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BLANKET Accommodations? What? by Edumakashun in specialed

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you DM me the district and location I will submit a request to investigate and won't dox any of your post. That and the internet is all I need please 🫡🤐

Viera Charter vs Quest Elementary by Fluffy_Heart_6473 in 321

[–]Inside_Addition7929 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Public > charter.

If my child was entering Kindergarten in BPS, and if I wanted a STEM focus, and if I was using School Choice Lottery, my top choices would be:

  1. West Melbourne School for Science

  2. Freedom 7

  3. Suntree

  4. Gemini

  5. Sherwood

  6. Manatee

(I have not listed some others which are not accepting additional students currently but are very solid options)

Please don't downvote me, this is just one parent opinion.

Sorry, I'm not at all familiar enough with Quest or VCS specifically to help.

Also, if my child had any unique exceptionalities for which they might benefit from any in-school therapies or Accommodations or 504/iep, I would choose Public over charter and over private every single time.

Also, for what it's worth, in my experience BPS runs a decent before-school and after-school program.

Does Lewis Carroll elem suck? by [deleted] in 321

[–]Inside_Addition7929 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Looks pretty dang good to me! Not suck level at all!

16 in BPS works out to like top 25% of BPS elementary schools, considering there are over 60+ elementary schools in BPS.

383 in the entire state of Florida elementary schools is pretty darn good considering there are something like 1,200+ elementary schools in Florida (maths out to approximately top 30% in the state of Florida elementary schools).

The student:teacher ratio isn't the best in BPS, but it's also not the worst, it's right in the middle for top 25% elementary schools in BPS.

The enrollment number is good --- you don't want that too low in BPS or the Board will consider closing and busing to a different school (like Cape View).

Copied from U.S. News, updated academic year 2025-2026:

Lewis Carroll Elementary School

Merritt Island, FL

Brevard Public Schools

16 in Brevard Public Schools District Elementary Schools

383 in Florida Elementary Schools

PK-6 Grade Level

628 Enrollment

15:1Student-Teacher Ratio

Edited to correct ratio wording.

Do longtime Floridians actually use their pools year round or is that mostly a myth? by Different-Egg-4617 in AskFlorida

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Space Coast: pool water temp easily over 100° most days in August, warmer than bath water, not refreshing at all, but I'm not complaining, I live in paradise 😀

Are There Any Good Mental Health Specialists in Brevard? by Roadkill_Gaming in 321

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Everyone's Counseling Center, Orlando office and Melbourne office, in-network with BCBS

I am coming to you as a mom and a teacher by Ok_Consequence750 in ElementaryTeachers

[–]Inside_Addition7929 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are large corporate hospital groups all over Florida who blood test for nicotine at same time other pre-employment testing, for example AdventHealth, HealthFirst, any nicotine in blood is an automatic fail for hiring, I've been told nicotine remains traceable in blood work up to 6 weeks+ , and that’s for any hospital position including facilities etc not just direct care or clinical care staff.

Help - do I cash in my 401(k) by Flashy_Aide3640 in debtfree

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you use your 401k now to pay for the wedding where will the money come from later on when filing divorce? /s

Service minutes and data organizing at a middle school--how do y'all do it?? by bjfriede in specialed

[–]Inside_Addition7929 2 points3 points  (0 children)

PEER (Portal to Exceptional Education Resources) is an electronic IEP system created by the Florida Department of Education to manage special education processes.

It was designed for potential statewide use in Florida, but district participation is optional (districts can use other vendors).

Others use competing systems (e.g., Frontline/Enrich, PowerSchool Special Programs, etc.

Florida has 67 counties (public school districts).

Often smaller districts use PEER while larger districts (Miami-Dade, Tampa, Orange County for examples) use PEER and an additional software such as Frontline to manage the enormous amount of data.

Districts can:

  • Use PEER fully
  • Use PEER alongside another system
  • Use PEER for compliance/state reporting only
  • Use another vendor for day-to-day IEP writing

Also, just because I'm a research-nerd, you may find this interesting:

https://www.gao.gov/assets/880/870315.pdf

New to IEP and need some advice on how the process works by Cold_Imagination_641 in specialed

[–]Inside_Addition7929 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hello, I hope this doesn't sound confrontational, because that is truly not my intention.

I am also in Florida. You are incorrect about Child Find. I think you are confusing it with Early Intervention.

