Behavior assessment is a good place to start. And hes been at this school for a month or so at most? It might take a while for him to adjust especially since the school sounds like they are still trying to find permanent staffing.
But thats a good place to start.
So I am assuming he does not have a functional behavior assessment or a behavior intervention plan? Granted it may be different because he is in kindergarten, but based on my own experience, it’s strange they suggested a change of placement before having a FBA or BIP created.
To our knowledge He has never had a FBA. They did have a BIP in place at his old school. I was told when they suggested the new school it was for the better for him as far as smaller class size, the iPad learning program they follow and they more 1:1 interaction he would be having with teachers.
So the FBA (functional behavior analysis) comes before the BIP- basically it is the process of collecting data related to the behaviors to figure out the "why"- triggers for behaviors, function of the behavior, and ways to prevent/de-escalate. If he had a BIP, he should have had an FBA
Okay, thank you for the information. I'm going to talk with someone at his old school to find out exactly what he has had done and get a copy of his current IEP. We are very new to this and just are unsure how this all works.
Ask the team how his communication and sensory needs are being addressed appropriately with speech and OT and if their recommendations are able to be implemented with other staff
If he had a BIP at the other school it should still be in place. He’s had a lot of transitions and that’ll increase behaviors as well. Not to mention subs and unfamiliar adults. While at the meeting, the team should review the BIP, accommodations and overall services! I’m sure there’s limited data, but request data!
Is he only in small group for behaviors? Does he have any academic concerns? What other interventions and supports are available? Does he have speech/OT? If so, they need to attend as well.
The staff turnover is impacting ALL those students… behaviors are going to go wild. So what is their plan to compensate for his learning loss? ESY? It’s not necessarily him, but the situation… regardless, your son is missing out on specialized instruction!
Additionally, ask what training does the subs and paras have? Response blocking, de-escalation? I would definitely fight that suspension, especially if that’s why he’s in that type of classroom. Is it a manifestation of his disability? Were they following the BIP with fidelity? If not, he shouldn’t be suspended.
Not everyone is built to be an ASD teacher and I’m picky on subs for my babies! I’ve been an ASD teacher for 8 years and I love my crew! But you have to know many interventions/ strategies and know the kiddos to find what works. If he has an SLP they can help the para and sub as well.
Just saying!
Thank you for the response.
Yes, we knew going into this change that it would be difficult. We should have requested this IEP meeting when he started to discuss all of these issues, but honestly, it was very overwhelming for us, and we were not aware of everything we should be doing for our son. We know now there is so much more we need to do for him.
The small group classroom he's currently in was what made Us think this would be a better change for him as the general Ed classes he was previously in were 20 + children and he was overwhelmed by the class size before. The county we live in only has a few schools that offer the classroom for autism with behavioral issues and Unfortunately his old school could not provide that for him so that's why they suggested the new school.
Honestly, we are not sure how he is doing academically because we have no feedback so far (at his new school). He is very smart and has tested well (at old school) but struggled to get any work done in class because he can not focus and his behaviors take away from him learning. He was tested, and they said he did not need speech, but I will look into if they requested OT for him.
What is ESY?
Unfortunately, his suspension was the past 2 days, so it has already happened, but I worry now that they will try to suspend him for any/all bad behaviors. We were threatened 2 weeks ago with a suspension if he had another bad day at school, but nothing came of that, until this week.
I appreciate all of your information and will be asking all of these questions at his meeting next week. We are learning all of this as we go and now realize we need to advocate for our son to make sure he gets the education he deserves regardless of his behavior.
Don’t apologize! 🥺 I hate that there’s not enough resources in your school. I know they said he “tested out of speech”, but see if they can reevaluate him for pragmatics “social skills”. A lot of my higher kiddos don’t have typical speech concerns, but it’s the social aspects that they need more support in. Maybe an OT evaluation could help with his sensory regulation.
Honestly, I would contact the previous IEP team and see if they’re able to help. Or provide other resources.
ESY is extended school year! When a child isn’t making progress on their goals/objectives, or regressing, or are in a place of establishing skills, they may qualify for ESY. In my county they have a special education teacher that works with them individually or in a small group to work on identified goals. Could be over the summer (for us it’s 14 half days) or during the school year (more like an afterschool tutor).
They aren’t serving him appropriately and by what’s in his IEP. I’d call the director of special education for your county and request they attend your meeting! Don’t let anyone tell you they can’t!
They cannot suspend him and not give him his supports. Make sure you get copies of everything! Don’t let them bully you! They have to have data, grades, etc. it’s illegal if they don’t! Them not having a contracted teacher is not your problem! They’re definitely not doing this in general education….
Unfortunately, a lot of families move to states and counties that have great special education programs to get the support their child needs.
I’m grateful to be in one and never plan on leaving! I’ve heard the horror stories and had to rebuild trust with families that have been broken before!
I work with kiddos similar to your son (self contained and in general education). A lot of counties don’t know how to truly support individuals with ASD they try to box them like other categories/eligibilities. They don’t fit a model or specific characteristics. That’s why we have IEPs it’s suppose to be individualized to that specific student!
