Me, in special ed?

Question

hi i'm 17 yrs. old and i'm a Junior in my high school. Even though I was suppose to be a senior now. Anyways my question is that my school guidance counselor wants me to be in special education and have an IEP. But, I don’t want those programs. I’m a very good student and have been in honor’s classes before but ever since I was traumatized in 2004 I have became disturbed in my school work so much that I started to cut classes and even fail them so because of that I got left back. So why do I have to have those programs that I don’t even need? I feel that I can still do better if I only get the support I need that I have never gotten from my family. So does this seems fair?

plus i know nothing much about special ed. and IEP

plz help

I Live IN new York City

I will turn 18 on april-30-2008

Answer 1

As others have already explained IEP, I will not. I know from my own teaching experience that sometimes students are misdiagnosed. However I also know that giving a child a special ed label is very damaging! Where was any one 5 years ago when this might have helped you?

Answer 2

'''and the school said that they won't let me into the next grade unless i'm in those programs'''

This is a LIE!! Tell your parents to write to whoever said this and ask for a copy of their written policy that states you will be failed if you are not in those programs.

I wonder if the school and your parents followed the legal process for you to have an IEP.

Did the school do a lot of testing on you to see what your problems are and what type of help you need?

Did school say what is your 'eligilbity category'? And what is your 'placement'? These are very important things in special ed.

''''You are the victim of an over zealous counselor and a school that is basing its acts and programs on standardized perceptions rather than dealing with person on an individual basis.''''

VERY TRUE !!!!!!!!

If you want more help, email me  [e-mail]

Answer 3

An IEP is an Individualized Education Plan. Simply put, that means that you, your parents, and your school's Guidance Counselor and anyone else who knows you well in the school district, meet to discuss ways to help you succeed. Unfortunately, you have to be labeled "Special Education" in order to receive any services you may need, such as Social Work, counseling, etc. Also, part of the IEP is to decide what classes you still need in order to graduate. Since you're 17, you can attend and should attend your PPT (Planning and Placement Team) meeting, which is when your IEP is discussed!! I know, it sounds confusing, but it really isn't. Botton line is, ask A LOT of questions, and make sure you understand everything that is talked about. I hope this helped. Also, I hope you're getting counseling for whatever traumatized you. Your school should also be providing that. Good luck....

Answer 4

Since you have done well in school prior to the trauma, they are probably thinking about a label that has to do with emotional disturbance. This label means that it is the state of your emotions that is holding you back in school.

To get into special education, you have to be tested by a psychologist. You can get some valuable information from these tests. By being identified as a student with special needs, you can receive counseling offered by the school district.

Because you are turning 18 in April, if you don't like the label and you don't like the program, you can nix the whole thing at that time. If you find it beneficial, you can continue.

As a survivor of severe trauma as a child, I know how much this impacts your academics. It will also impact the rest of your life if it goes untreated. What you really could use is some counseling by someone who treats people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Please read up on this disorder on the 'Net and see if the symptoms fit. You may also be able to find some self help information as well.

My heart goes out to you. I know how tough this is to survive.

Answer 5

Fair...HMM not sure what is really fair.

I can say special ed is for the kids that are not at grade level.

You have said you let your school work fall behind during this stressful time of your life.

Do you NOT think school is working towards helping you gain what you have missed and still allow you to stay with your peers as they move along? It would only be for  a short time while you catch up then you could resume your normal classes like the "OTHERS" you want to be with.

You can't blame your family for something you know YOU have not given your all to. School is your job for right now and most likely for many more years until you finish collage and reach your adult goals.

YOU know your own issues better then anyone... reach for the moon and grab some stars along they way. Parents or NOT it is YOUR LIFE make the best of it NOW do not waste anymore time.

Best of luck

Answer 6

Sometimes things that are best for us we don't necessarily want for ourselves.  You do recognize that you are a good student, but first you must work on inner-self.  (Like seeking professional help for whatever traumatized you)  You what to exceed in life and you will.  This doesn't mean that you won't be able to attend college or even become the president of the United States.  This may be the first step for success in your life right now.

