I Knew I Should Have Made That Left Turn at Albuquerque

Sometimes you look at the student. You look at the IEP. You look at the grades. You talk to your friends about where their student is and you honestly have no idea where your student should be, where he is going and where he has been. Before interactive mapping systems, you could watch me cringe as someone giving me directions would say to go east or west. My brain is screaming, my eyes might be glaring as I try not to mouth, right or left?

Right or left?

Jack’s current IEP states that he is “progressing”. Fantastic! Wait, what does that mean? Special Education notes first and second grade instructional level materials. There is very little understanding on his part the wh questions. Who is, (fill in the blank). Where is, (fill in the blank). You get the point.

However, the same IEP he has earned an "A" is in his grade-level English class. The question I have is, how is it, he is being instructed with first and second grade materials within special education, yet also able to do grade level work?

I need to figure out the educational map for the “English” or “Reading” intervention. Interventions are listed as Special Education/Related Services. I am reading about scope, sequence, and scaffolding. I’m so mad. I have spent hours, days, weeks reading and learning. I can’t balance home and now this full-time job of learning. I am not an teacher. I don’t know this world. My bear is starting to stir, and I hear the dark growly rumble.

I must make sense of it all. Then, because it is summer, and it is hot. I realized how I can explain it all. This is my best shot. Take a minute and look at this map. This is the story of how ice cream got to the store. ...Or not.

There is ice cream (student) that needs to get to the ice cream store (curriculum). You as the parent or guardian (store owner) need some reassurances (Educational code) from the Franchise (School District) that the product will get to the store using an efficient mode of transportation (evaluation or testing), before the ice cream melts (IEP Goals).

The operations department (IEP team) at the Franchise (School District) and the ice cream store owner must work together and within the Franchise rules (IEP). Grab a snack, reading glasses and some popcorn. Your inner bear needs to get their learn on.

Ice cream (student) needs to get from the factory to the ice cream store (curriculum).

​Parent or IEP team notice student needs different/ more to access curriculum.

​Operations department (IEP team) consider all modes of transportation to take ice cream from the factory to store (send an evaluation request to parent/ guardian).

​Parent or IEP team request an evaluation, ask for IEP amendment and/or submit Prior Written Notice to agree or refuse additional services.

​Look up: (your state) IEP or evaluation request time limits To be sure what the time allowances and restrictions are in your state.

​Logistics are discussed (IEP team) to address all viable modes of transportation (evaluation or testing), variables (supports via Supplementary Aides and Services and/ or Related Services needed to keep ice cream frozen while traveling (access to curriculum).

​IEP team meets internally to discuss new need. They will decide which department and which evaluation or test is appropriate to adress the need.

Operations (IEP team) will look at available maps (general education curriculum), calculates distance (IEP goal), seasonal weather (student present level of performance in comparison to students in general education). Operations will review railroad tracks (educational setting minutes and Related Services), roadways and use tools to troubleshoot obstacles (adapt materials and modify curriculum under Supplementary Aides and Services).

​School district will send a request to evaluate student to the parent or guardian. It will say which test and what part of the curriculum needs to be addressed.

​If you are the person who requested an evaluation or IEP meeting, this is a good time to:

• Look online to have a deeper understanding of specific vocabulary, methods. It is important to know what specifically you are asking for and to be able to collaborate.

• Check your school district and your state Office of Public instruction's websites for any and all keywords or key phrases. The web searches may have information to give you a further understanding of what is available and methods being used.

​You can the school district in writing for:

• Copy of data collected (if any) during the evaluation/test.

• Copies of data collection sheets to be placed in the student record.

Operations (the IEP team) will troubleshoot the most effective mode of transportation and route (conduct the evaluation or testing).

​This is when the evaluation will occur.

​Operations (IEP team) will request an all department meeting to discuss what they feel is the most viable plan to get the ice cream (student) to the store (access to the curriculum).

School district will send an IEP meeting notice, IEP amendment or Prior Written Notice to the parents or guardians to update portions of the IEP or why it will or will not.

IEP team will email or send the evaluation/ test results to the parent/ guardian.

• You can ask for the evaluation/ test results to be emailed to you.

​​You can the school district (in writing) to provide the following prior to the IEP meeting:

• Copy of data collected (if any) during the evaluation/test.

• Copies of data collection sheets to be placed in the student record. Co

• Copy of the entire student record.

Operations (IEP team) delivers what they believe is the most effective way to transport ice cream (student) to the store (access to curriculum) and the software to track (IEP) .

