Reintegration in General Ed: Experiences?
I'm wondering if parents who have either home schooled or had their kids in restrictive educational settings and then reintegrated them in general education settings would be willing to speak to me about their children's experiences.
Our son has attended two SDCs and a non-public school since leaving his gen ed placement. He is autistic and bipolar, smart, highly verbal. We are hoping to reintegrate him in ninth grade and begin with a partial mainstreaming program next year (eighth grade).
By the way, this would be overriding the recommendation of the NPS school, which in this economy wants to keep as many of its students as it can. My son just is not progressing there, and academically and otherwise there doesn't seem to be a good reason for this, other than that the placement is inappropriate. He is making good strides at home with an in-home ABA program, and he tests well. Says he wants to attend "regular" school and to succeed.
Thanks so much for your input.
I would love for my son to reintegrate back into a regular ed school, but my son is so far behind now academically due to the meds he is on and that fact that the level 3 school that he goes to only focuses on behaviorial issues. Their attitute is that once behavaior is good, then the academic learning with just come naturally. Well... for my son, it isn't. I know he has one or more learning disabilities, but the school and the district doesn't want to test for it. Everytime I mention it, they just dismiss my concerns. He has great difficulty with handwriting, spelling, and reading and possibley math. Until he catches up some, he isn't going to fit into a regualr ed class. Especially one that is made up of one teacher per 30 students. Isn't there something in between being in a level 3 school( all special education) in a class with a total of 5 kids per teacher with an aid, and a regular ed classroom with 30 kids to a teacher? There isn't any special ed classes at schools anymore. For my son to be in the regular ed school, he has to be able to function in the regular class. Isn't there anywhere in the middle anymore. I thought I had an all or nothing way of thinking, but I guess I am not. I would love to hear from parents that managed to sucessfully have their child transfered back into a regular ed school from a level 3 school.
We moved from a district that has NO special classrooms (no funding for them, small school) to a district that placed my son in a special ed class and he just shut down. I begged them and begged them to put him back in the regular classroom but they didn't get it. I don't think his teacher, as sweet as she was, thought it was possible. She kept giving him a 'choice' when I and the Autism specialist agreed that choices were a bad idea. His anxiety would lead him to choose to stay in her classroom and she didn't want to force him. We moved back to the old district and he flourished in a regular classroom--but the teacher had a lot to do with it. She let him have breaks and work at his own pace. The next year, he got a teacher who didn't understand him at all and was unwilling to make any changes to her teaching style to help him and he struggled constantly in getting his work done. She tried, I guess, but I could tell she thought the 'allowances' made for him were akin to coddling him. She couldn't wrap her head around the concepts I tried to convey to her, like visual thinking and how anxiety and sensory problems could cause problems. She was a very loud person. Oh well. This year we are looking to homeschool him. I think the one on one time with him would benefit him no end. But of course, mentioning homeschooling to the district has brought on a whole new set of problems. -Sigh-
I am curious as to how other kids have dealt with reintegration because I am really only interested in homeschooling him until he is old enough for a private college prep school. I want him to have the best opportunities possible and just haven't found the local district to be on the same page. They do what they can, of course, but it's just not enough for me.
Right now, we have an IEP meeting set up to start my sons transition from his level 3 school into his new home school. I can already see a long meeting coming up. I know what he needs, and he is going to get it.
My son is starting transition into a general education school and class, tomarrow. He went to his level 3 school today, and tomarrow, he is going to his home school(district school) tomarrow morning till 10am. then the van will take him to his other school for the rest of the day. I hope this goes well. I am very nervous. He hasn't been in a regular education school for 2 years. Hasn't been in a class with more than 5 total kids in the last two years. Now He will have 19 kids in his class. We had our IEP meeting last week(lasted 2 1/2 hours) with 17 of the IEP team members present. He will have someone available to him at all times, thank goodness. He will only be spending about 45 mins in his regular education class out of the two hours, because he will be in small group for reading and math. The 45 mins is science or social studies( they do these in 6 week blocks, and alternates ). He will have a para with him. This evening, he met his teacher, and picked out his desk and cubbie. He is excited, but worried. Tomarrow is also my 5 year olds first day of kindergarten. Big day for me as a mom and for them.
I just received an email from a parent who is contemplating reintegration after 2 years of homeschooling. I'll mention to her about this forum topic.