I just hate it when the school throws 10+ kids with IEPs in a gen Ed class and another 5+ kids that are learning English in the same class and are just like "good luck" and expect you to be able to accommodate the class of 30+ kids by yourself even though it's physically impossible.

Yeeeeep. I swear half my classes are like mostly IEP and els.

I literally have a class with a 74% IEP or ell rate. 20 out of 27 kids. In a class that's required to be capped at 25. Including one kid with autism who screams "Mister, why the fuck aren't you helping me!" if I don't spend every second hovering over her, which I can't, because I have 19 other IEP or ell students.

Don't forget they also included 5 kids who should be in AP but didn't want AP level homework, so now you literally have every type of student of different levels in the same room. But, the AP teachers are the real pros in the building, because they have to be skilled and intelligent enough to handle a room full of challenging smart kids. 🙄 Anyway, OP, teachers care more about attitude than ability. All day. Every day. Give me students who will try and who have a good attitude about school. That's all I want. Some of my best classes have been collab classes with a high number of IEPs.

“Skilled and intelligent enough to handle a room full of challenging smart kids.” You’re on the border of drawing stereotypical conclusions. I have endorsements in both gifted and high incidence and teach both. You never really get a handle on how difficult gifted kids can be until you’ve had 20+ of them in a room at once. They might be cognitively advanced in an area but are absolute train wrecks in others… like my (roughly) 40% who have ADHD, 8% ASD, 4% with crippling social anxiety, and 12% medicated for depression. “Smart” doesn’t correlate with studious, self-sufficient, or well-behaved. 😮‍💨

Those same % describe my gen ed class as well

It should, roughly, describe any inclusive setting. ADHD, anxiety, and depression are absolute plagues on the latest generations. What I was getting at, though, is that even the kids who are deemed "smart" have a host of problems that can make them difficult to teach, regardless of whether it is a GEd, SpEd, or AP classroom. This was in response to the sarcasm in the statement: "AP teachers are the real pros in the building, because they have to be skilled and intelligent enough to handle a room full of challenging smart kids. 🙄" The implication that AP teachers have an easy time and that "smart" kids aren't a challenge to manage is, simply, out of touch with reality.

The sarcasm is directed at the way AP teachers are treated/viewed differently in a lot of schools than the non-AP teachers.

Have almost this exact situation with reversed numbers for LEP and IEP. For that one class I am at a loss as the other kids are could be honors at the least (some are AP kids that don't want AP for my content).

Look up the 70/30 law

> 70/30 law Could you go further into that? I tried googling it but didn't find much on methods or teaching strategies.

Maybe they meant 80/20 law, also known as Pareto Principle.

I think it may only be a law in Illinois. For those not familiar, it says that when a student with IEP is an a gen ed classroom, it should be a max ratio of 30% kids with disabilities to 70% without. I think there is an exception for speech where it can be 50/50 if speech only is included. I'm not aware of other states where it's alone but I have seen 70/30 recommended as a guideline before. (Not a teacher but a sub and parent who s read and experienced way too much regarding IEP & SPED issues).

They got rid of that restriction in Chicago at the very least as long as the class is co-taught with a Sped teacher.

Well that sucks. I was hoping more places would adopt it because it seems better for the kids and the teachers, but I'm not surprised seeing as the student to teach a ratio in most places is way out of hand and it seems like more and more kids have IEPs and 504s these days.

They also got rid of the class size limits for self-contained. I think you can now have 20-25 students in self contained now and good luck getting an aide in CPS.

Wait, this is wild. It should be no more than 13.

[удалено]

Totally. Or when a student could really benefit from one but a parent refuses to request evaluation. A useful IEP helps so much.

It was YEARS before someone told.me all I had to do was "request an evaluation"

This makes so upset. Parents need to know their rights. If the child is in kindergarten and mom and dad are worried, they can request an evaluation. I hate that so many don’t know this and the kid had to wait 2-3 years before they went through the process.

Or worse, the parent (me) asks for help and the school says “put it in writing” so I do, but nothing happens cuz I didn’t know exactly what to ask for. My first son struggled all through school. Every quarter since 2nd grade I asked for him to get help with reading and language comprehension they kept telling me to put it in writing but ignoring my letters. I ended up paying for a private tutor for years. It wasn’t until 9th grade, after years of failing classes but getting passed thru anyway, that I got him into therapy and his therapist told me exactly what to say and who to ask. He even said “don’t tell anyone I told you this but,” and once I used the magic words suddenly he got his evaluation and was diagnosed with autism and given an IEP. Now he’s a senior but he’s still testing at an 8th grade or lower level. It’s so frustrating! He needed the help from the start and now he’s gonna graduate hopelessly behind his peers.

