Speech Therapy Needed in Allen (Or McKinney/Plano) Area

It is AISD's responsiblilty. You need to go higher up on the food chain. Call the Superintendant if necessary. There is legislation in place that ensures that your son will get the services he needs.

They don't want to pay for it and they don't want to send anyone that far out. Too bad. It's not up to them.

My son goes to private school in Richardson but we are PISD. They wouldn't even offer to provide services even though they know and I know they are legally bound to do so. I belive that it is the responsibility or your home school (public, not private).

Don't back down. You are the best advocate for your children.

Good luck!

I think law has recently changed. Any child elementary plus(exlcuding preschoolers), who attends a private school in a different city then they reside, has the right to receive servies in the city they attend school. That is if they meet eligibility. They will receive services under what they call proportinate share. There is a set amount of proportinate share funds for the year, to be split by all who participate that year. Once funds are out for the year, that is when services will end for proportinate share students that school year. You are also responsible for taking your child to a designated school campus to ger services. Jane Kellum is the director of Mckinney ISD speech services and proportinate share services. You can reach her at ###-###-####

Hi C.,

We live in Richardson and are in the PISD. My son has received speech therapy through them for 3+ years. He will not be going to a private school in Richardson this year. When I spoke to his speech pathologist in PISD at the end of the year she says the rules regarding this changes every year. For instance, last year the rule was that the public school system for the city in which your child attended private school had to provide the services. I haven't checked with her yet this year to see what the rules are for this year.

I would contact both public school systems. Before either provides you services they are going to do an evaluation of your son to determine if he meets the criteria for receiving speech services through the public school system. If his speech impediment is not severe enough he may not meet their criteria and then not be offered services.

Keep on it and don't back down. It is sometimes hard to do, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil and I have found that out myself the hard way in working with the public school system.

Good luck!

I am a speech therapist living in Allen; my daughter goes to a private school in McKinney, where I do some speech work with the kids who need it. You have been told incorrectly if you are being told that you need to get services in the district where your child goes to private school. You are legally the responsibility of the district to whom you pay your school taxes. Also, this would mean you would have to pick him up, take him to speech at his "home" school, and then return him to school on the days he received speech from your home district. They are not required to offer services outside of the school day, or at any other location. That being said, if the problem is only "mild", your son may not "qualify for services" based on evaluation results indicating just a lisp or small problem with s/r/l. You would likely not qualify for speech services in any school district, because their mandate is to provide speech services for kids whose speech and language issues interfere with their educational abilities - sounds like his do not. In this case, your only option would be a private therapist. Maybe your school (private) contracts with someone, or has a parent speech therapist that does speech therapy on the side??

The public school where your son is attending private school is responsible for providing speech. However, if is speech problem is that mild, they may find that he does not qualify. But McKinney ISD should still test him.

L.

C.,

I don't get why AISD would say that it's MISD's responsibility. You pay AISD taxes, what city you choose to take your son to school in has no bearing on where he gets help. Your son should be eligible for what is called "proportonate share". It is through the school district but funded by the Federal Government. You need to push the issue with AISD soon, b/c there is a deadline and last year it was in September!!

I take my children to North Texas also. I think you should call Toni Young and see if she can help you. She knows a lot about the system, and I'm pretty sure her husband works for AISD also. I bet you she can at least hook you up with who you need to talk to. She was a great advocate for my son last year and was willing to do what she needed to help us out!!

I know all this is frustrating, good luck!!

My son attended a private preschool and elementary in Richardson (we live in Plano). He received speech therapy from PISD during the time he was in preschool but did not during elementary school (Mainly because of logistic. It was impossible to get him from Richardson to Plano during school hours.) Also during this time he had a private therapist who came to the house. I personally do not think the PISD therapy did much to help him but considered it reinforcement. I believe it is the home district which bears the responsibility to meet any child's needs. I cant remember what is is called but there is some law regarding this.Your home district is trying to pass the buck-as usual you are your child's only advocate so please continue to push for his needs to be meet! Good luck!

Special ed law changes often so you might just want to sit down with someone from AISD and go over their current policy. It's my understanding that if you needed assessment, MISD would do it but AISD would do any allowable intervention. But I don't think you are necessarily guaranteed special education services. To be assured of services, your child has to qualify according to school criteria and attend public school. Most districts also provided limited services to children in private schools but they are often on a first come - first served basis. I would sit down with AISD, go over all of this, and see what they have available. Good luck!

go back to AISD with your Allen tax statement and ask them again about assistance and what is the deal....
Allen has awesome special ed. dept.!