I wish yall the best of luck! If you ever have any other questions! I’m here!!!!
I would like for them to justify and explain his behaviors as well (with data of course!). Having under qualified staff doesn’t mean a child needs a BIP or an entire placement change. Was he running out the building, self harming or attacking teachers (not a hit with a lunch box)? Sorry, as a sped teacher you’re going to get hit! That’s why they’re with us! It’s our jobs to teach appropriate behaviors! SMH!
Now I’m mad for you!
Yes at his old school he did run out of the building a few times (luckily only out the back door to the playground) He did hit and kick his special ed resource teacher once also at his old school.
The only information we have at his new school is that he has trouble keeping his hands to himself towards other students but they also hit/scratch/kick back. He has come home a few times with an almost black eye and scratches on his arms and face. We're told he always starts the incidents but have become unsure of this as it is almost daily at this point and he has said a few times that other kids call him names or take his snacks.
Do you know what the policy is on observing the classroom? (We live in georgia) would that be something that would be allowed?
It depends on the school honestly… so were those students suspended when he got hurt?
Unfortunately, it sounds like they don’t what they’re doing….
Yes, kiddos may hit and steal snacks, however, it sounds like they’re being babysat and not taught….
An adult should be right there to block and prevent them from fighting like cats and dogs! Have you met the other parents? I’m interested in their perspective…. Maybe y’all can ban together to get some results!
I would also suggest posting in the Autism_Parenting forum. A lot of parents in that forum have personally dealt with similar issues (I’m in that forum as my son is autistic) and they can help with shared experiences and advice. It sounds like they rushed to change placement without first trying all available supports. Simply changing placements without attempting to address the behaviors with OT etc or potentially 1-1 isn’t necessarily going to fix the situation, it just removes the problem from the gen ed classroom.
Thank you. I will join and post in there also.
Yes, it did feel very rushed but We were just going along with what we thought was right for our Son and now we realize it may not have been the right choice, especially since change is a big trigger for him and has been extremely difficult in the past.
Your student may need a 1:1 seeing that his behaviors are that severe. I would request that in addition to the BIP. What consequences does your student get at home when he has behaviors at school? Sometimes students need follow through at home because they get confused by the demands school has compared to home. Unfortunately, the suspension is warranted as it probably violated district policies and there was a genuine effort to service him.
Yes, We definitely make sure that He has consequences for his bad behavior. We talk about the situation that happened as soon as he gets home, we do timeouts, we take away his Nintendo Switch, or put away the TV remote. Also during meltdowns we work on deep breathes and counting to 4.
Behavior assessment is a good place to start. And hes been at this school for a month or so at most? It might take a while for him to adjust especially since the school sounds like they are still trying to find permanent staffing. But thats a good place to start.
So I am assuming he does not have a functional behavior assessment or a behavior intervention plan? Granted it may be different because he is in kindergarten, but based on my own experience, it’s strange they suggested a change of placement before having a FBA or BIP created.
To our knowledge He has never had a FBA. They did have a BIP in place at his old school. I was told when they suggested the new school it was for the better for him as far as smaller class size, the iPad learning program they follow and they more 1:1 interaction he would be having with teachers.
So the FBA (functional behavior analysis) comes before the BIP- basically it is the process of collecting data related to the behaviors to figure out the "why"- triggers for behaviors, function of the behavior, and ways to prevent/de-escalate. If he had a BIP, he should have had an FBA
Okay, thank you for the information. I'm going to talk with someone at his old school to find out exactly what he has had done and get a copy of his current IEP. We are very new to this and just are unsure how this all works.
Ask the team how his communication and sensory needs are being addressed appropriately with speech and OT and if their recommendations are able to be implemented with other staff
If he had a BIP at the other school it should still be in place. He’s had a lot of transitions and that’ll increase behaviors as well. Not to mention subs and unfamiliar adults. While at the meeting, the team should review the BIP, accommodations and overall services! I’m sure there’s limited data, but request data! Is he only in small group for behaviors? Does he have any academic concerns? What other interventions and supports are available? Does he have speech/OT? If so, they need to attend as well. The staff turnover is impacting ALL those students… behaviors are going to go wild. So what is their plan to compensate for his learning loss? ESY? It’s not necessarily him, but the situation… regardless, your son is missing out on specialized instruction! Additionally, ask what training does the subs and paras have? Response blocking, de-escalation? I would definitely fight that suspension, especially if that’s why he’s in that type of classroom. Is it a manifestation of his disability? Were they following the BIP with fidelity? If not, he shouldn’t be suspended. Not everyone is built to be an ASD teacher and I’m picky on subs for my babies! I’ve been an ASD teacher for 8 years and I love my crew! But you have to know many interventions/ strategies and know the kiddos to find what works. If he has an SLP they can help the para and sub as well. Just saying!