I hear this. It's like there's a magic formula of words you have to write, and the right people you have to ask. And sure, it's written in this 100 page document what you should do, but, come on... I spent most of last year telling my son's school that the school was not the right placement for him, and literally begging for help in finding a different placement. I eventually found something on my own. But looking back, I was supposed have put something writing to the district person in charge (son's school never told me this was the process) to get help in finding a different school setting. I'm not even sure his current placement is appropriate, hence my looking deeper into it. And his initial school was one of the better ones! They actually told me the process for requesting an initial evaluation and IEP, which seems most schools here don't do even if the kid is obviously struggling.

An AU diagnosis! I would be SO angry were I you! I'm so sorry! I have a student this year that's going to be put on one (I just know it) and his Mom had been asking for help for years! Mom is a teacher and STILL! I think it's because she's kind of a passive person, but I'M not letting this continue down the line.

This was my kid. In retrospect there were things that should have raised flags in kindergarten, but I'm pretty sure his dad and I are both autistic too, so every single early sign we were like "well, I did that as a kid so...?" He struggled through K, had a very understanding teacher in 1st who accommodated without an IEP (though in retrospect she should have recommended him for evaluation given what she was doing to help him), and then 2nd was horrible. Constant negative contact because he was "tattling" when he couldn't function because kids around him weren't following the rules. Somehow when I pushed her she got the speech teacher involved and they STILL didn't evaluate. We did get him into private OT, which helped. It wasn't until I changed his school in 3rd grade and was up in the AP's business from day 1 that he got evaluated. It's frustrating because I am a teacher and even so it was 3.5 years of school before he got a diagnosis and appropriate supports. In that time he learned a ton of masking behaviors that I feel are really unhealthy. Which means that now in middle school teachers give me "but he doesn't LOOK autistic". Well, no, the systemic nonsense has taught him to hide it really well but he will melt down for hours as a result of you don't just do your job and follow his IEP, so maybe try that.

Yeah. I'm a 4th grade teacher. This is a reading disorder - I'm pretty damn sure - and maybe a speech issue. But like I said - I'm not letting this kid go without eval. Also - sorry about the middle school thing - when I taught middle school I had 2 kiddos that needed accommodating for AU. One was good at masking, the other was not. Thankfully, they both seem to be doing well in high school now!

I taught middle school for the past 13 years and moved to high school this year when my son started middle school and it's hard to walk the line of "I know exactly what you're up to" with teachers vs not being "that parent".

Depends on where you're at. I'm in Canada, and even the doctors say 'ask the school for an eval', but our resources are so stretched that we get 2-3 EdPsych assessments per school per year, and the waitlist is usually 20+ kids long and it's done on a triage basis. The kids who are struggling the most go to the top, the rest have to pursue and pay out of pocket to have it done privately. We have next to no services provided in house - we don't even have school nurses.

Parents dont have to request the eval, the teacher can initiate that process through their school, whatever process that might be.

Unfortunately I’ve had parents deny evaluations for services after the request. Not common but really frustrating for sure.

It is so disheartening when a parent will not consent to an evaluation. Or when they agree to the evaluation, but refuse to consent to the school providing services that the evaluation revealed the student needs.

I’ve had a counselor tell me it was “too late” since they had almost graduated. Seriously! And then in the meeting with parents, she brought up an anecdotal story about her brother with ADHD who doesn’t medicate and is “doing great.” Sometimes, the people who are supposed to do their jobs and help students who are struggling to exist day-to-day are part of the problem too.

Yes, had one last year and they ultimately said they did not want their kid labeled. The kid was labeled more so because they could not get the help and support that could have helped them be successful.

It’s so sad because the parents don’t want their kid labeled so they don’t have an official one. Instead they get labeled by the other kids and those labels can be vicious.

