Discrimination & Retaliation Parent experienced after Advocating for SB 1108

Broward County resident Nancy Linley-Harris and her daughter, sixth-grader Mariah, spoke at the meeting in favor of SB 1108.

Mariah, who is in Parkway Middle School’s S.T.E.M Magnet program, said she loves science and math, and her dream is to go to college with her friends to study to be a veterinarian technician.

Mariah is a student with special educational needs.

“Please, must pass this bill,” she said.

Linley-Harris advocated parents’ rights to sign off on decisions that greatly impact children and their collegiate and professional dreams.

She said the IEP team had made drastic changes in Mariah’s curriculum involving a strategic plan to remove Mariah from a track that would allow her to get a high school diploma. Linley-Harris was not in agreement and filed due process, but “lost miserably.”

“Families are not always in the position to hire lawyers, and districts usually win,” Linley-Harris said at the meeting. “The decision to remove my daughter from being allowed to be taught, learn and earn is shameful.”

Linley-Harris went on to explain the importance of inclusion in IEP. She said her daughter learns by watching, and schools should instill a peer buddy program.

Positive role models “sitting side-by-side with our children with disabilities will help  develop friendships and curb bullying with disability awareness,” Linley-Harris said. “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

Proposed education bill reported favorably out of Fla. Senate committee ~ click to read full article.

The above took place on March 18th, 2013 before the Florida Senate Education Committee in Tallahassee, Florida. A group of 'us moms' (6 adults and 14 year old Mariah) had all traveled by van from Sunny South Florida to our State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida. As a group of very concerned Parents raising children with unique learning challenges needing an IEP to receive ESE Special Ed Supports and Services, we desperately needed our voices to be heard and knew we had to testify before the Senate Education Committee our stories to convince all of the Florida Senators how important this particular New Bill was going to be to all of us in securing a quality public education for our children.

Speaking before the Florida Senate was Mariah's very first Public Speech! She was AmaZing!! She made the News and parts of her speech was heard across the Nation in an NPR Radio Program on Special Education!! *National Public Radio! Not bad for a her first speech! Oh of course YES her Tiger-momma is so very proud of her accomplishment of being able to do that! Mariah was heard!! *She has severe Speech & Language delays! 
To hear the NPR talk radio program...click here: http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/parents-could-get-more-control-over-classes-disabled-students

The saddest part of our experience was that back home in Broward County Public Schools.....Mariah's IEP document had been virtually raped by ESE teachers and the ESE staff, the districts legal department by making sure that all the things SB 1108 stood for, Mariah was never going to be allowed to have!! 

This is what my heart knows to be true what took place as my experience that happened to me. 

I had 10 IEP meetings within a 7th month period, that averaged out to be an IEP pretty much every 2 1/2 weeks all of Mariah's 6th grade year at Parkway Middle School. All the things that "mom" wanted to see happen with Mariah's Academic Education thru the IEP "Process" was not ever going to happen for my daughter...was it because we both spoke out so publicly in support of SB 1108 and helped change a law to help with Parent Rights and Signing off of to agree or disagree to the things 1108 would now provide Florida ESE Parents? 

One can only wonder and guess why Mariah's Individual Education Plan was nothing mom would ever in a million years agree to...and every single one of those drawing a paycheck from Broward County Public Schools that had anything to do or knowledge of her "IEP SITUATION" knew that MOST ALL OF IT was without Friendly Collaboration or Care to work with me. My daughter, Mariah was removed from being allowed to be educated in all general education classes like she had always been since Kindergarten. Mariah was forced off the Standard Diploma Track and no longer was to be allowed to take the Florida State Test again...also called the FCAT. She had always taken all the FCAT's in the past all throughout her Elementary years. Parkway Middle School never took the time to inform or allowed Mariah to take the Alternate to the FCAT even. The ESE Specialist never informed Mariah's mom when the Alternate fcat testing would be done either. Needless to say, Mariah was not allowed to take any of the State tests during her sole year in the STEM MAGNET Program at Parkway Middle School. (2012-2013)

Mariah's IEP "PROCESS" during the 2012-2013 was a HOSTILE TAKE-OVER by the Districts Attorney Barbara Myrick and many "players" of my daughter's IEP and what was written in it....all leading towards Mariah losing out on really being educated academically at her "wonderful" MAGNET Middle School! 

*Mariah made a few good friends that one year at Parkway, she's easy to recognize. We run into some of her classmates that say, "hi" to her when we are out and about asking her why she doesn't go to Parkway anymore. It seemed the Students had a much better attitude about treating Mariah with respect than some of the Staff at the school did. 

Mariah was being cheated out of a Quality Education in Broward County....why? Because they spoke out and were supportive of what it would mean to so many ESE Parents going through the IEP "PROCESS" throughout the State of Florida. 

I don't wish what happened to me as my daughter's Parent, teacher and advocate for life on any family! It is all so shameful what took place and is more than likely still taking place with other parents and whole families are being affected by it all. Parents don't know that they are not the only ones being treated so shamefully..they don't know how to stop the "pure nonsense" that is being allowed to continue to take place because of a handful of Really Bad Apples that draw a paycheck...some are pretty hefty paychecks too! .....it's their job...as they have gotten away with it for so long and many of them just don't care about people as people anymore and certainly show they don't really care about educating our children receiving a quality education.....ESE Education!

What was going on back in Broward County Public Schools because Senate Bill 1108 was 'in the works?' As this bill was being put into motion and moving forward at lightening speed...Mariah's mom, was being fiercely retaliated against for wanting her daughter to continue to be fully included in her general education classes, to continue to have her take the FCAT, to provide Mariah with a Curriculum for Intensive Reading and Math even though all her Reading and Math goals were removed and blamed on..."it must be a GLITCH"...really?? The most important parent concern and issue was the school didn't want to continue to have Mariah going to school to be educated so she could earn a High School Diploma anymroe...not caring about her dream of going onto College, "with her Friends one day."  Mariah's mom is a long standing passionate Special Ed Advocate, attending many IEP meetings for other parents in Broward Schools, providing help for many students with Down syndrome mostly! 

Mariah's mom was forced to file a Due Process with 14 issues and lost on ALL 14 concerns and then to file an OCR-Discrimination case, she lost on that too. 

Eventually Mom made the decision to WITHDRAW Mariah from Parkway Middle School and the STEM MAGNET Program on May 24th, about 5 weeks before SB 1108 was to become the Florida Law on July 1st. PARENTS now with this NEW LAW will now have to SIGN OFF on changes to IEP in regards to: Placement ~ Diploma Option and Curriculum and much more.....all the very things the Broward ESE IEP "teamsters" for Mariah DID NOT WANT TO ALLOW HER TO HAVE ANY MORE!!