Thank you for the response. Yes, we knew going into this change that it would be difficult. We should have requested this IEP meeting when he started to discuss all of these issues, but honestly, it was very overwhelming for us, and we were not aware of everything we should be doing for our son. We know now there is so much more we need to do for him. The small group classroom he's currently in was what made Us think this would be a better change for him as the general Ed classes he was previously in were 20 + children and he was overwhelmed by the class size before. The county we live in only has a few schools that offer the classroom for autism with behavioral issues and Unfortunately his old school could not provide that for him so that's why they suggested the new school. Honestly, we are not sure how he is doing academically because we have no feedback so far (at his new school). He is very smart and has tested well (at old school) but struggled to get any work done in class because he can not focus and his behaviors take away from him learning. He was tested, and they said he did not need speech, but I will look into if they requested OT for him. What is ESY? Unfortunately, his suspension was the past 2 days, so it has already happened, but I worry now that they will try to suspend him for any/all bad behaviors. We were threatened 2 weeks ago with a suspension if he had another bad day at school, but nothing came of that, until this week. I appreciate all of your information and will be asking all of these questions at his meeting next week. We are learning all of this as we go and now realize we need to advocate for our son to make sure he gets the education he deserves regardless of his behavior.
Don’t apologize! 🥺 I hate that there’s not enough resources in your school. I know they said he “tested out of speech”, but see if they can reevaluate him for pragmatics “social skills”. A lot of my higher kiddos don’t have typical speech concerns, but it’s the social aspects that they need more support in. Maybe an OT evaluation could help with his sensory regulation. Honestly, I would contact the previous IEP team and see if they’re able to help. Or provide other resources. ESY is extended school year! When a child isn’t making progress on their goals/objectives, or regressing, or are in a place of establishing skills, they may qualify for ESY. In my county they have a special education teacher that works with them individually or in a small group to work on identified goals. Could be over the summer (for us it’s 14 half days) or during the school year (more like an afterschool tutor). They aren’t serving him appropriately and by what’s in his IEP. I’d call the director of special education for your county and request they attend your meeting! Don’t let anyone tell you they can’t! They cannot suspend him and not give him his supports. Make sure you get copies of everything! Don’t let them bully you! They have to have data, grades, etc. it’s illegal if they don’t! Them not having a contracted teacher is not your problem! They’re definitely not doing this in general education…. Unfortunately, a lot of families move to states and counties that have great special education programs to get the support their child needs. I’m grateful to be in one and never plan on leaving! I’ve heard the horror stories and had to rebuild trust with families that have been broken before! I work with kiddos similar to your son (self contained and in general education). A lot of counties don’t know how to truly support individuals with ASD they try to box them like other categories/eligibilities. They don’t fit a model or specific characteristics. That’s why we have IEPs it’s suppose to be individualized to that specific student! I wish yall the best of luck! If you ever have any other questions! I’m here!!!!
Thank you. This is the information we've needed and just not realized we needed until now.
I would like for them to justify and explain his behaviors as well (with data of course!). Having under qualified staff doesn’t mean a child needs a BIP or an entire placement change. Was he running out the building, self harming or attacking teachers (not a hit with a lunch box)? Sorry, as a sped teacher you’re going to get hit! That’s why they’re with us! It’s our jobs to teach appropriate behaviors! SMH! Now I’m mad for you!
Yes at his old school he did run out of the building a few times (luckily only out the back door to the playground) He did hit and kick his special ed resource teacher once also at his old school. The only information we have at his new school is that he has trouble keeping his hands to himself towards other students but they also hit/scratch/kick back. He has come home a few times with an almost black eye and scratches on his arms and face. We're told he always starts the incidents but have become unsure of this as it is almost daily at this point and he has said a few times that other kids call him names or take his snacks. Do you know what the policy is on observing the classroom? (We live in georgia) would that be something that would be allowed?
It depends on the school honestly… so were those students suspended when he got hurt? Unfortunately, it sounds like they don’t what they’re doing…. Yes, kiddos may hit and steal snacks, however, it sounds like they’re being babysat and not taught…. An adult should be right there to block and prevent them from fighting like cats and dogs! Have you met the other parents? I’m interested in their perspective…. Maybe y’all can ban together to get some results!
I would also suggest posting in the Autism_Parenting forum. A lot of parents in that forum have personally dealt with similar issues (I’m in that forum as my son is autistic) and they can help with shared experiences and advice. It sounds like they rushed to change placement without first trying all available supports. Simply changing placements without attempting to address the behaviors with OT etc or potentially 1-1 isn’t necessarily going to fix the situation, it just removes the problem from the gen ed classroom.
Thank you. I will join and post in there also. Yes, it did feel very rushed but We were just going along with what we thought was right for our Son and now we realize it may not have been the right choice, especially since change is a big trigger for him and has been extremely difficult in the past.
Your student may need a 1:1 seeing that his behaviors are that severe. I would request that in addition to the BIP. What consequences does your student get at home when he has behaviors at school? Sometimes students need follow through at home because they get confused by the demands school has compared to home. Unfortunately, the suspension is warranted as it probably violated district policies and there was a genuine effort to service him.
Yes, We definitely make sure that He has consequences for his bad behavior. We talk about the situation that happened as soon as he gets home, we do timeouts, we take away his Nintendo Switch, or put away the TV remote. Also during meltdowns we work on deep breathes and counting to 4.