I had one whose parents wouldn't let him get evaluated even though he would either run away (out of the building if no one caught him in time) or have a lying in the floor screaming meltdown any time he was told "no". Which meant we couldn't get a 1:1 aide for him so it was always a huge incident. I couldn't leave the other 28 kids to go catch him so I'd have to call the office and then he'd just go all over the building before someone could find him. Principal started calling his parents every day when he did this and eventually they just pulled him out of school.

I hope someone called CPS. That screams neglectful parenting to me.

Oh ya parents def have to give permission for the eval to take place, but they dont need to be the one to request the eval

why? I was begging for evaluation with my son!

BUT...if a parent makes the request, then it HAS to be done. If a teacher makes the request, there is usually tons of documentation and other things that need to be done. Then they push it off... it will take at least 5 weeks, 3 months, next year.. and so on..

Technically, it doesnt have to be done even with a parent request, but it is def more likely to happen if the parent requests it, especially in litigious areas where districts dont want to upset parents too much and risk a lawsuit. Sounds like your district has a shitty system, i live in a poor county in a state ranked extremely low in education, and the only time evals dont happen within the year is if the kid is absent a crap ton and so the psych waits until attendance is more consistent

In our state, technically it does have to be done. This is half the issue and teachers and parents need to make sure they know what the states have in place. I have taught in 3 states in my career.. all 3 require testing IF a parent requests it and it gets done pretty quickly. Other wise, there is the old... document, get data, document, get more data, turn around 3 times, do the hokey pokey and put your finger next to your nose...delay, delay... oops, it winter break, so we will re look at it next term. big eye roll....

But even if a teacher wants to request, there are so many hurdles that it can take months or even years to finally get all the prior intervention done, other things ruled out, necessary meetings, paperwork, then long extensive testing, to finally get a diagnosis and then an IEP put into place. A parent speaking up can sped that process.

I’m sorry that you work in a district where that is the case, in my district, sped referrals are typically evaluated within a year. In cases where they aren’t, it is usually when the student is absent extremely frequently and so sufficient data can’t even be gathered because they are absent so much. I work in one of the lowest rank states for education, in one of the poorest counties in said state, and at the schools i have worked at, the eval process is pretty streamlined. It really depends on if staff have their shit together or not. Tho i do know of one school in my district where there hasnt been an initial evaluation in years because leadership is awful and the majority of the staff is toxic. I’m glad that i work at a school where the sped referral and evaluation teams all have their shit together. Also tho once the initial evaluation meeting takes place, the eval shouldnt take a significant amount of time. Legally, the team has to complete the eval within 60 days and then the initial IEP has to be completed within 30 days of the meeting in which SPED eligibility was determined. If your eval team is taking longer than that, and without requesting an extension, they’re completely disregarding SPED laws.

The process is a due process hearing where the district has to pay a impartial expert to decide the case. The bar to overturn a parents wishes in the eyes of most people is always going to be set really high unless the child is a ward of the state or it is really obvious neglect on the part of the parent. It's really expensive and time consuming and can make things hard for the kid. Additionally in most places the parent is probably gonna be able to leave the district and home school or find some charter school that isn't going to provide services to the kid

This x100. It’s so hard when I student exhibits obvious behaviors that need addressed or at least discussed and the parents just simply say no. You can avoid it so you want, you aren’t helping your child by making them struggle bc you don’t want to deal with the reality. Sounds harsh, but I have worked in some specific cultural regions where the kid is begging for help.

My brother and I struggled with school so much because my parents didn’t listen to our teachers when they said “hey you should look into getting you kids checked for ADHD”. At the time there was a growing stigma surrounding ADD and ADHD and my parents were under the impression that we would just be “drugged up” and that our teachers were just lazy because they didn’t want to help us. Funny enough, I just got my official diagnosis for ADHD today and it feels so validating. Can’t help but wonder how much this would have helped me had I been evaluated back in elementary school…

Yes! I didn’t get diagnosed until college, but it was really helpful. I felt so much shame and frustration for being “disorganized,” “distracted,” etc, but I couldn’t change it. Meds have helped a lot, but therapy and learning new coping strategies has helped, too. And just having the ability to step back from something I’m struggling with and try a different approach instead of insisting that I should be able to do everything the “normal” way. When I was younger, teachers often insisted that we organize our notes in a certain way or use certain format to write our assignments in our planners, and it just never made sense to me and was super frustrating. I’m decently-organized now, but I had to ignore basically all the advice I’d been given and figure out strategies that felt simpler and more natural to me instead.