As Mariah's mother, first teacher and life-long Advocate it was all "PURE NONSENSE" of what all has been allowed to take place while she attended Middle School in a Broward County Public School. Broward's ESE Department Staff and Legal Department was preventing me from having my PARENT INPUT in many ways and my concerns for her reading and math goals and curriculum. Parent involvement to creating an Individual Education Plan for Mariah just was not being allowed to happen the way the Federal IDEA Law is. It is an anything goes here in Broward when it comes to "doing the right thing" by the student especially or respecting the student, parents and their families. Shameful.....

I felt I was forced to remove my daughter from Public Education in ANY Broward Public School because of the PURE NONSENSE that had taken place at Parkway Middle School of the Performing Arts the entire year she was there. 

What has been allowed to take place and has ultimately been taken away from my daughter, should never happen to any student or to any parent that is doing what they are suppose to do....be involved in their child's education! 

It was not a positive experience while Mariah was attending Parkway Middle School. For Mariah, Science and her STEM classes were her Favorite classes. I believe that the STEM Program is Awesome for EVERYBODY!! 

Mariah's first year attending a Middle school, became an involved parents worst nightmare! Dealing with the ESE Department person at the school, she was probably given permission to do all she could to NOT allow Mariah to take the FCAT, or be on the Standard Diploma Track and all the other retaliatory things that took place the entire school year. It was obvious she was placed or "hired" to do the dirty work of leading the 'teamsters' in tearing down my daughter's IEP document that at one time was an "Individual" plan for my daughter's academic education and future career goals.....the actions of some school staff was shameful! 

I am over the top glad that SB 1108 was signed into law and is now in affect as of July 1st, 2013.....but still very hurt by how Mariah's Middle school ESE staff & some of her teachers, the Principal and most all of the District ESE, Legal and Due Process Department, all 9 School Board members, now including the Superintendent. Broward Public School District showed me how much they ALL do not do a damn thing to HELP the "pure nonsense" from continuing to happen to a little girl that deserves a quality education like everyone else...is it because she has Down syndrome!!? 

......makes you wonder........

Mariah is now attending a Private Christian School using her ESE Funds via the McKay MATRIX Funds....which btw....I had to file a State Complaint because her MATRIX Numbers had been changed out maybe 4 or 5 times in those 7 months and ultimately the District was trying to make it so Mariah's McKay funds were LESS than what they had always been throughout all her grades. It has all been so shameful.

~ Nancy Linley-Harris
September 25th, 2013

Believe in and have Expectations for my Child to Succeed!

"Having no expectations shows pity, which shows sadness, sorrow & regret. A child with a disability needs support. Stand behind him, champion and back him! Believe in him and have expectations! They inspire hope, excitement, eagerness and success! Which would you want others to give you?" 
- Joan Scanlon-Dise

FLDOE Inclusion guidelines & Florida Inclusion Network (FIN) does what for our schools?

Good stuff on "How to Build an Inclusive Campus" at your Child's school.  

~ Parenting and Educating a child with Down syndrome...do you believe in INCLUSION? Having our students with Down syndrome included in regular gen ed classes, is so important for them to gain many skills; academic as well as social, behavioral, speech and language skills and basic life skills. I know my daughter, learns by watching others way more than she learns by reading or listening.

Inclusion is Natural and is the Right Thing to Do for many students!

In this blog post I have added a nice Power Point Presentation I found online. Inclusion will happen only if the school you enroll your child in also WANTS to have an INCLUSIVE Campus. If our Public School Districts in Florida and the schools "site based management" aka the Principals want Inclusion too then half the battle is won. But if the Principal believes in SEGREGATION and keeping all the Special Needs students in classrooms together and doesn't want to change the way they have always done it, then this wonderful FIN Power Point Presentation is totally useless and was created as a SHOW! I hope not....share this PPP with your school and see what response they give you when you request to have a FIN rep come in and do a training on Inclusion.

Hats off to all of us as we start the new 2013-2014 school year wanting and hoping for better INCLUSION of ESE Students into Gen Ed Academic Education and especially with our children with Down syndrome!! 

Look around and see....ASK: Where ARE THE STUDENTS with Down syndrome? Are they ALL attending the same school somewhere else far away from their neighborhood schools? Are there several students with Down syndrome all grouped together upstairs or are they all in a Separated ESE Classroom on the school campus away from the 'regular students?' Our students with Down syndrome generally are not being included into regular gen ed classrooms as an unspoken rule. *Discrimination!! Find out for yourself...ask around and ask your friends that have a child with Down syndrome what kind of classroom are they being educated in everyday. Some parents want this, and that's ok for them and their child. Placement is not suppose to be cookie-cutter by whole groups of students with certain traits. Some of us parents don't want that! 

We should be allowed to have our child INCLUDED in regular gen ed classes if that is what we believe to be best for our children's academic education. 

Florida Inclusion Network aka FIN ~ Exactly what does this organization actually do for school districts in the way of helping build more inclusive schools? Just asking... 

HOW MUCH $MONEY DOES FIN GET each year?For doing what?? Is there information available showing the progress pertaining to our schools being more Inclusive because of what FIN provides? 

I have asked for years, even added FIN support to my PARENT INPUT to my daughter's IEP, especially pertaining to PEER SUPPORT. Still NOTHING is provided to the school my Child ever attended. 

I don't see how any of our Public Schools can be what we need them to be for our students that need INCLUSION if the school districts and schools are not working with the very organization that is suppose to be providing the training to school staff and teachers on Inclusion. How can things change when things stay the same and nothing different is tried?

Please take the time to open the link provided below. SHARE IT with your favorite school and the Principals. Ask to have FIN come out to your school and do a staff training on Inclusion. Just see what they 'say & do'......n o t h i n g!!!

http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/ese/videos/FIN%20Building%20Inclusive%20Schools%20E-learning%20Module%202011/player.html

Here's another amazing PDF I came across online in the Florida Department of Education website! This can't be anymore PERFECT!
WHAT THE HECK HAS EVERYONE BEEN WAITING FOR?? 

This PDF is a MUST READ FOR EVERYONE IN THE EDUCATION BUSINESS!!!! 
*I am not sorry for shouting!!
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/Newrole.pdf

Here is the link that Broward Public Schools website has for what FIN does in Broward Schools ~ 
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/ese/html/fin.htm

Florida Inclusion Network www.FloridaInclusionNetwork.com 

Inclusion and the Other Kids pdf document worth reading, (2005 doc.)
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/ese/PDF/InclusionandtheOtherKids.pdf

Mariah Harris (14DS) Speaking before Broward Public School Board on July 23rd, 2013 - FLORIDA

M_07_23_2013 <---Click that live link to go to the Becon-TV recording of Broward County Public School Board Meeting held on July 23rd, 2013 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Go to the PUBLIC SPEAKERS portion of this School Board Meeting. Mariah is the first Public speaker called. Fast forward to 144:15 on the Video. I speak after her at 149:35 on the Video. 

