Does anyone know if WA schools are obligated to provide educational assistants to

[liberal_at_heart]

special educations students while they are in a mainstreamed general education classroom? My son is having a very hard time and doesn't have any educational assistants in any of his general education classrooms. I'm already so frustrated. This is just yet another disappointment. I'm starting to wonder if my son will graduate because he never gets the help he needs. Or maybe he will graduate. Maybe they will just push him through and pass him even though he doesn't really understand the material. That is what they did in his math class all through middle school. God, I hate this.

[elleng]

1. I don't know,

and am VERY sorry about this. I suggest you cross-post this to WA.

[liberal_at_heart]

2. Thank you. I've never cross posted before. How do you do that?

Do you just create a new thread in the other forum or is there a keystroke or mouse trick that does that?

[elleng]

6. You could copy and paste this thread,

but no problem creating a new thread, whatever's easiest.

[dflprincess]

7. As far as I know the only way to do it is to just start a new thread. n/t

[NYC_SKP]

3. Ditto what Ellen suggests; post in the WA forum. The mistakes in middle school accumulate.

Also maybe post in the DU education forum, but you should also look for other boards specific to your state and even to your district or county.

If you have any capacity whatsoever to assist afterschool, do that, and to be brutally honest, there are parents/guardians who are better off pulling their child out of a bad situation, but it needs to be done in the correct manner and with a plan.

Good luck.

[Mass]

4. have you ever discussed this need in an iep meeting?

If not, I would ask a meeting with the team to discuss the need for an aide, if you think he need one.

[liberal_at_heart]

5. Yes, I have discussed this in parent teacher conferences and in IEP meetings this year.

I just sent his special education teacher and advocate an email letting her know that I want to address this again at the next parent teacher conferences which are next week. I also let her know that if this is what I can expect from this school I will be researching our rights.

[Demeter]

8. You may have to sue

Is there a parent support group nearby?

I can't swear to it (my kid is 30), but I believe it's a federal mandate, for which the states get money earmarked for that kind of support.

Most often the problem is finding an aide who is trainable, caring, and lasts.

[Mass]

9. Do you have an advocate to go with you to the meeting?

It may be useful if you have, to have a witness that has knowledge of the laws. Of course, you will have to pay her, but if you have to go to Due process, it may be a good move.

[MannyGoldstein]

10. By federal law, if your son has a disability, the school district is obligated

to provide services that allow him to meet his academic potential.

They get to pick which services (in collaboration with a child's parents), but they are obligated to do something that works.

If your son has an IEP, the most effective way to get a school district to fox things is to get an outside expert (a professional that *you* hire), to state that your son is not meeting his potential and cannot meet it unless things are changed. Unfortunately it costs money and takes significant effort. You can also make the case yourself using whatever documentation you have.

I recommend the Wrightslaw books - excellent.