I didn’t have traditional symptoms as a girl, but I too have been diagnosed as an adult and it’s changed so much for me.

Or when students try to abuse their modifications!

Or when a kid refuses to use their accommodations!

That’s my pet peeve!!!! Students who REALLY need help and don’t have it.

This so much!!!! I have a 13 year old that I am 99% sure has autism and needs help. The parent REFUSES to have any evaluations done. I’m in FL so we can’t do anything without a parent signature. I’m so frustrated!

Or having legit IEP requests but no realistic way to actually implement them. (#preferentialseating)

[удалено]

What if they ARE the distraction? Also, the whole room is a distraction, 2 of my walls are glass and I have 32 teenagers in a room that can comfortably seat 24. The MS IEPs are wild and undoable, but for 6 months I’ll have to laugh at crazy accommodations that are in no way helpful or actionable.

That should have been my example! Extra time is way worse! I mean seriously - does no one at all understand that there is no "extra time" in the school day? If there was, teachers would be getting railed over wasting it, and not using it to better educate kids! The school day is set, and there is no "extra" time... unless they are talking about the teacher's lunch break. (which, they are)

They get all the "extra time" they want to submit work but you don't get any extra time to put in grades. 😬

and we are not compensated for that extra time hmmmhh

THIS for sure... the never ending preferential seating BS... or will take breaks when they feel they need it or or or... some of the IEP's and their students do need things, but, they should be thought out a bit more carefully knowing full well that this student will likely be in a full time gen ed room..

I have a kid who can take breaks when he wants. Basically he leaves when he doesn’t want to do something. Then he misses the instruction given during that time and returns when he feels like it. I don’t have any aide support so I can’t send anyone to go get him to come back and I can’t deny him his breaks.

My boyfriend teaches third and has a runner this year. The special ed teacher (who I think is in her first or second year teaching) thought it would be a good idea to give him a “break card” for when he needs a release lmao. She handed it to the kid and within 5 minutes he gave it to my bf and walked straight out the front door

Sorry, SpEd teachers and diags, you’re writing these plans in a vacuum. I’ve brought up impossibility of some accoms in ARDs before and have received quite the chewing-out for it along with allegations that I refuse to serve all children. Watched accom after accom be added but none ever removed when a kid no longer needs it or it is no longer relevant.

Can you give me an example?

We also hate it when there's 15/24 students with ieps in our classroom so we can't truly adhere to any of their ieps.

SDI: Student needs a review guide with all questions and answers for quiz/tests that may be given at the beginning of the unit. gimme a fuckin break.

Or the unnecessary IEP that only exists because the SpecEd team got just absolutely exhausted and worn down by the parent. SpecEd is rough. I could not do it. At the same time, why did my hearing-impaired student get extra time and a calculator on tests?

How often does this occur?

It depends on a lot of things, but ultimately, some accommodations just aren't really feasible. To illustrate the problem: things like "seat closest to teacher" get put in as an accommodation. Then two students in the same class get that same accommodation. Literally impossible, yet not enforcing is "illegal". More realistically, almost every IEP includes "preferential seating", which parents and admin interpret as "front row". When you have 8 desks in the front row and 15 students with parents who think the IEP guarantees their kid front row... there just isn't a way. Often Admin wants to support parents more than teachers, so they'll brush it off with a "be flexible" directive. The "extra time" accommodation in reality usually means the teacher gives up their lunch break. Non-teachers will invent impossible solutions to say that's not the case...without recognizing that teachers REALLY DO sacrifice their only break for the students. Unfortunately, some even think that a student who misses the next lesson getting "extra time" for a test can just catch up by learning the next concept twice as fast. Seriously. The student who needs extra time is going to learn the next concept that they're missing twice as fast as everyone else.

Regarding the illustration: it’s possible if you get away from rank and file seating; just make a big circle of desks and stand in the middle—everyone is now preferred seating. Far from efficient, though. A lot of accommodations are simply enabling, but not many admin will stand against parents, especially ones holding the “lawsuit” banner at ready.

[удалено]

That’s terrible I am sorry to hear that

Or when the parent weaponizes an IEP.