A copy of Mariah's speech was handed out to each of the School Board members so if some of the words that were difficult for her to pronounce weren't clearly understood by all, then the board members and the school superintendent were still able to know what she was saying to them publically. 

Mariah presented herself with such style, grace and professionalism! For being so brand new to public speaking she is only going to get better at it and have a heck of a lot more confidence the more she does it! Gosh darn it I am so proud of her and her ability to stand at that podium all by herself and do her best. 

By allowing Mariah to do things like this, it is paving the way for her to be a more confident SELF-ADVOCATE for the rest of her life! It is also very much showing the Public how CAPABLE she is! How ABLE our students are if provided a way!

Here is her speech:

Hi !!

*Pause & SMILE

My name is Mariah Harris, I am 14 years old and in the 6th Grade.

I am in the Nova  U-Na-Ver-ciTy  School of the ARTS Drama Camp.

I am a dancer, singer, actress and will be in the Disney MULAN show August second.

I have teachers and helpers that support and BELIEVE IN ME!

Want to come see me on the stage at the EP-STEEN Center?

I went to Horse Camp for 2 weeks and had a lot of FUN!

FIRE is the name of my horse.

I met new friends that liked me and BELIEVED IN ME at the Ranch!

I am on the SWIM TEAM at River Land Pool.

Back Stroke is my best stroke. I Like doing Free Style and I'm learning the Butterfly. 

I love going to Swim practice every day!

My Coaches BELIEVE IN ME!

I love going to the Movies and Cooking.

I am having a Great Summer.

I need people to BELIEVE IN ME and see that I CAN do it!

Do not JUDGE me because I have Down syndrome!

I am Mariah Harris, I love school and I'm a good student!

I have always been fully IN-CLUDed with an adult to help me.

BELIEVE IN and IN-CLUDE more students with Down syndrome in all of our schools!!

Have a good day!

Thank you very much.

SMILE

Mariah Harris

321funlife@gmail.com

(954) 205-0016                                         

321 FUN ~ Mariah’s Life Blog

www.321fun.blogspot.com

Mariah's Speech to Broward School Board Meeting on July 22, 2013

Mariah needs a Speech COACH to help her with doing public reading & speaking, to help her with her 'speech skills', articulation and her reading fluency. This is what she needs help with now if she wants to become a more polished public speaker. Who wants to help?

To see Mariah's mom (Nancy Linley-Harris) speaking after her daughter, go to 149:35 on the Video. Here is my written speech that was handed out to all the school board members:

July 23^rd, 2013

Nancy Linley-Harris to School Board Meeting at Broward County Public Schools.

Good Afternoon Superintendent Runcie and School board members of Broward Public Schools,

Today, I will be speaking on behalf of students with Down syndrome and ALL Special Ed Students that are being forced to be WAREHOUSED at certain schools in ESE classrooms in Broward County Public Schools.

My name is Nancy Linley-Harris and I live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On May 24^th I removed my daughter with Down syndrome from Broward County Public School District because I was being retaliated against for being an outspoken Advocate for the rights of my daughter to be ACADEMICALLY EDUCATED to learn and earn a real High School Diploma. My daughter was being forced out of all regular classes and was prevented from taking the State exams any longer. The ESE Department & the Due Process department for Broward County Public Schools did all they could to prevent my daughter and others like her from being treated with respect and educated with their classmates without special needs in the least restrictive classrooms, which is a regular classroom.

*How many students are being forced out of their neighborhood schools because of having a disability? This seems to be a Civil Rights concern here in Broward County Public Schools.

A mom of a 5 year old with Down syndrome recently contacted me and let me know that she had filed for a Due Process Hearing, because Broward Schools is refusing to allow her son to go to Kindergarten at the school that is just a few blocks from her house, which is HAWKE’S BLUFF Elem. She told me that Broward Schools is forcing him to have to attend a school that is almost 6 miles away to be in a segregated special ed classroom at PEMBROKE LAKES. 

The parents are not agreeing to this and have let the school know they would like to have him be included in a regular Kindergarten classroom with his neighborhood friends that he knows. This little guy has already been attending HAWKE’S BLUFF ELEMENTARY School for 2 years already because of the 3-5 year old Early Intervention classes that used to be called the PLACE Classrooms for students with disabilities.  I am asking; “Why HAWKE’S BLUFF is even allowed to say, “NO” to this particular student?”  

Is this school and this district DISCRIMINATING AGAINST Students with Down syndrome from even being allowed to attend their neighborhood schools anymore? I THINK SO! 

Please School board members, there needs to be an investigation into the INCLUSION Practices that this District is doing, because it is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that provides the FEDERAL FUNDS to help educate our students with Disabilities. 

From what I am seeing as happening in Broward County Public Schools is; our students with Disabilities MATRIX FUNDS are being used to WAREHOUSE our Children into schools and classrooms that not all parents of these children agreed to and ultimately parents are forced into filing a Due Process.

How much money is the district spending on the Due Process for families like this one? Parent just wanting there child to attend the school down the street and to go to a regular kindergarten class with the neighborhood friends.

School Board members of Broward County Public Schools, for the record, I would like to know how much is this District spending from our student’s special education funds by NOT ALLOWING our students with disabilities into the regular classrooms, from being educated academically so they can learn and earn a high school diploma.

As an Advocate for the Disability Community, I am asking; “HOW MUCH DOES THIS DISTRICT RECEIVE IN Special Ed Matrix FUNDS federally and thru the State Special Ed Funds from FDOE?” “What is the amount for the entire district and how is that being spent?”

“HOW IS BROWARD SCHOOLS SPENDING our children’s ESE funding that’s there to help educate our Special needs children?”  

This school district does not BELIEVE IN students…….especially the students needing the most support that comes with extra funding to help educate them, students with disabilities! 

Stop forcing parents to file Due Process Hearings, because we want our children to attend their neighborhood school and be included in regular classes. 

We want our Teachers to BELIEVE IN our children and to TEACH our children. Where is the training for the teachers and staff? Stop the Discrimination & Segregation of our students with Disabilities!

How are you spending our Special Education Funds in Broward Schools?

I want to know if my daughter’s ESE Matrix Funds were actually spent on educating her instead of allowing Parkway Middle’s ESE teachers and staff to attend 10-IEP meetings to go against my wanting her to continue to be fully included and to be educated academically so she too could learn to earn a real high school diploma.

Nancy Linley-Harris

podsangels@gmail.com

(954) 612-2997

DS Advocate BLOG

www.ds-advocate.blogspot.com

My Message to the Down syndrome Community:

If more parents of DS go before school boards with the same message - it would speak volumes across the Nation & the World. What I have found here where I live is that parents are afraid to speak out - Knowing that makes me feel more obligated to be that voice for many of them! 

My daughter "learning to speak publically" is amazing to be part of with her! She has no fear of Public Speaking! I see it as her Self-Advocacy "training" as well for Mariah and showing our Community that she IS CAPABLE of so much more than our schools want to believe. She is gaining more confidence each time she speaks! 

