What’s it like for parents as they get ready to send their preschooler with a disability off to school?

Imagine that you are the parent of a three year old who has
developmental issues or a medical condition. For the past three years
you have grown accustomed to a new language and new people. You have
welcomed strangers bearing bags of toys into your home who have given
you tips about how to play with your baby to enhance development. To
change or add to your child’s services in early intervention, in
general all you really needed to do was ask, maybe have a re-evaluation
of your baby’s current level of strengths and needs and attended a
meeting. Sometimes your early intervention team even used finding from
the hospital follow-up clinic to implement changes to your Individual
Family Service plan.

Just to reach today, you had to learn that your baby has a diagnosis
affecting her growth and development. You had to learn about the
differences between physical and occupational therapy, allow strangers
into your home and into your life.

All that as changed…This morning you put your three year old
daughter or son with special needs on the bus and sent her to school
for the first time. You made it through the first three years of your
child’s life. (click to continue reading)

And now, all those relationships you built are gone. You face a whole
new bureaucracy, new people, and a new language, all in order for your
son or daughter to start public school. The early childhood school experience is on
the horizon.

Parents ask themselves so many questions,

"How will I ever know whether the services the school offers are the best for my child?”

“Will they take the time to get to know my child’s strengths and needs?”

“How will I know what goes on during the day?”

It’s like they are in a foreign land, with all new experiences, and in a daze…

How can you find the support you need? By becoming educated on what
to expect from the public school system and by always having your
advocate hat close at hand. Know your rights and responsibilities so
that you can ask for what you want and think your child needs.

The eligibility criteria for public school services is different
from early intervention. In early intervention, the focus is on
acquiring developmental skills and abilities whereas, preschool
(through public school) eligibility evaluates how a child's condition,
diagnosis or development impacts learning in the classroom.

Your early intervention service coordinator should assist with the
transition process usually starting the referral process to the public
school system when your child is approximately 2 years 6 months of age.
If this has yet to happen, check with your service coordinator and ask
what the process for transition to public school entails. You can also
contact your school district to determine where the communication
begins.

A great resource for families is through NEC*TAC--National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. The NEC*TAC website at http://www.nectac.org/topics/earlyid/partbelig.asp
. This link will take you directly to the Part B, Section 619
Eligibility set forth from the federal law IDEA-Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act. This website is rich with information. If
you need additional help navigating the transition process, just email
me-- cathy@cathyrodrigues.com--and I can offer some support and
guidance!