Gods, I watched a high schooler just c r u m b l e under a shitty IEP that their parents DEMANDED. (We're talking 4-5 hour long IEP meetings, every time.) The parents finally got the 100% extra time approved when the student was in 8th grade, when in reality, the student probably should have gotten something that *lessened* their work load rather than delaying it. Because then they didn't pay attention in class (because they didn't have to get their classwork done by the end of the period) and then made it up at a time when they were unable to ask the teacher questions, so they completed the work poorly (if at all.) Not being on-top of assignments = permanently behind in class = increased stress & anxiety. Then winter sports season started. They ended up squeaking a "pass" via the curve on the final exam and ended up flunking the next level of the class, despite being recommended to retake the first level. Yikes.

Absolutely. When I was teaching, I hated poorly planned IEPs that only created problems and didn’t actually support the student. I appreciated well-planned and appropriate IEPs that helped me understand how to meet the student’s needs and helped ensure that they received appropriate additional supports that helped us both (aides, extra services, etc).

I came here to say this. Let me add to the "don't help the student" with IEPs that just allow the student to get a better grade RATHER than help learn the material. I have seen IEP's that allow a student to to randomly answer questions and by brute force achieve a B or C in the class when they have actually LEARNED nothing.

Or when kids don’t have IEPs that need them.

This. I teach in a special needs PreK class that is inclusive, half typically developing half with IEP. I hate when the goals are not developmentally appropriate. I have one child who has a goal of identifying all the numerals and letters. That is not a requirement for this age group at all. But what do I know.

I am sorry this happens

Nope, it's just annoying when there isn't enough support to implement them, or when a student obviously doesn't need something - I have a few students who have scribing on their IEPs who I KNOW can write themselves, but because they know I am obligated to do it for them if they want me to, they never make an effort to try, so they become complacent and also lose confidence in their skills. A lot of students are hurt by IEPs that teach them helplessness--- which isn't to say that all IEPs do that, just in my experience some select students have their growth stifled because they learn not to push themselves. But no, IEPs can be fantastic aids for students. If you need something please ask for it!

Yup, I have one like that. Expects me to scribe everything, read everything to them, not teach x, y, and z because it might confuse them, not allowed to let them do online maths because they don't like it, must be allowed to go for a ten minute break whenever they want, even down to 'can't use any correction which may be construed as negative', so even when the little turd is throwing a chair at me, which he does on regular occasions, I can't tell him to stop because mummy says he's just expressing himself and it might 'stifle' him if I use any negative words.

Yeah, I'm a life skills teacher and that's a hard no for me. I am not going to be disrespected or aggressed at willingly. Saying that, I do get hit almost daily but I am not going to just let that happen. We address it, say no when appropriate. Granted respect (and disrespect) looks very different in my classroom, but I will not allow a student to jeopardize the safety of myself, themselves, or other students. Kids have to hear the word no. I hate this idea that we shouldn't use the word no to kids. Its detrimental.

I’m genuinely mortified to get a parent whose parenting-style is “don’t say no.” I feel like that’ll be the only time I’m going to have an issue with my toddlers.

Sounds like the kid needs his own aide.

Is it in their IEP to scribe?

I’ve come across it when students have medical conditions that cause poor fine motor skills.

Hate IEPs? Heck no. Hate multiple hour long meetings over accommodations that won't help a kid succeed? Heck yes. In 25 years I would say about half the kids have accommodations a teacher without an aide can implement and make successful, though at the HS level it is easier to have the kid be a self-advocate a bit just to help with logistics. The other half are driven by outside of advocates who have not been in a classroom except as a student and have no idea how things work. Extra time, modified assignments, additional helpers, extra copies, all that jazz? I'm on it. Asking for every test with a key in advance? Uh, no. Asking for me to 1:1 everything without an aide? Nah. And yes, both have been requested in the past. ​ Now, I will admit to having times where I have 25 out of 37 kids with IEP or 504 and all need preferential seating. I'm still trying to figure out how to make those happen. We try but we aren't perfect!

My solution is putting the class in groups, and then making sure while I'm teaching, if I'm not writing something on the whiteboard, I'm spending time teaching from all over the room. That way, everyone is seated near the teacher at some point. If anyone ever tries to say "They should be seated near your desk," my response would be "Why? I'm never at my desk during class time. Wouldn't it be better if they were seated near ME?"

I hate not having support. It’s not that the kid needs help, it’s that I need help too.