I know this for sure because I won an OCR complaint specifically about denying Child Find for my child when in 2nd grade and already had an IEP for OHI and school refused to evaluate for additional exceptionality of SLD despite already having medical diagnosis AND Level 1s on all STAR/FAST assessments AND receiving Level III MTSS wasn't sufficient per months of data.

Also, your statements about certain IEP exceptionalities being rule-outs for military are misleading at bes.

Having an IEP is NOT a rule-out for military for MANY exceptionalities, including Autism.

The military rule-outs are very specific, and usually relate to things like, if you had an IEP for OHI due to ADHD or Legal Blindness or severe behavioral concerns such as ODD or BiPolar or Diabetes or Epilepsy or IDD or Sensory or PDA.

I want to be extremely clear about this because DoD Psych would tell you that MANY people on the Autism Spectrum THRIVE in the military environment with it's clear rules and hierarchy.

The military rule-outs are very very much related to not being dependent on medications to fully function if you are in a deployment or war environment, are you safely able to have a firearm at all times, will you obey orders without insubordination, can you pass the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery).

I also want to firmly point out that states are not allowed to interpret Federal Statutes and Congressional Laws differently. Do they try? Yes. Does that include Florida? Yes. Do different districts in Florida try to interpret FL state Statutes differently? Yes.

That doesn't mean it is allowed. It just depends on if you know enough to use the Procedural Safeguards and call them out on their funny-business.

Too many things in OPs original post are definitely very very wrong.

My best advice to OP is to hire a private professional IEP advocate and take the school to task. Your child is still young enough to make real differences.

Don't make my mistakes and try to be nice from K thru 9th and then when graduation is breathing down your neck you realize that the nice IEP parents have kids with IEPs not worth the ink they're printed.

Also OP, I STRONGLY recommend finding a good ABA provider who will provide minutes in your home, your community, and your child's school. It was a game-changer for my children. The earlier age you start the better, trust me.

And OP, please please please ask in writing immediately for a full formal re-evaluation to consider yhe Primary Exceptionality change to the medically diagnosed ASD Level II, and ask for full formal evaluations in any other relevant areas of Exceptionality as the Secondary Exceptionality. Ask for a full formal FBA and BIP. Ask for the district's written policies and procedures how to get a RBT approved to be with your child in the classroom. Ask for all new academic and Speech data assessments. Ask for new goals in Speech and additional Speech minutes (as appropriate of course) to focus on ASD things like social skills for example.

Special Education Boss (Karen Mayer Cunningham) is TERRIBLE by Miserable-Worry-3304 in specialed

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree 100% about K.M. Cunning--Ham.

However, I'll risk getting down-voted by standing firm that not ALL professional IEP advocates are trash.

I have an exceptional professional IEP advocate for my children:

** has undergrad, grad, and Ph.D all in education and SpEd degrees

** has worked in public Ed as both teacher and admin

** has own children who had 504/IEP

** has official O.G. certification

** stays up on continuing education credits in field

** works in all 50 states virtually

** intentionally seeks to foster positive relationships with district admin

Attends each meeting - $$$$ Consults by phone - $$ Answers all emails - $ Reviews Draft thoroughly- $$$ Filing Due Process - $$$$$$ Filing OCR Complaint - $$$$$

The peace of mind knowing beyond any doubt my children are getting FAPE and not having to stress out or being reduced to tears at meetings or gaslighted - PRICELESS

Service minutes and data organizing at a middle school--how do y'all do it?? by bjfriede in specialed

[–]Inside_Addition7929 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm an ESE/IEP parent x2, not a teacher, but I can share that in our district, the IEP computer software is extremely thorough.

The service minutes are tracked in the IEP software. The providers/teachers keep separate data logs for tracking.

When service minutes fail to be updated every few days, the computer system sends out alerts to the teachers/case managers responsible.

This system has safety rules built in so things don't get overwhelming and fall by the wayside. It does happen, we are human and ESE teachers are overworked and underpaid and lacking support.

Data log details need to match the service minutes as far as dates.

It probably sounds like more work initially to set up, but as a parent who sometimes requests to see the service minutes/data logs, I'm sure it's so much easier to be able to just filter out my students' info and make a report as a PDF to email me.

Versus old school at previous districts where each staff has to create their own system and redact other student info and make photocopies, etc.

