State: Minnesota
Country: USA
Member since: Jul 14, 2008
Last logged in: Aug 30, 2008
My name is Shauna and I am a sahm to 6 kids, with #7 on the way in November. My husband, Tim, and our kids and myself live in rural Minnesota and our 4 year old daughter, Madison, was recently diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum. We suspected something was amiss about her behaviors for some time before we finally got the diagnosis, but out here in MN, things take a while to get done, which can be frustrating. Our kids are Christopher, 17 (my son from a previous marriage), Alexander, 11, Immanuelle, 8, Annabelle, 6, Maddie (4 and who has ASD), Jayden, 2, and Aiden, who is due to be born in early November this year. In addition to being a sahm I am also an avid reader and writer, as well as a published poet. I am here to get to know other people and families who are in similar situations to our own. I think we have a long road ahead of us but we hope, hope, hope!
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ShaunainMN's Compositions
by ShaunainMN on 08.30.08 - public - 86 visits
Maddie is currently enrolled in an early childhood pre-k special education class set to begin Tuesday next. However, there is a pre-k specifically set up for those with ASD in our area (though not in our district) that I know she would especially benefit from. So now the task set before us is to convince our district that Maddie is better served attending the pre-k in the other district. I have the distinct feeling our district is going to fight us about it because of the tuition exchange necessary to send her. The thing is, early childhood special ed may be sufficient, but doesn't every ASD child deserve the best they can possibly get, and not just what's sufficient?
Comments(8)
AWETISM
Posted on Sun, 31 Aug 2008
I so agree with other moms and Sonya is so right on! You can also place your post in the Indiviual Education Plan group it will stay longer and you may get more ideas and help from this group too. Wishing you the best ! FAPE a term used quite often in special ed means Free and apporiate public education . What we as parents feel they need and what the district feels is apporicate is usually two totally diffrent things!
suenjmom
Posted on Sat, 30 Aug 2008
We went through the entire litigation process with our district to obtain an out of distirct placement for our son.
MyEverest
Posted on Sat, 30 Aug 2008
Wrightslaw.com is also a good resource. Get to know the special ed laws. You are gonna need to know them.
MyEverest
Posted on Sat, 30 Aug 2008
I recommend reading JoAnn Collins Disability Deception. It is full of good information in dealing with your district.
frogfoot1969
Posted on Sat, 30 Aug 2008
Unfortunately all you are going to get is sufficient. You should never say the word best or they will denie you. Instead use the word appropriate. So your job is to prove that for your daughter to get an appopriate education she needs to be in the ASD class setting and that the school in other district is the right placement for her. Good luck. Sonya
4muskateers
Posted on Sat, 30 Aug 2008
We too will be hitting the advocacy trail again if I have to go up against the regional center here...But GOD has been great all these years and if he has made it possible for CARD to be near us, then he knew it would be for Julian too.
4muskateers
Posted on Sat, 30 Aug 2008
I can understand your feelings...when Julian was 3 I wanted to send him to a school in a neighboring district, I was told they had a policy that did not allow one district to take another districts special needs child...I pray you have better luck than us in CA.