I would encourage more parents to help our children show your community that our children and young adults with Down syndrome have so much to give!! The Public needs to SEE our children being successful, if that means giving a simple message before your school board and learning how to give a speech with a real microphone than so be it! I'm pretty sure many of our kiddos love the "stage" and will do anything to have an opportunity to speak into a microphone.....without it being taken away from them. My daughter like many with Down syndrome loves "the stage!!"

Civil Rights Question ~ Students NOT ALLOWED to attend their neighborhood school?

Mariah Harris and I are signed up to SPEAK AGAIN before our Public School Board meeting tomorrow. We also signed up to be on the Public Speakers LIST for next school board meeting on Tuesday, AUGUST 6th as well. 

WHO will be supporting us as we speak up on behalf of all individuals with disabilities, especially those students with Down syndrome being constantly DENIED an INCLUSIVE EDUCATION in the least restrictive classrooms, leading towards being educated to learn and earn a real high school diploma! 

WHO will come out and support us on this? There is still so much NONSENSE being allowed to take place towards individuals with Down syndrome not being allowed to attend their neighborhood schools. Being FORCED to send our children to schools miles away instead! 

THIS nonsense of discrimination & segregation needs to STOP!

SIGN-UP to be a PUBLIC SPEAKER and let your Public School District know how you feel about the DISCRIMINATION & SEGREGATION of students with disabilities, and yes especially many of our children with Down syndrome absolutely are being denied their right to an academic education like everyone else!

Mariah wasn't allowed to take the FCAT or the Alternate Assessment in the 6th Grade at Parkway Middle School!!

This is me speaking for the first time publically to Broward County School Board a month before I completely WITHDREW Mariah from Broward Public Education! In my speach you can see I was PLEADING for help to look into what was happening to me at Parkway Middle School via the IEP "PROCESS" here in Broward County! I also explain how Mariah wasn't even allowed to take the FCAT anymore and wasn't ever told by the schools ESE Specialist, Ms. Chiante Roundtree-Jones as to exactly when the ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT would be going on. (*the Special Needs FCAT testing) The schools ESE Specialist said, that Mariah wasn't in school on the day that the 'letter' was sent home. Instead weeks later, Mariah did bring home a letter informing us when the "regular" FCAT testing times would be going on.

In Elementary school, Mariah had always taken the "regular" FCAT since the 3rd grade and twice in 5th grade, because I thought it would be good for Mariah to have a second year of 5th grade with the same wonderful teacher, Mr. Allagood. Mariah had always been taking the "regular" FCAT, a total of 4 times she took the FCAT before going off to 6th grade at Parkway Middle School. So this year in 6th grade, Mariah wasn't even allowed or was I ever informed when the Alternate Assessment testing dates would be given. I found out later that the Alternate to the FCAT is given to the ESE Students over a 3 week time period, whereas the regular FCAT is given over a shorter time period of just 2 weeks. Not once during the time for testing the Alternate Assessment was our family notified of this testing and it was going on for 3 whole weeks?! That in itself shows the lack of care to test and/or educate a wonderful student like Mariah! 

Mariah loves school and is a wonderful student any good teacher would be thrilled for the challenge of teaching her in a diversified classroom as they all should be today! Not all her teachers should have been chosen for her as there have been some really GREAT TEACHERS over the years and certainly Mariah has has some really lousy/rotten teachers too! More good teachers though, but the bad ones can really make life miserable for both student and parent! Her intensive reading teacher in 6th grade at Parkway Middle had no desire to really help Mariah continue with increasing her reading skills. An intensive reading teacher that only gives "F's" to a student with an IEP should be fired! Upsetting to say the least, because READING is one of the most important academic skills a student needs to learn to get an education! That reading teacher's only goal for Mariah was to show she wasn't making progress to push her into a NON-PHONICS BASED reading program the ESE Department was pushing on many of the Middle School Students, that I wanted no part of for my girl. This "curriculum" was not something I agreed to, if SB 1108 had been in place, I would have had to 'sign-off' yes or no to that curriculum. As of July 1st, 2013 that Senate Bill will be law! 

So this year, not only did my daugher, Mariah not get to take the "regular" FCAT, she also wasn't allowed to be tested the one given to Special Needs students, the Alternate Assessment to the regular FCAT. Why was this allowed to even happen to Mariah? Is it because both Mariah and I went up to testify before the Florida Senate in March on SB 1108? Is it because she has Down syndrome, is it because her mom is an outspoken Advocate for students with Down syndrome and other unique learning challenges? I would like to know how our public school district can get away with such nonsense!

Ultimately....one month later I decided to completely WITHDRAW my daughter from PUBLIC EDUCATION because I have experienced such a total lack of care to ACADEMICALLY EDUCATE my daughter as she gets older. Being in Middle School and being included in regular general education classes is NOT WHAT THIS DISTRICT WANTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME and certainly they don't care to work collaboratively with their parents.

The new Senate Bill 1108 if it had been in place before this school year or before, I never would have had to go through the nonsense I was being forced to endure at the many (too many) IEP meetings Parkway Middle School put me through. 

Mariah and I going to the Florida Capitol a month previously on March 18th, 2013 to testify before the Florida Senate on why we thought this Bill is an absolute must to have in place to protect parents rights to help our children receive a "world class education"? That is what is advertised throughout our public school district, on their phone lines when we are put on hold and on the District website. A world class education is for those without disabilities I think is what they really mean.

In this video, Mariah had just spoken before me, the same exact speech she read to the Florida Senate Education Committee a month before on March 18th, 2013. I will post her first school board speech when I have a copy of it. This was Mariah's second time public speaking and she did fabulous job! She has told me she loves speaking in front of a people! So through it all, we both have become Public Speakers. Mariah and I both have now had parts of our Senate Education Committee testimony from the the Florida Capitol speech aired on National Public Radion-NPR. Mariah telling the Florida Senate that she wants a REAL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA and that she wants to one day go to College. Her cute voice and her very first public speech has been aired and heard across the Country. I believe she speaks for many with Down syndrome and special needs education in general. 

Mariah you are on your way to becoming a National Speaker, getting on NPR is a start! I am so proud of my daughter for rising to the challenge of getting up and speaking before the public and having your voice heard! You speak for many like you! 

Please comment if things like this are or have been happening to your child's education, I would love to hear from my readers. Share my story too!

Segregation still happens as: Tampa mom fights to keep her son with Down syndrome in his neighborhood elementary school!

Tampa mom fights to keep her disabled son in his neighborhood school

Segregation still happens as: Tampa mom fights to keep her son with Down syndrome in his neighborhood elementary school!

This advocate mom, Roberta Moore and her 10 year old son, who is also a student with Down syndrome, just like my daughter, Mariah is up against the SAME THING that I have been experiencing here in Broward Public Schools as well! It's parents like us with children like ours that are being DISCRIMINATED against on so many levels in the Public Education System, especially here in Florida. I have spoke before my school board, several times. This same thing is happening to so many students...everywhere! 

