Comments on: New York Set to Deny Special Services to Homeschoolers http://melissawiley.com/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/ Children's Book Author Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:44:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Melissa Wiley » Blog Archive » Meanwhile, in New York http://melissawiley.com/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6477 Melissa Wiley » Blog Archive » Meanwhile, in New York Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:45:48 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6477 [...] Recently the NY State Board of Regents announced NY public school districts will no longer provide special services such as speech therapy or occupational therapy to homeschooled students. Mind you, New York’s private school students still qualify for these free public services, but the Board of Regents has decided to deny them to homeschooled children. Never mind that the reason some of these special-needs students are being homeschooled in the first place is because the public schools were unable to meet their academic needs in the classroom. [...] [...] Recently the NY State Board of Regents announced NY public school districts will no longer provide special services such as speech therapy or occupational therapy to homeschooled students. Mind you, New York’s private school students still qualify for these free public services, but the Board of Regents has decided to deny them to homeschooled children. Never mind that the reason some of these special-needs students are being homeschooled in the first place is because the public schools were unable to meet their academic needs in the classroom. [...]

]]> By: Andrea http://melissawiley.com/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6141 Andrea Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:48:51 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6141 Thank you *so* much for mentioning my blog, Melissa! And, just to fan the flames of outrage, there's this factoid, that I didn't include in my post: IF your child has an open IEP that outlines a course of services, New York State is now interpreting IDEA 2004 in such a way that schools do not provide ("aren't allowed to provide") services to home-schooled children...*HOWEVER*, home-schooling IEP-kid parents ARE STILL OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. The burden of providing a "free and appropriate education" is placed completely on the parent. So, the state is saying: choose to homeschool and you GET no services from us (despite paying the same exorbitant school taxes as everyone else). However? You are still financially required to PROCURE SERVICES for your child, per their IEP. And, the underlying threat to this interpretation, is that Child Protective Services will be sent to your home to make sure that you ARE NOT NEGLIGENT! When my autistic spectrum son was receiving OT, PT, speech therapy and social skills training multiple times a week, at the going rate, I would have been responsible for over $1,000/week in services. Needless to say, the option of home schooling would have been removed from our grasp. Additionally, without a home schooling option, my ability to effectively advocate and provide alternatives for my children would have been severely impaired--in short: unless I had the money for an appropriate private school, I would be denied ANY choice beyond what the district would be willing to offer! Gah! I get FURIOUS just THINKING ABOUT IT! (But thank you again for mentioning my blog :) Thank you *so* much for mentioning my blog, Melissa! And, just to fan the flames of outrage, there’s this factoid, that I didn’t include in my post:

IF your child has an open IEP that outlines a course of services, New York State is now interpreting IDEA 2004 in such a way that schools do not provide (”aren’t allowed to provide”) services to home-schooled children…*HOWEVER*, home-schooling IEP-kid parents ARE STILL OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. The burden of providing a “free and appropriate education” is placed completely on the parent.

So, the state is saying: choose to homeschool and you GET no services from us (despite paying the same exorbitant school taxes as everyone else). However? You are still financially required to PROCURE SERVICES for your child, per their IEP. And, the underlying threat to this interpretation, is that Child Protective Services will be sent to your home to make sure that you ARE NOT NEGLIGENT!

When my autistic spectrum son was receiving OT, PT, speech therapy and social skills training multiple times a week, at the going rate, I would have been responsible for over $1,000/week in services. Needless to say, the option of home schooling would have been removed from our grasp. Additionally, without a home schooling option, my ability to effectively advocate and provide alternatives for my children would have been severely impaired–in short: unless I had the money for an appropriate private school, I would be denied ANY choice beyond what the district would be willing to offer!

Gah! I get FURIOUS just THINKING ABOUT IT!

(But thank you again for mentioning my blog :)

]]> By: someone in NY http://melissawiley.com/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6140 someone in NY Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:46:58 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6140 You are correct in that the federal law is that every child in school will receive, for free, any special services that they need, e.g. PT, OT, etc. The rules are that the child will be pulled from most any class to be seen by the therapist. Here's the interesting thing: Orthodox Jews in NY - not the biggest but one of the most powerful voting blocs - managed to get that altered to suit them. They did not want their (many, many) kids being pulled out of Yeshivas, so they are the only ones who get services at their homes, after school hours. So homeschoolers should 1) find out what's going on in the Orthodox Jewish community and 2) yell as loud and long as you can to Spitzer with as many voices as you can find. It works; learn from them. You are correct in that the federal law is that every child in school will receive, for free, any special services that they need, e.g. PT, OT, etc. The rules are that the child will be pulled from most any class to be seen by the therapist. Here’s the interesting thing: Orthodox Jews in NY - not the biggest but one of the most powerful voting blocs - managed to get that altered to suit them. They did not want their (many, many) kids being pulled out of Yeshivas, so they are the only ones who get services at their homes, after school hours.

So homeschoolers should 1) find out what’s going on in the Orthodox Jewish community and 2) yell as loud and long as you can to Spitzer with as many voices as you can find. It works; learn from them.

]]> By: patience http://melissawiley.com/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6139 patience Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:20:33 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6139 That's appalling. I can't fathom a government that would say this is okay. That’s appalling. I can’t fathom a government that would say this is okay.

]]> By: KC http://melissawiley.com/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6138 KC Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:27:26 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6138 In our school district (I can't say for sure for the others), homeschoolers are denied those services as well. It's okay for us because our insurance pays, but I'm not sure how others do it. I've never realized that IDEA was supposed to provide those services (not that I'd want it as our school services are WAY below par). In our school district (I can’t say for sure for the others), homeschoolers are denied those services as well. It’s okay for us because our insurance pays, but I’m not sure how others do it. I’ve never realized that IDEA was supposed to provide those services (not that I’d want it as our school services are WAY below par).

]]> By: Laura http://melissawiley.com/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6137 Laura Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:10:04 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2008/01/22/new-york-set-to-deny-special-services-to-homeschoolers/#comment-6137 Anecdotally speaking, the climate for homeschoolers in NY seems to be growing more hostile. Could be just hysteria in the air, but I've heard about more and more CPS visits and reports, issues with districts, you name it. We plan on moving from NY as soon as our oldest is in fifth grade, the grade when you must submit standardized test results. But since we live here right now, I think that I'm about ready to write to the Governor, too. Thanks for bringing attention to the issue! Anecdotally speaking, the climate for homeschoolers in NY seems to be growing more hostile. Could be just hysteria in the air, but I’ve heard about more and more CPS visits and reports, issues with districts, you name it. We plan on moving from NY as soon as our oldest is in fifth grade, the grade when you must submit standardized test results. But since we live here right now, I think that I’m about ready to write to the Governor, too. Thanks for bringing attention to the issue!

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