Special needs parents: your public school will probably not tell you what I am about to pass on to you. I speak from first-hand experience.
When our son, Robert, "completed" his high school education using a modified curriculum in the ASD program, he was "graduated" with a certificate of completion in lieu of a high school diploma and immediately shifted to a vocational training program for special needs adults. We were told that he would not be eligible for an adult education GED prep program until he turned 21; in fact, the dean of students tried to dissuade us from pursuing a GED on the grounds that the exam would be "too difficult" for our son. We were further informed that, if Robert was to remain eligible for services, his ONLY option was to enroll in the special needs vocational training program offered through GRPS; anything else would render him ineligible for services upon his graduation.
As it turns out, these were all LIES.
Over the past few weeks, after being led by the Lord to write to Lt. Gov. Brian Calley to ask for his intervention (he has a daughter with autism, and has a reputation as a special needs advocate), I have been put in touch with individuals within the Michigan Department of Education, and the information with which they have provided me has been eye-opening.
Without going into any details regarding our developing plans or what we hope to accomplish, I want to pass some of this information on to you.
First, under Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE) With Related IDEA Federal Regulations [MARSE (October 2015), IDEA Federal Regulations (July 2010)], if you have a child enrolled in a public high school, they have not yet achieved their high school diploma, and they have an active IEP, they can remain enrolled in the public school (yes - in the HIGH SCHOOL!), continue to receive services, and continue to work toward their diploma until they are 26:
"MARSE R 340.1702 “Student with a disability” defined. Rule 2."Student with a disability" means a person who has been evaluated according to the individuals with disabilities education act and these rules, and is determined by an individualized education program team, an individualized family service plan team, or an administrative law judge to have 1 or more of the impairments specified in this part that necessitates special education or related services, or both, who is not more than 25 years of age as of September 1 of the school year of enrollment, and who has not graduated from high school. A student who reaches the age of 26 years after September 1 is a "student with a disability" and entitled to continue a special education program or service until the end of that school year."
“MARSE R 340.1733 Program and service requirements. Rule 33. (e) The age span for students who are assigned to special education programs, except for programs for students with severe cognitive impairment and severe multiple impairments, operated in secondary buildings attended by students who are nondisabled, shall not exceed, at any 1 time, the age span of the students who are nondisabled in the building, except in high school buildings where students up to 26 years of age may be served....”
Do everything you can to keep an active IEP in place! It is the key to continuing services.
Second, it is the RIGHT of a special needs student who is capable of doing so to work toward a bona-fide high school diploma. Schools began issuing “certificates of completion” to special needs students in lieu of diplomas after the parents of neuro-typical students began to complain that it wasn’t fair that a special needs student received the same diploma as a neuro-typical student when their coursework was modified. Your special needs student has the right to REMAIN ENROLLED in their high school to work toward their diploma, as long as they have an active IEP, until they turn 26. We didn’t know that Robert had that right when we went into his exit IEP, and the school never disclosed that fact; the school wanted to get these special needs students off their hands, so we were never informed about this option. They cannot force you to accept a certificate of completion and place your child into an alternative program. Once you have accepted the certificate option and your child has been “graduated”, there is little chance of re-enrolling them back into high school.
Third, your special needs student is eligible to be enrolled in adult public education to pursue a GED IMMEDIATELY upon being graduated from high school, if you choose to go the certificate of completion route; your child does not have to wait until they turn 21, as we were told by representatives of Grand Rapids Public Schools. As was pointed out to me today, however, most of these programs are general education in nature, not geared toward special needs students. It appears that very few school districts offer a GED preparatory class geared towards special needs students, but this is still an option.
If you have a special needs child who wants to work toward a GED, Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) may be the organization to call. In many instances, they can assist in connecting your child and family with an array of fully funded evaluations and services that will help them achieve their educational, independence, and employment goals. Their number is: 877-901-7365.
Note: this note will likely be something of a work in progress, with updates being offered as we learn more.