In Tampa, Roberta Moore attended an IEP and was absolutely against what was being suggested for her son's placement for his next school year. In Fort Lauderdale, an IEP was taking 10 meetings to write up with the suggestion from the school side of the IEP "team" leading towards having Mariah's class placement for her to be in FULL ESE CLUSTER ALL DAY FOR ALL HER CLASSES, with the exception for her to be able to 'come out' so she could attend her STEM MAGNET CLASS in a General Education Classroom. LUNCH TIME would be her other allowed time to attend school with her friends and peers without disabilities. This sort of special classroom placement suggestion was not anything Mariah was used to. Mariah has always attended the same classes as her friends she goes to school with. Mariah has always been educated in 'regular classes' and fully included in gen.ed. classes all her life. Now it seemed to be the push of her school and the IEP "team" that it would be better for her to only attend school in an ESE classroom. Same with Roberta Moore for her 10 year old son, this too was not what I wanted for my 14 year old daughter either! 

Senate Passes Bill Empowering Parents in Critical IEP Decisions

http://capitalsoup.com/2013/04/29/senate-passes-bill-empowering-parents-in-critical-iep-decisions/

I am not a teacher, but have always 'homeschooled' part-time because it is good for her and I know what is best for my daughter and her education. As her mother and her truest advocate, I know and believe in her plans for her future career choice! Mariah has always had the desire to work with animals and become a Vet Tech and go to college one day.  It's up to me to make sure that happens for her....all other's need to either support her in teaching her a quality academic education or just GET OUT OF THE WAY!

I withdrew my daughter, Mariah on May 24th, 2013 from Broward County Public School District. I enrolled her in a small private Christian school that has graduated many many students over the years! Mariah and I are very much looking forward to her new school in the Fall without so many 'cooks in the kitchen!'

I filed my official STATE COMPLAINT with the Florida Department of Education on June 7th, 2013. What's being allowed to happen to so many of our students with disabilities throughout the entire State of Florida, particularly students with Down syndrome is ripe for a CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT! Who's in?

If this same thing has happened to you, I highly recommend filing a STATE COMPLAINT! 

Senate Bill 1108 goes into law on July 1st, 2013!
click above link to learn all about what SB1108 is all about.

Public Schools get extra funds to help educate our children, but it seems instead, the Public School system is possibly using the $$MONEY$$ our special needs students generate. Our children's educational money is being spent however Principals and District Administrators want. Our children's special education funds are being spend on all sorts of things other than for those very students that need the extra support.

ESE Teachers in those ESE classrooms are not always provided the most basic of supplies that other teachers and classrooms are afforded. It's the ESE students extra funding that is attached to them for the extra they may need, yet the many ESE TEACHERS are not given a reasonable budget to spend on classroom supplies, so all the students suffer by not having what the 'typical' students receive at school each and every day. Let's talk TECHNOLOGY, TEXT BOOKS & CURRICULUM in ESE Classrooms! 

So instead of INCLUDING our children into regular classes, schools are using our children's special education funds aka as their MATRIX Funding elsewhere instead of for my child. Our Special Ed Students are a cash commodity for schools today! 

Schools and the Districts are pushing to have all Special Needs students in the same classrooms...it's called SEGREGATION & DISCRIMINATION! ~ This is 2013 people!! Martin Luther King would be applaud at what is still going on with Discrimination!!

Guess my leaving and pulling my daughter from Broward Public School "before" the big boom to herd all SWD=Students With Disabilities off to Special Schools and all ESE special classes and Special everything is a good thing that I WITHDREW my daughter completely from Public Education when I did! My daughter will be fully included at her new school, where she'll be respected and accepted for the wonderful student and person she is. 

Many SWD that have recently graduated with Standard Diploma's or what's commonly known as a REAL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA have all 'just made it under the wire!!!" They are the LUCKY ONES today!!

It's time for us to work together to help all SWD and future SWD have the opportunity to be accepted into regular classrooms. This is not something we all should have to even worry about this day and age, but in Florida we do! Florida as well as many other States are still very much behind in treating people fairly, especially when it comes to our public education today and our students needing special education support and services. 

Being treated unfairly and being left out is not something new to SWD and their families, especially families that have someone with Down syndrome. We know all to often the feeling of things not being 'fair'. We have all felt discrimination and it hurts every time we are being discriminated against, for wanting what is every one's right and freedom...a PUBLIC EDUCATION! 

We all know that raising a child today is not easy, with or without a learning disability, but certainly if your child has a disability, our families experience alot more funky situations than most families would ever imagine and people take for granted. We have to deal with the unfairness on a regular basis because our child has Down syndrome. *or any other disability.

It's 2013 people ~ SEGREGATION &amp; DISCRIMINATION need to STOP!

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/22567697/2013/06/12/should-special-needs-students-be-in-mainstream-classrooms#.UbiaH2fXW61.facebook

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/6/12/mom_of_boy_with_spec.html

http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_south_hillsborough/tampa-mom-fights-to-keep-her-disabled-son-in-his-neighborhood-school

Parents have NO Voice at IEP's!! My daughter's educational rights have been violated ~ nobody cares!

I feel like my daughter's RIGHTS to a FREE PUBLIC Education have been violated, taken away, raped, dissed, shit on, thrown away, absolutely watered-down, low expectations of her to no expectations, not believing in her, discriminated against, locked out, kicked out, ABSOLUTELY FORCED OUT! 

It's digusting those that work for Broward County Public School District and their ESE could give a hoot! They're just glad to have a job some of them! 

If only I could "give the grade" to the teachers that have had the pleasure of my 2 Children sitting in their classrooms each year! There would be a few that would be fired for sure!! Principals should be surveyed by the parents each year as well too!!

LET THE PARENTS GRADE THE TEACHERS! 

*There have been way more AWESOME Teachers that do a remarkable job and love teaching than the really rotten bad meanies that need to go! 

It takes one bad apple to make the whole pile stink!!

The IEP "Process" and what has taken place today at my daughter's final IEP meeting for her Public Education is not something I would wish on any parent to have to go through!! Then to have 10 of them within 8 months time especially!!

To have to endure 10 IEP meetings in one school year (8 months) speaks volumes at how relentless the district has been to "GET THAT IEP WRITTEN JUST THE WAY THEY WANT IT!" The parent will be out numbered, and after-all...."they are the professionals"....and yes in their "professional opinion..blah blah blah!!" Let's not forget the 'behind the scenes' players that have accomplished to have so many of my daughter's IEP goals deleted, 'mastered, removed without holding any sort of meeting with the parents invited to be part of. Absolute craziness that would drive anyone cranky!!

