We talk About Autism.

It’s become common to receive IEP or any major documents an hour before meetings with long-lasting decisions for our girls. Then we are expected to make huge decisions on the spot. Ridiculous.

I am fully in support of increasing special education funding if this time issue is due to underfunding and understaffing issues. Where do I sign?

IEP meetings are the one time per school year where every team member for our daughter is in the same meeting (in-person or attending virtually).

With all the scheduling demands in education, having everyone in one room is remarkable and PRECIOUS and fleeting.

We had a 45 minute agenda window for this annual meeting during which team members left for different obligations. I don’t agree with this.

In a perfect world, I want longer meetings where the whole team stays and cannot flit out so we can have a conversation as a group. Please, just once per year.

We were emailed our kiddo’s yearly goal report with recommended changes for the next year that were very sweeping and abrupt. Not to mention, she would be entering the next school with grades 3-6th. My girls and many autistic individuals struggle with change.

We didn’t hop in line and follow every sweeping change for the new plan and that slowed the meeting way down.

We want to take time and think through changes to talk about our child and what we think is best for our child rather than how we can shove our child into what works best with the school’s current plan.

If I shove my child into the school’s needs rather than work on my child’s needs, my child will pay the price emotionally, relationally, educationally and she will end up further in an emotional spiral and trust hole. Every. Single. Time.*

Yes it is more work at first, but the classroom and school truly does benefit. Please see her preschool, kindergarten, and second grade years.

*Please refer to her preschool year, kindergarten, and second grade years.