​IEP team will discuss the evaluation/ testing results.

​IEP team will give parent/ guardian the agreed on IEP to either sign, think about or to reject.

​Best practice for me is to sleep on it. Take a paper copy with you. Ask a friend to read it and be sure you both agree on what the IEP means. IEP meetings are emotional, so it's best to wait a day or two and check that you're signing off on what you think you are.

​You expected a delivery 2 hours ago (IEP goals don't seem to be making progress). You are unsure where the ice cream (student) is or where it should be (educational or curriculum standards). You do not understand the transportation protocol (School district documents) the company (School district) gave you and need to know if the ice cream is frozen (is the student on the path you thought they are).

​If you are unsure where progress towards the goal is or if the IEP is being followed, ask for support documentation.

You will want to ask yourself:

o Where is the proficiency criteria to gauge accomplishment?

o What criteria or data is being used to gauge proficiency?

o Is the criteria or data collected available for you to review?

o What criteria is being used for "observations"?

If the support documentation does not make sense or it seems like items are missing, file a student record request and/or email school administrators your concerns.

​The ice cream store (access to curriculum) is down to one tub of vanilla ice cream and a line of customers are starting to form outside the store. The transportation software (IEP) is still down and you are afraid that the demand for ice cream may not be met. You have tried to call the factory (reasonable communication with the IEP team and school administration), but the operations and transportation departments are not available for product updates (IEP team and school district are not responding).

When you are down to the last scoops of ice cream in the store the factory answers their phone. What will you hear?

• "The ice cream is on the way. You can believe me." Hangs up

or

• "The ice cream is on the way. It should be there in about 20 minutes. We are so sorry for the delay. State Road 007 had a large vehicle accident. The accident caused 1 hour 30 minute traffic delay and the driver had to take US Highway 143. The accident knocked out the transportation software for 1 hour, 45 minutes. The software is back online so you can track and see exactly where your ice cream is. We are sorry for the delay. We realized that we need more cell towers to track data and hope that we can keep you as a customer.

​The first answer may mean you should start contacting the school principal, superintendent and possibly make a state complaint.

How do you know? Trust your gut (also known as your spirit bear.) Write a list of documents you feel are missing or incomplete.

Ask for a print out of the school curriculum that addresses the intervention (goal) and what criteria is being used to gauge educational and functional skills.

Then ask for the same criteria used to gauge the same skill in general education.

Look for differences.

I don’t want to hear option 1. What the factory doesn’t know is that, I as the ice cream store owner have invested all that I have in the store. I have a small season to get as much product as I can because winter is coming and there isn’t much need for ice cream then. The factory doesn’t understand what the delay in delivery can cost and that there is no way to make up for what is lost. The bank that is holding the deed to the ice cream shop isn’t going to keep the shop doors open because of something that was out of my control.

I may need to ask for other professional opinion and need the data or data sheets to get another opinion. I can’t get a second opinion if there is nothing for the to review. Don’t be afraid to ask. Make sure you understand the answer. Make sure you understand the criteria and expectations.

A wing and a prayer is good for:

• Showing up to a movie theater without pre bought tickets 2 minutes before it starts.

• Going to the best place in town on Valentine’s day with your date and not making a reservation.

…But not my son’s future. I am honoring my inner bear. I don’t want to reduce my bear to pure emotion. I will give my bear a chance to breathe, and maybe do a little yoga. I will let my bear evolve and learn as I do.

Make sure you understand what the educational map is for your student. There is a map for general education that can parallel to the Special Education in EVERY SINGLE way. Take a minute and look at the vocabulary to decode what your student's SPED map is. Researching and understanding what step you are in planning and where you are in the map is a powerful and meaningful way to participate in your student's education.

Educational equity	The educational system gives each student what he or she needs to perform at an acceptable level.
​Educational scaffolding	​a way for teachers to provide support while students master new concepts and skills.
Scope	refers to the areas of development addressed by the curriculum
Sequence	​includes plans and materials for learning experiences that progressively build from less to more complex, with the goal of supporting children as they move through the developmental progressions.
Content-Rich Curriculum	​Ensures that sequences of learning experiences include multiple, related opportunities for children to explore a concept or skill with increasing depth

Our bears are changing. Our bears are learning. Our bears are helping themselves. We are watching or bears grow from raw emotion, being afraid of the dark to confident and sunning in the light. Viva la bear evolution!