What has been everyone else's experiences with these types of contentious IEP meetings? Is this what happens at Middle School for students needing Special Education? If you ask me...it smells like a pre-meditated, pre-planned hostile take-over and take-down during my daughter's IEP's...since May 30th, of last year..2012! Was it because my daughter was entering Middle school? 
(*retaliation is hard to prove...) 

I think I have PTS from this crap all year!! I have plenty of 'paper-trail' from all the cat & mouse emails that have taken place and taken up all my volunteer hours as a parent this year.

I wonder how much it cost to hire those two nice ladies that were flown in from two different States, Arizona and Tenn. to facilitate my daughter's annual IEP? Yes they were nice and tried to help but really it was just another big waste of more of our tax-payers money! Then the iep doc. still wasn't finished so it needed to be continued on May 14th. The "shut-down" was held today on May 28th. ....and well it was exactly as they wanted. 

Not sure if this IEP even needed to take place and be closed out, since I did sign a Public Education WITHDRAWAL form on Friday May 24th, 2013. I should have done this months ago!

I need a LAWYER to right the wrong that has been allowed to take place at the expense of my daughter's education!

Public school 'employees' today are like ROBOTS doing as they are told to do and nothing else or they could........loose their jobs! 

Today it seems to be a dictatorship in public education and if you have a child that learns differently, your child is the square peg they want to put in the round hole! It's not going to work....so then....we leave.

I feel forced out...those that have caused it...could care less. They are happy about it, gloating some of them I'm sure of it!

Read my Due Process Final Orders here:
http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7675/urlt/0069820-12-3961.pdf

My DUE PROCESS Final Orders listed on the FDOE website 12-3961E December 2012

My DUE PROCESS Final Orders online!
http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7675/urlt/0069820-12-3961.pdf

Want to read about a few DUE PROCESS Final Orders received in Florida? 
January - June 2013 on the FDOE website.
Case Number                 District Order Date
12-3961E (PDF, 234KB) Broward February 28, 2013

12-3961E is my DUE PROCESS Final Orders, that are now PUBLIC! I will be posting the TRANSCRIPTS too!

To read other DUE PROCESS Final Orders between Jan.-June 2013 in Florida click this link:
http://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/dispute-resolution/due-process-hearing-orders/2013.stml
This is the OLD DEAD LINK that was listed on the FDOE website that is now a dead link. I think the FDOE does this every so often to create dead links to documents. http://www.fldoe.org/ese/due-order.asp

In order to fully understand what all the original issues and concerns were and my reason for filing such a long laundry list of IEP/ESE concerns and ultimately led to my filing for a due process in the first place, you may want to read my original email sent to Broward County School Superintendent Robert Runcie in my previous blog post. 

It has been an absolute nightmare navigating the IEP "Process" as it is now operating in Broward Public School District today! 

Parents have had NO VOICE OR SAY-SO in the educational decisions being made for our Children at these often times, contentious and confrontational IEP meetings for our Children.

SB 1108 will create some good changes for parents at the IEP tables in Florida.

MY DUE PROCESS AMENDED on 12.17.12. w/ORIGINAL Due Process sent to Broward Superintendent Runcie

This is my DUE PROCESS COMPLAINT with Broward County Public School System ~ This is my 12/17/12 Amended email I sent to Superintendent Robert Runcie. Read it and tell me if any of these sort of things have happened to you when you've been advocating for your Child's education? 

Re-reading this still makes my stomach turn! What has systematically taken place to FORCE my daughter onto the NON-DIPLOMA "Special Diploma" track and to have her iep goals replaced with "canned" goals without me being in attendance to be goals she had already mastered from the previous IEP's from a year ago. This seemed to be strategically done to make her look more behind than she actually was as she was entering her Middle school years. 

What has been allowed to take place here in Broward County Public School District should not have gotten to this level with such a long laundry lists of complaints from me. 

Here is my final orders from the Due Process I filed with the Florida Department of Education on December 12th, 2012. Click here
http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7675/urlt/0069820-12-3961.pdf

I am Mariah's mom, doing what any good parent would and should be doing; advocating for my daughter's right to an education. 

The amount of excessive waste of TAX-Payers money $$ defending themselves $$ by forcing me to file a Due Process is shameful! It never should have gotten to the level to file a Due Process in the first place if the district was supportive to the education of my daughter. 

My goal is that my Little Princess be provided a Quality Education and is actually EDUCATED, with the ESE Supports & Services that she needs to be successful! 

Instead my daughter's abilities were written on 5/30/2012 much differently, lower to make her look more behind, her iep goals went backwards to be goals she had already mastered previously. Mariah's future educational goals and dreams for a career to eventually become a Vet Tech have all been taken away from her with the Special Diploma Track she has now been forced on and at my losing in the Due Process I filed. 

She will not be allowed to be educated to learn and earn a real high school diploma. This I am still not in agreement to!!!

What I see happening with many of our ESE students today is when they are taken off the Regular Diploma Track then their education becomes a; 
"VERY EXPENSIVE BABYSITTING SERVICE!!"
Listen to the NPR-National Public Radio clip 


********************************

Hello Superintendent Runcie,

Sad to inform you of the little girl with Down syndrome that is learning how to play the Violin and you have ‘’connected with” on several occasions since you became our Superintendent but at this time I am requesting a Due Process for my daughter, Mariah Harris.

She lives at ..................Fort Lauderdale, FL ....-....

She attends Parkway Middle School of the Performing Arts. Accepted and participating

In the STEM Magnet Program.

*1^st Student with Down syndrome to be accepted into the STEM MAGNET Program!

1.      I am not in agreement with the proposed non-phonics based reading program, Failure Free Reading for my daughter Mariah Harris, since she already knows phonics and knows how to read as a solid upper 2nd grade reader. It seems at the suggestion from the ESE Department Director, Denise Rusnake, that 20 Middle Schools in Broward will now be using the Failure Free Reading Program, and it seems even if the student has working knowledge of PHONICS the school is now pushing this NON-PHONICS BASED program on my child no matter what, which I absolutely disagree with for my daughter, Mariah Harris.   I was not provided any information about this program, I researched it myself on their website and I don't see it being what is best suited for my daughter.

1a. I believe it would be better for my daughter to continue with the WILSON READING PROGRAM that my daughter loves and is very familiar with and has shown much success in….if taught by a CERTIFIED WILSON TEACHER only, as the teacher she has now is trying to show she is not progressing just to push her out of her classroom and into the NON-PHONICS BASED program in and ESE Resource room, I believe. She showed success her 1^st year in Wilson at Stephen Foster Elementary school. Both Wilson teachers are NOT CERTIFIED WILSON TEACHERS!! AMENDED on 12/17/12. Both of Mariah’s 5^th grade and 6^th grade WILSON READING TEACHERS did not and are not providing FAPE via the WILSON READING INSTRUCTION as intended by the Barbara Wilson Reading Program because both 5^th and 6^th grade WILSON Reading teachers are not FULLY CERTIFIED in WILSON READING INSTRUCTON. Broward County School District ESE Department does not require Broward school teachers that teach WILSON to actually be certified in WILSON READING as the company recommends for the program to be taught with fidelity.