Answer 7

Tell your parents to contact the school and fix this situation, you don't seem like you need to be in a special ed class.

Answer 8

As salaamu 'alaikym, my friend.

You are the victim of an over zealous counselor and a school that is basing its acts and programs on standardized perceptions rather than dealing with person on an individual basis.

Unfortunately, by cutting classes, etc. and failing to keep up with you class work, as well as not speaking up so as to find the support you feel that you needed in the past, you have put yourself in a difficult situation.

An IEP is an Individual Education Plan.  It should describe in detail the services that the school intends to provide for you, the schools expectations of your performance as well as your rights under such a plan.  The IEP is not the problem and, in fact, it can be beneficial as you have certain rights under it and it allows you to request services.

You are under the age of 18 years which means, as a minor, your parents can decide that you will take part in this propgram.  Your only option in this case would be to seek legal counsel so as to have yourself declared an adult so that you can make your own decisions.  However, doing so is a double edged sword, so to speak.  Being an adult might well mean that you will need to immediately become self supporting (ie., get a job, find a place to live that you can afford from the salary you receive, provide your own transportation, clothing, insurance, etc....and all of this without a high school diploma.)  Before you pursue such a course of action be certain that you can handle the responsibilitiy of the same.

Your other option is to speak openly and honestly to your parents, your counselors, et al, addressing your concerns and what you would prefer and the why of the same.

Life is seldom "fair".  Life is what it is and we each have to deal with our own choices and the consequences of the same.

Ma'a salaam.

Answer 9

I'm going to assume that you are in a public school in the US. Laws in other countries are different, and the laws we're talking about vary quite a bit from state to state, so I'll stick to the basics of federal law.

Let's get one thing straight here. If you are in danger of not passing to the next grade, it is because you cut classes and didn't do the work you needed to do to pass. It is because you made a series of choices, and there are natural consequences for the choices you made.

If you can pass as a Special Education student, it is because you have certain rights as a disabled person under state and federal law. If you are found ineligible, or if your parents do not give consent for Initial Provision of Special Education and Related Services, you don't have the same rights, even if you really are disabled.

Among other rights, if you get in trouble and get suspended a bunch of days, the same team, more or less, needs to meet, examine the evidence, and decide whether the behavior that got you in trouble was a manifestation of your disability. There are a number of reasons that team may decide that your suspension will not stand, and some of them frankly have nothing to do with you. Non disabled students do not get a review like this.

It's a good bet that your parents weighed the stigma of the label on the one hand against the services and the rights that come with protection under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). There is a great deal of money available to provide counseling and other support for students who qualify. Only a small portion of this funding is available to provide services for students who are not eligible for Special Education.

The decision over whether you are eligible would have been a team decision. The members of the team would have included--at the very least--representatives of the administration of your school, your parent,  a teacher who knows you, and someone who can interpret the results of assessments you may have had.

I always like to invite the students themselves to participate, and I find their input quite valuable, but they often don't want to come. I'm guessing you decided not to participate for one reason or another. Or perhaps you were cutting class that day and they couldn't find you.

Not sure what your eligibility category is, but for every category, the team has to answer the question, "Does the student need Special Education?". If the team decides that the answer is no, you cannot be put in Special Education. I'm guessing that team decided that you do.  

I wasn't a part of that team. I did not hear the assessment results or input of your teachers and family. I wouldn't want to second guess their decision unless I had access to the same information.

But from the information you, yourself, have provided, I do suspect that your sudden change in academic achievement is a result of a disability that arose from your trauma three years ago. If you were at my school, I'd be scrambling to get you any help I could--from community organizations, from the school, from Special Education if that was a resource available. You need that high school diploma and the skills that come with it as much as anybody, probably more.

Next spring, when you turn 18, the parental rights by which they were able to make that decision will transfer to you, unless your parents are able to get you declared incompetent to make your own educational decisions. So, you have an opportunity here to prove that you can take responsibility for your own education. Come to think of it, if you had taken responsibility for your own education, in spite of your trauma, we would never have been talking about Special Education to begin with.