mainstream vs sdc

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This must be the usual dilemma most parents face in deciding which class suits the best for her child. My son(pdd-nos) has always been mainstreamed (now in grade 1 with aide.He has NO behavioral issues inside or outside the class .He will usually day dream or talk off topic or do mostly parallel play which is where the aide needs to intervene.

Hi last annual IEP , he scored low average in maths and oral language. The school wanted to take the aide off and put him in sdc full time but I battled and finally they agreed what i wanted. Since he was struggling in class wth Reading & Math I wanted him to attend sdc for those subjects & rest mainstream which finally they agreed..This is working fine now as he's getting good attention from the sdc class.

I am a firm believer in mainstreaming our kids as they have to face the mainstream world. I know I needed him to learn, in an environment that had the most rigourous ciriculum. My thought was that he will never get there in comparison to the other kids, but rather he learn the fundamentals that are grade appropriate.I know he will never be at par with the other kids. The combination of being in sdc and mainstream seems appropriate but I know another battle is coming up (1st they said 1 hr sdc ,then added another 1 hr and preps which is 60%sdc & 40%mainstream & then full time is what they r proposing for next yr)

I just cannot decide which will be best for him ..I have lost trust in the school as they had pressurized me a lot to give up the aide so wonder who's best interest they have ,my son or saving $$$....

Please help.

What do they claim is their rationale for full time SDC? If it is for off-task behavior I would say that mainstream is the least restrictive environment and he can handle that with an aide for the subjects he has no trouble with.

^^this^^

I want to say that I do believe that some kids should not be mainstreamed. I have come across parents who were so dead-set on mainstreaming that they failed to recognize that it was the worst environment possible for their kid.

That being said, if he is doing well in a mainstream setting with pull-outs for specific topics, that's what the school district needs to provide for him. Period. They don't get to make their own rules here. Make sure you use the exact words "Least Restrictive Environment" each and every time you talk to them about this. Familiarize yourself with the legal buzz-words. It goes a long way in getting what you need for your son.

Make no mistake, most administrators see dollar signs first and foremost. I will reiterate what has already been said - LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. I would also add Free APPROPRIATE Public Education. Ask them to put it in writing to you what their rationale is for putting him in the separate classroom and how that meets LRE and FAPE definitions. Chances are they can't or won't do this because they have no evidence-based reasoning why the separate classroom is less restrictive and/or more appropriate than the mainstream classroom. Also remember that you can challenge them without it coming down to an all out war (though for some folks this is what it comes too unfortunately). I highly recommend finding an advocate who can help you prepare for the next IEP and attend it with you. Since I got an advocate involved, we have gotten what we need from the school where before that I wasn't getting squat. I was worried that including an advocate in the mix would be seen as confrontational by the school members on the team however that has not been my experience. Everyone has been professional and willing to work with me and the advocate.