Hi, thank you for your interest in our story. At the bottom of the email I have included a note which gives you a bit of a better understanding of our situation. We were given very little information with regards as to he couldn’t go to Westlake-which is part of the problem parents are entitled under law to be a part of the IEP process. Their justification for not allowing him to go to his home school is that the program at Westlake will not fit his needs. I am not an attorney, however, from my interpretation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), he is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) at his HOME school-the school that he would be going to if he did not have a disability. This is to be done whenever possible, even when that means making modifications and putting supports into place. At this point I believe that they are trying to place my son where it is easiest for them, instead of designing a program for him based on his needs
At this point the IEP Team is not even open for discussion on the subject-so there is no suggestion from them as to what supports would need to be put in place. He has been in a life skills class at Davis Middle School for the last three years- of course with kids with varying degrees of intellectual ability. Now time to transition to High School and NOW they saw he can’t be in the same class as some of the kids-they say fine for Middle School-Not for High School makes no sense to me. We know for a fact that one girl from his Life Skills class at Davis is going to Westlake. They won’t deny it worked for middle school, but aren’t willing for high school. If they need to put some supports in place or make modifications to make it work at his home school-then DO It! I spoke with the Coordinator of Special Education in the county again today and was told that they believe they are covered by the law and they are not willing to make any modifications for our son, so that he could go to high school at his HOME school with his brothers and friends.
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As far as what supports could be put in place to make it work at Westlake-it could be as simple as assigning an aide to him. Not even sure if that would even be needed, but if so really not a difficult fix as it was done before in elementary school. Also we know with 100% certainty that a girl from his Life Skills class (for the last three years) is being allowed to go to Westlake. So they could be educated in the same Life Skills classroom for three years in middle school, but now they won’t even consider it for high school? Makes no sense to us-unless adding our son would make the classroom overcrowded-which is still not a legitimate reason. At the high school they propose for him to go to-they are willing to allow him to spend time in both the higher functioning Life Skills class and the lower one that they are placing him in. Interesting isn’t it?
I have contacted Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE) and we have done our intake. We will not know for certain until we speak with an attorney, but the intake person says it certainly sounds like a case they will take.
I greatly appreciate anything you can do to help us get our story out. Not allowing my son to go to his HOME school for high school will be extremely detrimental to him. Thanks so much!
Regards,
Tony and Kim Jenkins
Hi,I am mom to six wonderful children. We are in Charles County, Maryland. My fifth child has Down Syndrome and is going to be a freshman in high school next year. Well, this past Tuesday, June 14, we were blind-sided at our Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Meeting. Apparently Charles County Department of Special Education does not want Logan going to Westlake-His HOME School-the school where three of our older child
