I have two 6 year old children in special ed. so I have some experience and am very concerned with a lot of the changes but 2 in specific:

1) Change of Developmental Delay Age:

Because of the new regs and their expected implementation my children are now listed as learning disabled instead of general developmental delay.  While in the future this diagnosis may be shown to be correct, I highly disagree with it at this point.  My children a year ago tested 1.5 years behind, they recently tested 1.5 years behind.  So they have covered 1 year of material in 1 year.  They may not have caught up to their peers but to me that means they are not disabled, they just started behind and are consistantly learning but not catching up.  Some children are just late bloomers and need so extra time catching up.  If you compare the learning now to when I was in school, everything I learned in K, 1st and probably some of 2nd they are now expected to know BEFORE coming to school and are expected to increase that knowlege.  Yet many scientific studies say children, esp boys are not programed to learn / developmentaly read to learn Language arts until they are 7 or 8 but instead we keep cramming it down their throat and tell them they are disabled if they can't do it.  This does nothing but set them up for failure.  I am afraid for the many kids that will not be able to keep up and can't get the help required because they might not meet the criteria for learning disability because they are just delayed and do not actually have any disabilities.

2)  I am very concerned about any changes that remove the parent from the IEP process.  What is the #1 reason parents give for kids going well in class - parent involvement, yet the school system is trying to take that away from the kids who need it most.  I am sure there is the occassional parent that has conned the school system into getting modifications for a child who does not need it or who may have at one time but does not anymore.  On the other hand, I am sure there will be just as many, or probably many more cases, of school systems who will deny /terminate services, not based on the fact that the kids don't need them but because of budget or other semi valid but illegal reasons.  Yes parents can appeal the decision and some might win but many won't due to financial and time reasons.  And those that do win, the child still has to go through the valuable time of services lost, the upheaval and stress the family is under to fight for those services, etc.  Ultimately studies show that there are too many children without involved parents, and that children with involved parents do better.  Why would the school system fight to keep the parents uninvolved? 

I must say at this point that  my school system has worked with me every step of the way and been very interested in having me involved and listened to my opionions..  But I have heard many stories of parents who are not as lucky.

- E Carwile

Chesapeake, VA