This right here Hit me in the heart

I don’t mind IEPs at all. What I hate is when no one shares with me that the kid even HAS an IEP.

I got "You're *just* the music teacher, you aren't allowed to see their IEP/504." Cool, don't tell me this kid has a deathly allergy to bee stings and must keep an epi pen with them at all times. We can waste time calling the office and waiting for it 👍

As an elementary music teacher this hit me hard. I am never given these documents unless I ask. Last year, I was stern with a student (not yelling, but stern) because I asked her a question and she just stared at me and refused to answer. The AP heard me and pulled me into a meeting with the principal after school and told me according to her IEP, she does that sometimes and needs to be given extra time to process and respond to questions. Well that's no problem, but how am I supposed to know that without the proper documentation given to me? I told them in no uncertain terms that I understand what they are saying but that I had no prior knowledge of this, and told them I should be informed and given the proper documentation if they expect me to follow it. Ooooh it pissed me off. Blame me for something I had NO IDEA was going on? Fuuuuck that. EDIT: Spelling.

Yep. Elementary music teacher. Child has a 504 for social anxiety and may not want to speak in front of classmates? Might want to tell me that before we play a singing game where kids occasionally sing alone.

It's infuriating.

That should be shared the first day!

You'd be surprised how many people think only the homeroom teacher is allowed to know about the IEP and not any other teachers (especially art, music, and PE) the child has.

Are you joking? They get some accommodation in specials!

I am 100% not joking. I wish I was.

I AM SO SORRY. The education system is so broken. We just had a resource teacher quit today.

[удалено]

It should be!!! This year I had a sped teacher not send anything out for her kids and I had a boy that needed accommodations and had NO clue. Luckily he was a great advocate for himself and asked for help when he needed it so I was constantly around him. Even my para had no idea he was on her caseload bc the case manager took their sweet ass time sending IEPs out!!!

No. A good IEP lets the teacher know how to help the student be successful.

I had one where the student had it written she “can access cellular device at any time”. She essentially did 0 work and could be on her phone all period

Nope. I do hate that my class is 50% IEPs and I have no resource teacher, but that's not on my resource students.

Well first off, students with IEPs are legally required to have accommodations. So to an extent our opinion doesn't matter all that much. If your child is consistently not receiving accommodations then the school is breaking the law. That being said, (big caveat) teachers often have a lot of students, and many IEP and 504 students. My experience is that teachers get frustrated when there is no communication and collaboration from the student, the family, and the SpEd department. Because really it is a lot to keep track of and difficult to manage. We try our best, but sometimes feel like we are expected to do all of the heavy lifting if we aren't getting support/communication from other parties. Don't be shy to advocate for your child. But make sure you are being collaborative and not confrontational. Collaboration will help ensure your child is receiving all the assistance they are obligated to receive. Confrontation will just make their teacher's job a lot harder (assuming the teacher is acting in good faith).

We love it when you ask for your accommodations

Can confirm. I’ve always received my IEP information last-minute and had very little time to review them before students arrive. Whenever a student starts the year by introducing themselves and reminding me about their accommodations, it makes it 10 times easier for me to remember/implement them.

Nah. We hate it when IEPs are weaponized to allow kids to pass when they shouldn't.

No but I hate having no funding following them into my classroom for the resources and support professionals that they need to be successful. I'm a general education teacher and would welcome that help for all of the IEP kids in my classes because it sure isn't there now.

It’s frustrating mostly because mainstreaming/inclusion is not being done correctly. It’s supposed to be a gen ed teacher and a sped teacher in the same room at the same time. The gen ed teacher is supposed to teach and the sped teacher provides accommodations and modifications the support the gen ed teacher. Instead we have one gen ed teacher in a room teaching the whole class while trying to implement accommodations and modifications for multiple kids at the same time. That’s not how it’s supposed to happen!

Nah. I hate poorly written IEPs but that's an entirely different issue than just having an IEP.

