Now that Nisha has offically moved in with us and she has changed schools we are having a new IEP. I have some experience with IEP's from being a foster parent. Is there questions I should be asking specifically because of her DS. Her former school's IEP was excellent. But I think I may have to fight for some of the service she use to get. What should I be asking for.

Is she mainstreamed in regular school? My son is mainstreamed in kindergarten and his IEP is coming up on Wednesday. We like to ask how much inclusion he actually gets with the regular routine. How much speech therapy he's receiving, and how much PT. I usually ask about what areas he's having trouble with so that my husband and I can try and work with him, whether it be school work, or simple things like cleaning up his messes after he has made them. This is an issue we are having now. He loves to interact with the kids and play, but when it comes time to clean up he says NO NO NO, then when his aide gets stern with him and tells him he MUST clean up, he puckers his lips up to her for a KISS or hugs her leg. She doesn't melt as fast as I do, but it DOES get to her, how could it NOT get to her with that precious face!!! Anyway, they are just some of the things we are gonna talk about. I used to dread IEP's but as time goes by they are getting easier.

Nisha is not mainstreem and I do not see that happening in the near future due to the aggression. She gets OT PT and ST she has a 1 on 1 aide,is there an average number of hours she should get for each thing.

PS Iam from Maryland too.

Is she recieving speech? Not sure about the number of hours, It really varies from school to school and depends on the child.

There is already an IEP in place? They should be using that until a new one is written up. Do you know anything about the goals and how they were going? Progress reports? Sometimes it takes a little tweaking once the teachers, aides and therapists get to know our children. The number of minutes is important.. but only if the goals are what they should be too. It's hard to know what you should ask for... since I don't know your child. But I would make sure for therapies... there are enough minutes... for group and 1:1 therapy times if needed..like Russell gets 90 min of ST I think.. or more.. part of that is group.. part of that is 1:1. He gets OT and PT too.. and adapted PE. Russell is 8. He gets it all.

I would also maybe make a list of how things are done at home.. or what your child can /can't do.. things to carry over into the school day to be consistant. We did that this last IEP so they truly knew who Russell was (we changed placement again). It helped ALOT. Don't be shy.. ask about 1:1 aides if needed... make sure they sign if it's needed.. PECS... potty training.. anything withing reason for the child can be put in an IEP. If she has aggression.. maybe a behavioral specialist can come to the IEP too?

Good luck!!!!

A.