1b. AMENDED on 12/17/12. Persistent recommendation from Mariah’s Intensive READING teacher, Ms. Maxwell and the IEP team, (district employees only) to move Mariah to the most restrictive ESE classroom placement for a non-phonics based reading program without any discussion about exactly what that Failure Free Reading curriculum would exactly be, after requesting information about it in writing ahead of the TIEP meeting, denies her right to LRE-Least Restrictive Environment for her Specially Designed instruction for intensive reading.

1c. AMENDED on 12/17/12. That Mariah be provided WILSON READING INSTRUCTION by a WILSON CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR the way the Barbara WILSON READING Program was specifically designed in relation to class size and the WILSON Certification requirements recommended by the WILSON READING Company.

2.      I am not in agreement with my daughter being pulled out from her Gen. Ed. 6th grade math class to be put into an ESE class for a Math program that was never discussed as to exactly what it would be. Mariah loves Math, but has not had the support from her Gen. Ed Math teacher, Ms. Wavde from the beginning of the school year, as she has made it perfectly clear she does not wish to teach my daughter grade level math in a diversified math classroom. I requested a Math teacher change because of this, which has not been taken seriously. There has to be another Math teacher that would be supportive and collaborative having Mariah in their classroom. AMENDED on 12/17/12. Recommendation from Mariah’s Math teacher, Ms. Wavde and the IEP team, (district employees only) to move Mariah to the most restrictive ESE classroom placement without any discussion about what the ESE Math curriculum would be, denies her right to LRE-Least Restrictive Environment for her Specially Designed instruction in 6^th Grade Level Math instruction.

2a. The solution for Math would be to find a teacher that wants to be supportive of a student with Down syndrome and give the teacher ESE Support or a Co-Teaching model to continue to teach my daughter GRADE LEVEL Strategies to help my daughter with both teachers having high expectations of my daughter instead of the low expectations from her current 6^th grade math teacher.

3.   I am in disagreement with questions number #2 and #3 pertaining to State and District Testing. I am also in disagreement that the IEP team that haphazardly constructed the IEP document on 5/30/12 saying she had been on Access Points and the Alternate Assessment her final year of elementary school as she took the FCAT 2.0 her 2nd year of 5th grade, so that is lie that she was *AMENDED on 12/17/12. ever on Access Points during the 2011-2012 school year AMENDED on 12/17/12. or ever!

3a. I feel my daughter is being discriminated against because she has Down syndrome and she gets Level 1's on her FCAT's over the years. My recommendation is for my daughter, Mariah Harris to be put back on the STANDARD DIPLOMA TRACK immediately and be provided any and all support she will need to be as successful as she possible can on the FCAT! The law does not state that if students get a Level 1 on their FCAT’s that that they must then be FORCED OFF the STANDARD DIPLOMA OPTION which is what is being done to my daughter, Mariah Harris. This feels like discrimination and retaliation from your 9^th floor ESE district staff! AMENDED on 12/17/12. Stephen Foster Elementary Principal, Mr. Ricky Grimaldo, CENSORED all of my emails and denied teachers the entire 2011-2012 school year, other than my daughter’s homeroom/science teacher from freely communicating with me when I sent emails. Mr. Ricky Grimaldo, denied my right to a request for an interim IEP on March 10^th, 2012, ultimately my parental involvement my daughter’s final year at Stephen Foster Elementary was not what it had been in previous years. Censorship and Retaliation against me as an involved parent advocate for my daughter, Mariah Harris was met with closed doors by the new Principal, Mr. Grimaldo. Ultimately at my daughter’s 5/30/12 IEP I felt I was bullied out of the IEP meeting that I had originally wanted back in March to discuss 5^th grade math issues going on and an upcoming 16 hour away out of County Field Trip I had concerns about my daughter’s 1:1 Unique Aide not being allowed to assist my daughter. This was a decision made by Mr. Ricky Grimaldo and no other.

She is receiving SES Tutoring services and would not have been eligible for those services if she hadn't be on a Standard Diploma track and taking the FCAT.  A solution would be for her to be put back on the Standard Diploma Track as she has always been with all allowable Accommodations and the support of and ESE Support teacher as a co-teaching model if that is what the Gen. Ed Teachers need to support Mariah in Gen Ed.

4.   I am in disagreement with my daughter missing 2 entire class periods each week just to receive her Speech and Language services, when it is causing her to miss 2 entire class periods. (Social Studies & STEM class period)

4a. To continue to provide Mariah her Speech and Language services as she has always had over the years while attending Elementary school of just 20 minutes at the very beginning of every day so she isn’t missing 2 entire class period each week that only sets her back in those classes. The way it it is being done is causing her to suffer in those classes.

5.   I am in disagreement with statements made that my daughter is prompt dependent from Ms. Carole Weisel her Unique Aide.

5a. I requested and suggested a fading of support once Mariah is within her classrooms and to provide Mariah with peer support when needed. Mariah has the ESE Support of Peers but I don't believe that is being provided as it has in the past. I have always made it perfectly clear in my Parent Input and at every IEP that FIN-Barbabara Krakower can help implement the PEER BUDDY PROGRAM that should have already been up and running in at least 1 of our Public Schools and I am willing to help at Parkway with this. Peer support that my daughter and others would benefit is more cost effective and children respond better with their same age classmates. Parkway ESE Staff are stating that my daughter, Mariah Harris has become; “prompt dependent’, which is their doing because Mariah is very independent!

6. I am in disagreement with the Student Interview that was inserted into different parts of the TIEP as I did not give permission for my daughter to be interviewed. There are things noted that are totally inaccurate and paint a different picture that just are not true of my daughter Mariah Harris. They would not remove the untruths or put in my parent input.

6a.  I am requesting the information that my daughter Mariah spoke about when she attended her own very 1^st TIEP meeting several meetings ago, that the that information she shared be added as part of her Student wants and needs of herself and what she wants for her future. She was able to share clearly what was important to her and why, but none of this information has ever been capture in any of the 5 TIEP meetings held. She has attended several of her TIEP meetings and none of her input at that time has been captured in writing thus far. Some staff sat their and ‘rolled their eyes’ while she was speaking and showed no respect to her input or my desire to have her present herself in the positive way she did.

My parent input has always been “tampered with”, omitted and changed around and then saying there is no way to include it into the TIEP document because it was a…”multi-meeting IEP”, but they would include it in a FAX Attachment. My parent input needs to be included in the IEP document itself and not as an attachment FAX!