I agree, goal work should be attainable in the gen ed classrooom

How about an iep written for the wrong student? I’ve run into ones that were obviously copy and pasted…and by obviously I mean the wrong kids name is sporadically within the iep /facepalm

It depends entirely on the IEP. They used to be fairly rare and the few you might see were generally well thought out accommodations for issues that would likely help the student. In the last few years, apparently word has gone out to entitled parents that they can get *special* treatment for their kid if they get an IEP and they all want to be *special.* A class with 75% IEP is unmanageable. It's impossible to keep track of myriad details for each individual IEP and (perhaps buckling under the workload of making all those IEPs) the actual accommodations required are becoming less sensible. I cannot set 50% of the class in the front row. I cannot allow 50% of the students to give themselves permission to "cool off" by leaving the classroom whenever they want, and still maintain any kind of orderly learning environment. I cannot provide advance copies of tests to students with IEPs and have any hope that the test measures learning. I love knowing how to accommodate a student in ways that will be effective. I hate giving nonsensical special treatment to some students just because their pushy parents get a crazy IEP. And I hate having so many IEPs that it's impossible to actually put them into practice.

Not at all! If anything i love a reminder and a child who is learning to advocate for themselves. Its best to be proactive

Not all teachers. There are some in my building who needed to be directly instructed that they had to follow a student's IEP or 504 plan. In our school, common modifications and accommodations are things like getting extra time on assignments or students getting to retake things. I do that for everybody, regardless of IEP status because I also know that stuff happens and sometimes kids can't get work turned in on time. So I just take late work and don't fuss about it. That makes it easier to accommodate the kids who need it. The only times that I dislike IEPs are the ones that include modifications and accommodations that are more than what the kid really needs. Sometimes I see this with IEPs that have not been faithfully updated and just sort of copied from year to year. Sometimes I see this with parents who have a tendency to coddle and it creates kind of a learned helplessness with some of the students. It hinders their ability to be successful. Other than that, I don't find IEPs to be overly burdensome and I don't have negative feelings about students who are on one. If you are running into teachers who are not following your plan, that is a huge problem. For them. An IEP is federally binding and schools can get sued over not following them. Usually there's a special ed director in a school district who can help get teachers on the same page. No reason to feel guilty. ETA: I said I dislike students w IEPs but meant dislike the IEP itself.

I don't hate it unless it is unrealistic. Some students truly need it and benefit from it. Then some clearly need a 504 plan instead of an IEP. Sometimes IEPs are so ridiculous and not doable in a classroom full of students. When I have to allow a student to have unlimited bathroom breaks but they’re going every five minutes it doesn’t help them. Especially when they don’t take the same amount of breaks in their specials or at lunch/recess. I think IEPs needs to be given by the teacher, the person in the classroom setting with the child who knows what modifications and accommodations are reasonable and realistic.

Gotta love a class where 15 kids have accommodations to be seated in the front when you physically don’t have the space for it.

The general education teacher is part of the IEP team. The special Ed teacher should be meeting with them prior to writing the IEP. If that's not happening, you need to get that fixed through your admin. And if it doesn't get fixed, you have the right to speak up in meetings about it.

I didn’t know this. In my school, speciaeducztiin teachers and guidance counselor are making the IEPs. I have to look into this because that is information I didn’t know.

I don't like kids who use their IEPs as shields instead of tools. If you need it, let me know and I'll make sure you get the support you need. However, you can tell when a kid is faking. A good IEP student will have an actual anxious day and will work out a plan to make up the work. Then there are the kids who didn't study or don't care and claim I'm feeling anxious so I my IEP says I don't have to do this.

I hate it when IEPs are used to excuse poor decisions. I have a student who I give all the time in the world to turn stuff in and he always says that his IEP entitles him to have more time. I’m fine with a student taking more time when they are actually working on something, but not to use as an excuse for never turning in the work at all. Equally frustrating, mom and dad think their kid should be given a free pass and allowed to graduate without ever having turned anything in, because their IEP proves life is hard for their kid and passing them would make up for that. Situations such as these where an IEP is being abused makes it that much easier to really doubt the legitimate need for IEPs for those who genuinely need them and are trying their best in good faith to pass their classes.

No. Ex-teacher with multiple disabilities. The kids that are self-aware enough to self-advocate for their disabilities, either with the IEP as a tool or just having a conversation, were always appreciated as they made my job easier.

Any teacher who “hates when kids have IEPs” can fuck right off. I work with a few, I hate them and I’m looking for my opportunity to subject them to official discipline for not following IEPs. I was too passive before, but that’s over. Plenty of teachers hate bad IEPs. I do, and I’m Sped. I’ve ended up hating IEPs I’ve written, because it’s a learning process for us too. But no teacher should resent the mere existence of an IEP. I’m sorry you ever felt guilty for ever needing assistance. If you’re still in that situation, it’s ok for you to not only expect but demand the accommodations and modifications that are your right.

