Albany School District - Problems with advocacy/504/IEP issues
Hello,
I am a single parent with a teenager at Albany High School (AHS) who has a special education plan. I have had a world of problems interacting with the counselors and the administration at AHS. I feel like they are constantly withholding information from me--everything from programs and classes my child is eligible for, to school policies. It is like pulling teeth to get them to offer information.
Has anyone else had this issue with AHS before? Either in regards to 504/IEP plans, or just in general?
Jun 13, 2017
Parent Replies
I could have wrote this post years ago. I thought the same way as my son was going through high school; he had an IEP his entire school career. In the schools defense often times teachers are not aware of the programs and services that are available for students. Depending on what track your son is on ( graduation versus certificate of completion ) they may just focus on the programs and services that are going to benefit him the most in achieving his goals and academic requirements. I would highly encourage you to attend the Adult Transition Fair that is held yearly in the spring. It will help you get a greater perspective of what is out there and make informed decisions on your sons individual transition plan. Are you a client of the Regional Center of the East Bay? If so I would encourage you to have your case manager attend every IEP meeting going forward.
Having a clear idea of your sons hopes and dreams for his future is the most important thing. My son just graduated from Alameda High School this month and there are many things I wish I would have done differently in regards to IEP goals in high school to set him up for success in the future.
Good luck! It sounds like you are an awesome Mom and advocate for your child!!
You might consider/attempt a transfer to Berkeley High School. Their Special Education Department is responsive, compassionate, professional and very intelligent. What an awesome staff!
I feel your pain. This has been a constant battle for me also since elementary school and we are doing the same battle in Albany Middle School. They are definitely not forthcoming with the information of what's available but what I found helpful is some groups on Facebook. Many of these people have gone through or are going through the same Issues and I find they are quite helpful .
One of the groups that is local is called decoding dyslexia CA. When she start searching you can find many other groups.
I would definitely like to stay in touch if possible as we will be heading up to high school in another year.
The Best of luck
I have a difficult child who has been defiant at school. I feel AMS, the teachers, and especially the VP David Haupert have been very compassionate in response to my son's issues. They are very reluctant to suspend and prefer to work with the child and parents to resolve things and keep the child in school. My son has attended their for two years and has received great support from the staff. I have been shocked that they didn't suspend him a few of the times. Toward the end of this school year my son was repeatedly disrespectful and defiant and he was suspended which I felt he deserved. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE that the school is dealing with many children who are interested in learning and being at school and those children have a right to their education also and you can't expect the school staff to continue to put up with disrespect and defiance. It's disruptive for all the other children. My child is in counseling. I hope you seek counseling for your child and stop blaming the school for your child's behavior. It's not productive for the school but especially not for your child.