Expert: Tim Runner - 12/14/2008

Question
I TOKE MY SON TO THE DOC BECUZ HE STOPPED SPEAKING AND GOING TO THE BATHROOM ONCE HE WAS ALREADY POTTYTRAINED..HE REFERED ME TO A SPEECH THERAPIST JUST 2 TIMES A WEEK FOR 30MINTS..AND A SPECIAL INSTRUCTOR WHICH HE QUALIFIED FOR THE SERVICE ..THEN @ THE MEETING I AGREED FOR HIM 2 HAVE A PHYSCIEVUAL BECOUSE OF HIS IMMUTURE PLAY SKILLS THAT WHEN SHE TOLD ME HE HAS MILD AUTSIM...MY COORDINATOR TOKE OUT THE SPECIAL INSTRUCTOR N TOLD ME HE DIDNT NEED THAT SERVICE ANYMORE AND THEY HAVENT GAVE HIM MORE TIME EVEN WIOTH DEMANDING FOR IT BC I SEE NO PROGRESS..THE AGENCY IS TAKING FOREVER TO PROVIDE HIM WITH ALL THE OTHER SERVICES AND THEY ONLY HELP HIM TILL B4 HIS 3RD BIRTHDAY IAM SCARED THAT IM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT HIM THROUGH THE BOARD OF ED IS THIS MANDITORY OR R THEY OTHER SERVICES OUT THERE THAT R CONFIDENTAL!!ALSO IS IT OK FOR HIM NOT 2 GET SPECIAL INSTUCTOR..AND HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR THEM 2 GET HIM EVUALATED ITS BEEN A MONTH HE IS SUPPOSE 2 B RECIVING OT,ABA,PHYSICAL THEARPY,AND THERE ARE SUPPOSE 2 INCREASE HIS SERVICE!!

Answer
Jenn,

If you are located in California and the agency you are working with is one of the Regional Centers, they are responsible until your your son turns 97 years old. Usually, the school districts begin serving young children at the schools when they turn 3 or 4 years old. After that the school and the agency cooperate on some of the costs, but the school pays for most of the services provided at school and the agency pays for in-home services such as ABA and respit.

When you ask in writing for your child to be evaluated for special education, the school has 15 days to prepare an Assessment Plan telling you what assessments they are going to give your son. Once you accept this plan by signing it and giving it to them, they have 60 days to conduct the assessments and report to you their findings.
These days do not count over vacations and major holidays. So you need to contact your school right away to find out when they will need your letter and how long they will take for their assessments.

You should have for everything you listed in your questions plus APE (Adaptive Physical Education) which is often needed by autistic students.

I wish you and your son the best,
Tim Runner, Education Advocate
You can learn more at my web site:
www.special-education-answers.com
www.education-advocates.com (for DSL and phone)