| Do you have a 17 or 18 year old with a disability | | | | importance of functional skills as well as academic |
| receiving special education services? Have you been | | | | skills. When IDEA was reauthorized in 2004 Congress |
| told that your 17 or 18 year old with autism or a | | | | added a section about functional skills. A child's IEP |
| learning disability, will be given a certificate of | | | | must now include present levels of academic |
| attendance? Have you also been told that your child | | | | achievement and functional performance. Make sure |
| will no longer be eligible for special education services, | | | | that your school district is testing your child in the area |
| if they receive a certificate of attendance? This article | | | | of functional performance. |
| will discuss a new tactic by some special education | | | | For children over 13 years of age I recommend the |
| personnel to convince parents that their child is no | | | | Scale of Independent Behavior. It is performed by |
| longer eligible for special education. The tactic is | | | | parent survey, which means that the parent answers |
| certificates of attendance and will be discussed. | | | | questions about what their child can do and cannot do. |
| Several months ago I heard from a parent in | | | | This scale covers: activities of daily living, |
| Pennsylvania that had this tactic used on her. She | | | | communication, functional skills, job skills etc. Awesome |
| contacted me and asked me what I thought about this | | | | measure of a young persons functional ability. |
| issue. | | | | Also the purpose of IDEA is to: prepare children with |
| The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) | | | | disabilities for further education, employment, and |
| states the following: The obligation to make a free | | | | independent living. If a child who is 17 or 18 years old |
| appropriate public education (FAPE) available to all | | | | and is not ready for post school learning, a job, or |
| children with disabilities does not apply with respect to | | | | independent living they may need additional years of |
| the following: Children with disabilities who have | | | | education. Parents often overlook functional skills when |
| graduated from high school with a regular high school | | | | advocating for their child's education. |
| diploma. | | | | If your school district tries to tell you that a Certificate |
| The truth is that a Certificate of Attendance does not | | | | of Attendance ends your child's right to further special |
| make a child ineligible for special education services. | | | | education services, consider filing a complaint with your |
| IDEA also states that children with disabilities have the | | | | state board of education. In my experience the more |
| right to be educated from the age of 3 years to 21 | | | | parents stand up to special education personnel who |
| years. As long as the child does not accept a regular | | | | are not truthful the less they try and get away with. |
| education diploma, they are eligible to receive special | | | | Do not let your child's life be ruined by deceptions from |
| education services. | | | | some special education personnel. Good Luck-keep up |
| Another thing that parents must keep in mind is the | | | | the fight! |