ARD Meeting Thoughts

On Friday October 7, 2011, I attended an ARD on one of my students.  It was an annual ARD on a student that has been diagnosed with Autism.  The principal, SPED Director, classroom teacher, SPED coordinator, and the parent were in attendance.  The SPED teacher that normally works with the student was not present.  An issue that occurred before the meeting even took place involved the coordination of the meeting.  The ARD committee members were not all notified in a timely fashion which caused a conflict for the SPED teacher to not be able to attend.  Throughout the meeting, each aspect of the IEP was discussed.  Somethings I think would have better been explained during the meeting with the SPED teachers being able to explain.  Fortunately, the parent, classroom teacher, and SPED teacher collaborated well during the year, that issues or confusion were minimal.

After speaking to the SPED coordinator that stood in for the meeting, I was informed there were questions that were asked by the SPED Director to the teacher that were unjustified.  For example, modification and accommodations in the classroom should not have been asked when a list of modifications and accommodations were provided to the SPED Director during the meeting.  During the meeting, the classroom teacher informed the committee that math grades would be given through the SPED teacher, but grades would be coordinated with the classroom teacher.  The teacher was informed that this information was not necessary by the SPED Director.  Speaking with the SPED teacher the following school day, the SPED teacher informed the teacher that this information is important to be relayed during the ARD.

As a teacher, the information that should and should not be relayed are confusing.  Further investigation from the principal will be done to clarify what is a teachers responsibility in an ARD?  What is the SPED Director allowed to ask?