Service Time In The ESE Classroom

Someone made the following comment in my previous post:

"In Hillsborough, at least at my school, we list all the disabilities if more than one is present.

We do have to choose which one is the "primary" disability. This is the one that requires the most service time."

I was curious as to how any one would know which disability requires the most service time. Can anyone help me with the answer to that question?

IEP Tip for the day

Wow - look what some one wrote on the Wrightslaw blog:

"School personnel’s knowledge of the law is often based what they were told in a training program or by “word of mouth.” Like parents, few educators question what they are told. Very few school staff have read the law.

If you don’t have a copy of IDEA 2004 and the regulations, get one now!

You can download most of these documents from the Wrightslaw site. Click here for an overview of the IDEA statute."

IEP FAQs: Can More than one Disability Be Listed in an IEP?

I have been in a few IEP meetings where the parent was told the District only had to list one disability.

Here is Another ESE Kid Stealing Money From Regular Ed Kids, and teachers, and staff, and the public

This is old news. It happened in 2005.

But on further review, who really cost the District this much money?



Alert - Federal Judge Approves Record $6.7 Million Settlement in Special Education Case:

"'This lawsuit could have been avoided and millions of dollars could have been saved had the Manhattan Beach USD and the CDE simply complied with clearly established statutes and regulations.”"

"In his December 2004 decision, Judge Feess stated, 'it seems that the District has endeavored to use the power it has over [the student's] education as a means of retaliating against the Porters for their criticisms of, and challenges to, the District.'

State Allowed District to Flout Authority

Judge Feess also took the CDE to task for its failure to exercise appropriate oversight over the District, stating '[a]lthough it is true that the District repeatedly flouted the State's authority by failing to comply with two state agency orders, it was only successful in doing so because of the CDE 's inattention.'

As interim relief, in a separate order entered on November 23, 2004, Judge Feess transferred control over the student's education from the Manhattan Beach USD and the CDE to a Special Master, Ivor Weiner, Ph.D.

Under the settlement agreement, Manhattan Beach USD and the California Department of Education have been ordered to set aside approximately $1.1 million in a trust to pay for the education of the student at the direction of the Special Master."

Upcoming Advocacy Training

Click here for more information

index: "Upcoming Advocacy Trainings


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Friday, February 20, 2009

6:00-9:00pm

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Level Two Advanced Advocacy Training

Saturday and Sunday, February 21 & 22, 2009

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Sponsored by: Families of Kids with

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The 2008 Winter Changes In SPED Law Information

I would be remiss to not draw attention to something positive happening within the ESE world of the Hillsborough County Public School system. After all of the broad brush attacks I have made over the years based on the knowledge I have about how the ESE system works, it might seem a little odd for me to give "kudos" to the system. Speaking of "kudos", has anyone ever read something that came out of the HCPS ESE communication publications that did not have the word "kudos" in it at least twice?

If change is something that we should believe in, then I reckon I must demonstrate that I can change as well as the next believer in the public education system. I have little reason to believe that anyone within the system would pay much attention to me as a blogger, but I must say that there seems to be a significant change within how the HCPS ESE website has updated their links to provide IDEA 2004 information. It has been my experience that most of the "compliance" information that is provided to employees and parents is an "interpretation" of the existing laws, be it Federal or State.

Apparently there is a perception by the purveyors of this information that no one can understand the original source of these laws, therefore a "simplified interpretation" has always been provided. There are some who think that this "simplified interpretation" actually is a cunning strategy to keep the masses ignorant of the true power, and therefore cost, from the true intent of the IDEA.


Since it is a new year, what can it hurt to turn over a new leaf. Time will tell how the truth will effect compliance issues with the HCPS ESE world, but in the mean while, I can look over a four leaf clover as well as anyone.



PRO on HCPS: By Jove, Someone Is Paying Attention Over In The ESE Department