nearly impossible to get the teachers to see the proven bad effects of technology on the human brain, especially a human brain that has already been harmed by trauma.  We had to decide to meet in the middle on the technology issue for this year at least, for now, until we press on further.  Nothing else was nearly as difficult though.  The social worker took 2 whole weeks to write the official 504 Plan and we received it today.  From here on out, things can be tweaked annually, or as needed if something else should arise.

Here is what is getting put into writing with the school district:
(FYI, this is almost verbatim how its written in my friend's son's 504 too)

DESCRIBE HOW THE STUDENT'S DISABILITY AFFECTS A MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITY:

Quiet Tiger was born without fingers on her right hand.  Quiet Tiger will often refer to this hand as her "Lucky Fin" or "Little Hand."  This condition makes some tasks at school more difficult for Quiet Tiger and she may require assistance to be successful.  Quiet Tiger also has been diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, Anxiety and PTSD.  She is currently in intensive therapy to address these diagnoses.

ACCOMMODATION/ACTION TO BE TAKEN:

When working on a task that requires 2 hands, a wrap will be used on Quiet Tiger's affected hand to allow her use of both hands (ex - jump rope, mallets for instruments, etc.).  Teachers should communicate with parents and/or Quiet Tiger to determine effective ways of creating this accommodation and how to wrap.

Quiet Tiger is allowed extra time, without penalty, for tasks that typically require 2 hands (ex - tying shoes, zipping, cutting, etc.).  Quiet Tiger should be encouraged to complete these tasks independently to the best of her ability.

During non-instructional times, Quiet Tiger is able to ask classmates for assistance with tasks that require 2 hands.

This school year, as a first grader, Quiet Tiger will be exempt from homework being sent home and graded.  The homework will be collected in a folder in Quiet Tiger's desk for her to complete at other appropriate times.

Quiet Tiger has become self-conscious of her right hand and may need help advocating for herself (ex - explaining to other students about her difference, making accommodations for her right hand, etc.).

This school year, as a first grader, Quiet Tiger will be excused from Technology Class.  When the class is in Technology, Quiet Tiger will go to ASR and work on classroom work and homework she was excused from.

In the event of a substitute teacher, Quiet Tiger's accommodation plan will be made available to that person.

That's all that is written into her 504.  Now, we still aren't receiving the accommodation we need.  Her team of attachment therapists don't want Quiet Tiger on any form of technology.  Even in 1st grade, iPads are used a lot in the classroom.  In essence, its a substitute for the teacher when she's working with other students.  The iPad time is not monitored, history is not checked and students are basically unattended to work on certain apps.  The problem that this creates for a RAD child is multifaceted.  If we cannot allow her to do these things at home, per her therapists wishes, then allowing her to use them at school continues to drive the wedge between us.  The continued damage that screen time does to her brain makes us take a step back in her therapies at home.  Allowing a child who has difficulty connecting with fellow humans in appropriate ways, the use of technology which takes away that human interaction only causes further damage.  The principal will not budge on the use of iPads in the classroom and insists that there is nothing that can be done.

Enter PACER.

I called our advocate at PACER and she believes that the school and the district can and should do more, particularly because the removal of technology intends to be merely temporary -- for this year, and perhaps next as we continue on with therapies.  We fully hope that all our efforts at home can help heal her brain and teach our RAD daughter how to use technology responsibly.  So, our advocate gave me tons or resources and told me to contact the district directly and ask questions.  She encouraged me to go ahead with an IEP so that Quiet Tiger is assessed yearly to meet behavioral benchmarks due to her behavioral disabilities.

So tomorrow, I will send back the signed 504 Plan documentation.  Then I will place a call to the district office and ask a few questions and see what they say.  I will also ask formally for that IEP assessment.  They will be informed that I am working with an advocate at PACER and hopefully we can find a way to eliminate that iPad time in the classroom.

If all else fails....

If it comes down to it, our advocate says we should file a complaint with the district against our school.  She understands our unique needs and truly, professionally believes that the school can and should do more to help us.  She knows we don't want to be "those parents" who keep fighting the system, but we had to fight to get this child home for 3+ years, we've had to fight for her heart and traumatized brain for 5+ years, and now we have to fight to get her needs met in public school.

Its ridiculous!  Friends, I am so... tired... of... fighting.  I have nothing left to possibly give.  This is where I am right now:





And if all else REALLY fails....

I've called a local charter school just to see how much iPads and technology is used in 1st grade at their location.  For them, it's merely a reward, a treat for the students.  And the fully understand our need to cut all technology for a time.  To boot, they have openings in first grade right now, AND they even bus to our neighborhood.  So, if all else REALLY fails, we have an option to pull her out of her current school and put her in a charter.  I hope it doesn't come down to that!  I really hope it doesn't!!

But that's our 504 Plan process in a nutshell.  I hope it helps anyone out there looking to enter the process.  I'll likely have another blog post all about my conversation with the district and our whole IEP process.