7.   I am again requesting that my daughter be provided an alternate drink (Almond Milk) during lunch as has always been provided a non-milk substitute for her lunch drink since she was 4 years old throughout all her elementary school years. My daughter has not been provided even a simple cup of water or ice tea which could have easily been accommodated since the start of school on August 20^th, 2012. To find out at the end of November that she still has not been provided an alternate drink to go with her lunch is a violation of her right to an alternate drink because she is lactose intolerant. Her Doctor signed paperwork had been LOST and I have provided this same paperwork now going on 3 different times from my doctor’s office. Not once has anyone from the school told me she still was not being provided any drink during her lunch meal. I found this out by my daughter telling me she is thirsty at school. Mariah's Doctor's office has always complied with providing the needed paperwork pertaining to her need for an alternate drink and her restricted 1800 calorie a day diet with adult supervision to make low calorie choices during her lunch meal.

8.   I am not in agreement with many of the lower expectation goals that were created at the 5/30/12 and now AGAIN at the 11/29/12 TIEP meeting as they have been written in such a way that makes Mariah out she like she was not on her way to being an emerging 3 grade level reader. I am not in agreement with the results of DAR or the DRA's as they always say 1.1 or 1.2 which I find outrageously low because she is reading upper 2nd grade, 2.5 - 3.0 on a consistent basis according the AR/Accelerated Reading Program.

8a. All the goals that my daughter was working on last year in 5^th grade at Stephen Foster Elementary school have been “adulterated” and closed out without my parent input, goals that have been set as mastered and weren’t, goals that were discontinued that she should still be working on are lost in all the crazy rush to tear down my daughters well written IEP by the ESE Department Head Denise Rusnake and her handful of Program Specialist, including our Due Process person, Lida Yocum (retaliation against me as a Advocate for Down syndrome) (prior to the 5/30/12 IEP meeting) she had in  place before her Transition IEP into Middle school just to confuse and create lower expectation goals. The goals do not match the AR records and her progress made in reading.

8b. I again am requesting that her AR records be taken into consideration and used as a more accurate snapshot of my daughters reading abilities. Also, I have asked if AR can be used while she is attending Middle school, but not one person replies back to me on the use of AR while in Middle school. CAN the AR- Accelerated Reading Program be used for Mariah while attending Middle School?

8c. AMENDED on 12/17/12.  My FULL PARENTAL PARTICIPATION was not allowed or encouraged as it relates to the continuation of the 5/30/12 IEP meeting because I was ‘bullied out of’ the IEP Process by a ESE Department sent District Program specialist, K. Edie. I was the party that requested to have an IEP in the first place back on March 10^th, 2012 with the meeting taking place finally on 5/30/12. I asked to STOP the meeting, because within 7 minutes of beginning and before introductions of IEP team participates were named, it was recommended that I ‘could do recourse’ if I was NOT IN AGREEMENT to making this particular 5/30/12 IEP meeting into Mariah’s ANNUAL IEP. Again I was the one that had requested for an INTERIM IEP to update her IEP before transitioning over and onto Middle school. I was denied to ever have an INTERIM IEP that had been requested since March 10^th, 2012 yet was not provided any IEP meeting until 5/30/12. The meeting started out contentious and I was being forced to making it my daughter’s ANNUAL IEP to which I was not prepared for an ANNUAL at that time and was told it was the District “BEST PRACTICE POLICY”. I had requested from the district this policy in writing 2 weeks prior to the meeting and then again during the 5/30/12 IEP meeting to which I was not provided the districts, BEST PRACTICE POLICY that was being forced on me.  My daughter’s Annual was not due till the end of September, 2012.

8d. AMENDED on 12/17/12. To  consider the goals that were closed out, discontinued, rewritten without my parental participation to lower standards, some goals stated as mastered, that those original goals be brought back to the table and looked at with fidelity with my daughter’s unique and specially designed instructional needs in mind.

9. At this time I am requesting that my daughter’s AT-Assistive Technology (laptop & software programs) be used as they always have been. Parkway teachers and ESE Support staff have not been allowing my daughter, Mariah Harris access to using her laptop and software programs to help her with her goals for writing and accessing alternate format of core class content.

10.   At this time I am in total disagreement with the 11/29/12 TIEP meeting and how I feel I was "water-boarded" because of the time that was spent at this particular meeting. It was recommended that the meeting would be from 9AM till 2:30PM. I had emailed a request for it to end at 12:30PM because my daughter had a dental appointment at 1pm. *No one responded to my email request for it to end at 12:30pm but at the beginning of the meeting it was noted that it would indeed go till 12:30PM, but ended up going till 5:30PM long after my husband, he was only able to attend for about an hour and my advocate had to leave to pick up her own 2 children from the bus and she had left earlier in the day. They wanted me along without support of my husband or my advocate. I learned from my experience that this district will go ahead and do whatever they please if a parent requests to STOP or set up another meeting that you don’t walk out of a meeting because that is what happened to my meeting on 5/30/12. They will go ahead and have the meeting without you and your input. Broward County Public School ESE Staff at the District level (9^th floor administrators and at the school level, ESE Specialist just do not really care about our students needing ESE Supports and services!)

11.   At this time I am requesting that my daughter Mariah Harris not be interviewed, tested, assessed or removed from her General Education classrooms without my written permission other than the testings approved at her reevaluation plan meeting that was recently held.

12. At this time I am requesting maybe a change in school may need to take place since the attitude of the ESE Specialist at Parkway has always been unprofessional, contentious and unworkable with Mariah’s parents. I am thinking that there has to be a Middle school out there that has workable ESE Staff (Specialist) and Gen Ed teachers that have a better attitude towards students & their families with disabilities. I have heard that Falcon Cove Middle school is doing some awesome things that maybe should be the leader in how other Middle schools treat their ESE population of students and their parents…with respect. If Parkway ESE staff continue with treating my daughter like she can’t ‘function’ and they don’t provide the ESE Support and services that she needs I will have to ask that we find a better school suited for Mariah Harris. Parkway Staff need Down syndrome specific training in order to make my daughter’s 3 years of Middle school worthwhile… I would recommend bringing in Kansas City Down syndrome Association to do a District wide Down syndrome specific training for all of Broward County Public School ESE Staff and Gen. Ed teachers that may have a student now or in the future sitting in their classrooms. There has never been any Down syndrome specific training ever in this district and the time is now for it! We do not need to continue to deny the same educational opportunities for students with Down syndrome just because there is still a prejudice towards a whole population of students here in Broward County Public School system.

13. AMENDED on 12/17/12. At this time I am charging that my daughter’s elementary school, Stephen Foster Elementary did not provide FAPE to my daughter, Mariah Harris. A public agency must provide an eligible child with a disability special education and related services. Under 34 CFR §300.39(a), special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.  Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate, to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction: (1) to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability; and (2) to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.  See 34 CFR §300.39(b)(3).  Therefore, regardless of my 


Here is the link to my Final Report to my Due Process I filed with the FDOE on December 12th, 2012
http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7675/urlt/0069820-12-3961.pdf