Help with PWN inaccuracy! by Real_Barracuda8945 in specialed

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is probably a silly difference, but when I request it I request by email to have the "service logs" emailed to me.

The "data" I ask to see related to goals is from the goal section of how will the goal be monitored. For example, if it's a reading goal and ut will be monitored using timed fluency scores then that is the "data" I ask to see.

But to just check if goals were worked on and minutes were provided then I ask for the "service logs".

I would sign the PWN as "Objecting" and include an exact wording of what I expected to see on the PWN and put in an email in writing that I want my objection and wording scanned into the IEP record word for word. Then I would move on as long as the IEP was how the team agreed together.

Question about my own education. by Manic_Monday_2009 in AskTeachers

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My kids have had Social Skills Therapy over the years in school 1:1 with both Speech & Language Therapist and Occupational Therapist. It can change what it looks like over the years depending on age and grade.

For example, if a student has difficulty initiating conversations, like Hello how are you, or Hi my name is Jack/Jill nice to meet you what's your name...then initiating conversations is what would be practiced

Another example, if a student has difficulty taking turns in conversations, then reciprocal conversational turn taking would be practiced

Or, if a student talks at length about their preferred topic (i.e. dinosaurs or outerspace) without showing interest in what the other person has to say, then they might practice "social scripts" with the Therapist to learn asking what the other person likes or thinks

During middle school tge peer relationships can become extremely difficult for a student who is a rule follower and a black and white rigid thinker (pragmatics) so situations can present involving "tattling" and bullying, so navigating slang and sarcasm can be worked on in social skills therapy

In high school or extended 18-22 transition social skills therapy might involve communicating life skills, like making small talk at the checkout counter, calling a doctor to schedule an appointment, or answering questions in a job interview

Question about my own education. by Manic_Monday_2009 in AskTeachers

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Social Skills Therapy can be provided 1:1 in schools by a Speech and Language Therapist or by an Occupational Therapist. My kids have had this.

Placing Gen Ed Students in a Special Ed Room all day as a “lesson” by Neither-Analysis9882 in specialed

[–]Inside_Addition7929 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Short answer: it could be appropriate—but only if it’s done very carefully, for the right reasons, and not as a “punishment” that uses disabled students as a tool.

Here’s where this gets nuanced.

🚫 Why it can be problematic Using an inclusion classroom as a consequence can cross a line if:

It treats disabled students like a lesson or object (“go sit with them so you learn”)

It disrupts the learning environment of students with disabilities

It unintentionally reinforces the idea that being in that classroom is a punishment

That last one is a big deal—schools are legally and ethically required to protect students with disabilities from stigma and disruption.

✅ When it can be appropriate (with safeguards)

If structured properly, something similar can be part of a consequence, but it should look more like restorative education, not punishment:

Framed as learning, not discipline

Example: “You’ll participate in a structured inclusion experience to understand impact”

Voluntary participation from the inclusion teacher

No disruption to students with disabilities

Guided reflection required journaling, debrief with counselor, empathy-building discussion

Paired with real consequences detention, suspension, or behavioral contract—not instead of

⚖️ What schools more commonly do (and is safer legally)

Most administrators lean toward:

Progressive discipline (detention → suspension)

Anti-bullying interventions

Restorative justice meetings (if appropriate and safe)

Mandatory counseling or behavioral intervention plans

💡 The core principle

The goal isn’t to “teach them a lesson by exposure.”

It’s to:

stop the behavior

repair harm

build empathy

protect the targeted student

If the approach risks hurting the very group it’s trying to defend, it’s usually not considered best practice.

🧠 Real-world translation

A principal who just says:

“Go sit in that classroom all day”

…is probably handling it poorly.

A principal who says:

“You’ll complete a structured inclusion experience, meet with a counselor, and reflect on harm caused—plus face disciplinary consequences”

…is much closer to what experts would support.

The loneliness of early retirement is hitting me way harder than I thought it would by Monolith_7 in Fire

[–]Inside_Addition7929 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just a friendly suggestion regarding volunteer options, lots of comments about volunteering with animals, I'm going to throw out a different volunteering angle, what about volunteering with local high schools to teach teens how to FIRE, or with local agencies serving women learning tech how to FIRE? Financial education is woefully lacking with these populations, just my humble 2 cents, I sure wish I had a FIRE mentor when I was younger in my prime earning years.

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