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About Norm Bishop
Expertise
I have spent 34 years in the area of Special Education. I have had the pleasure of teaching pre-school, elementary, middle, high school and college levels, as well as, served in school district administration buildings in classroom/legal support positions. I have also spent the past 3 years working in a State Department of Education Exceptional Student Services Office and am currently teaching college students how to be special educators.

Experience
I have experienced directly special education legal issues, process and procedure, and have taught at all levels in every special education category except gifted. My major expertise is diagnostic prescriptive teaching.

Organizations
Council for Exceptional Children, Association for the Supervision of Curriculum, National Reading Council.

Publications
Teaching Exceptional Children, Published computer assisted instruction, titled PAL, Special Education Basics, college Textbook, Teaching with Precision, college Textbook, Various devotionals at the website, Preachitteachit.com.

Education/Credentials
I have a B.A. in Secondary Education, a Masters in Special Education (cross categorical), administrative certification, and a second B.A. in Elementary Education. I have completed the coursework for a Ph.D., just haven't completed the dissertation.

Awards and Honors
Best Summer Program in the Nation (Honorable Mention, when I was Teaching) Multiple local awards

You are here: Experts > Parenting/Family > Special Education > Special Education > special services denied?

Special Education - special services denied?

Expert: Norm Bishop - 10/27/2009

Question
I am a high school teacher in Arizona. My school administrators have recently held a meeting to explain a new policy stipulating that teachers should not recommend services that the school system might have to pay for (i.e. a medical exam). They said any recommendations should go directly through an administrator. I have students I would like to recommend for special services (some whom I believe might have a learning disability and others who might be gifted) and I don't believe this policy is legal. How should I proceed if I feel a child is in need of services? What are my options?

Answer
When a purchase involves the educational needs of a special education identified student, the IEP Team has the legal responsibility to purchase the item. The exception would be medical equipment that is normally covered by health insurance. However, the administration can ask that teams be fiscally responsible in how they spend money, but the ultimate decision surrounding any special education student cannot involve cost. If it is needed, it is purchased. There is also no provision for an administrative over-ride of an IEP Team meeting.

Your options as a teacher start first with your in-building administration. You would simply have a civil discussion with your chain of command administrator. After you have had that discussion, I prefer to document what you discussed and agreed to. Be careful that you don't challenge the authority that the administrator has. If that discussion does not bring about what you think is appropriate then you could engage in a similar discussion with the district's special education director, since that person ultimately is charged with management of special education dollars. If that doesn't work, then any citizen in any state, including teachers, can file a State Complaint, especially is the child's free, appropriate public education has been denied or compromised. In Arizona you would go the the ADE website (www.ade.az.gov), click on the tab for special education, then click on Dispute Resolution. You can call, mail or file the complaint online. I know the AZ process, which is similar most other states, because I have worked for ADE/Exceptional Student Services as an Education Program Specialist.

Arizona, like many states, is suffering from many budget constraints, but, sorry, the law says to provide the service needed...it does not say, "provide the needed service if it is fiscally convenient."

Good luck...Norm

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