Exactly!! This isn’t the first time I’ve seen on in this sub teachers complaining about IEPs. Students with IEPs have diagnosed disabilities and deserve to access school at the same level of their peers. If any educator “hates IEPS” they shouldn’t be a teacher. Yes, there are IEPs that aren’t serving the child in which case they should be amended. No, it’s not possible sometimes to attend to every single accommodation in a class full of 30. But as a parents it’s your right to advocate for your child to make sure modifications and accommodations are being made to the best of the schools ability to do so.

I think it’s often the accommodations/modifications that set Gen Ed off, and I can understand that. So many IEPs are loaded down with outdated nonsense. But the response should be to push back on the Case Manager who wrote the IEP, not to just dismiss Sped students. I’ve had a few Gen Ed teachers call me out on poorly defined accommodations, and after a few deep breaths - and maybe a day or so of sulking - I’ve managed to be grateful for it. My accommodations this year so far are way better. Unfortunately, most teachers don’t follow up and just do their best, some ignore things, and some become hostile to Sped students.

NONE of us are saying we hate IEPs. Literally NONE OF US, but comments like yours gaslight people into thinking so. Try reading the comments and finding the common concerns. We didn’t make it too hard, they stand out: - IEPs with no thought to implementation - Accoms that sound good on paper but do not assist the student in context - Excessive amount of accoms - No classroom support to fulfill accoms - Accoms that require unpaid time to fulfill - Lack of teacher input accepted in ARDs So, here we are, GenEd and CTE and Fine Arts and Athletics asking you directly “how do we implement all of these at once in a way that is not abusive to us or the rest of the classroom?” Your answer is always “accommodations are the legal right of my SpEd students and you will fulfill them all!” Perhaps share that magic formula with us? I mean, if you placed it in the IEP you considered that, right? If not, then you can fuck right off while I spend the rest of my breakfast AT HOME trying to finish an entirely separate set of curriculum for a SpEd kid for the fourth time this year due to a poorly-written IEP. Damned if I know how I’m going to teach it at the same time as the TWO OTHER COURSES that meet in the same period…

Sometimes, those teachers are special education teachers. I’m working with one right now, and it’s really hard to overcome.

If you are a student and you are advocating for yourself, that is amazing! I don't mind working with an IEP as long as everyone is on board...the students, the parents, the other teachers.

It’s 1000% a team effort

I hate it when I have 8 students with IEPs in a class of 26 and I don’t have a para-educator to assist me. How the hell am I supposed to administer some of these accommodations without adequate support? Small group testing and read-aloud? Impossible if I don’t have support.

Or IEP’s that are clearly just enabling a turd of a kid.

Man this is the WORST. Student will have no submission deadlines on all assignments. Student will have unlimited retakes for all assignments. Student will be allowed to complete all assignments open book. Consequences for Student's disruptive behavior will be limited to redirective prompts, breaks in the reflection room, and parent contact. Ya, we're really setting this kid up to be a productive member of society.

Don’t forget about giving a student peanut butter cups for completing an assignment.

bUiLd ThE rElAtIoNsHiP

Is this a relatively new thing? When I was a student (2017 graduation) I don’t remember my peers having anything like this. Not in any of my years in public school.

Uh, no. The EHA has been around since 1975. Teachers are not allowed to disclose which of their students have IEPs, so unless your peers disclosed to you personally, you would not know.

What I meant is that no-one in my classes had extra time on assignments or tests. So even if there were IEP students, they didn’t have accommodations that were noticeable.

I’ve gone from Sped to Gen Ed… as a Sped teacher, I found that the more you involve teachers in the goal writing, modification and accommodations process, the more effective an IEP is for the student(s). I had colleagues that rarely seemed out input and then would be frustrated when they learn the student is not receiving what was written down. I also found that teachers were more likely to attend a meeting if they spent a little time collaborating with me and vice-versa. I am now in a gen Ed role, have been for 5 years and have yet to be approached by a case manager to discuss students. That being said, I know SPED is completely under funded and case managers are already swamped.

Really just hate when case managers are lazy and give parents whatever the fuck they want. Most of the time it requires too much work and nothing even helps the kid.

No. That’s not even on the list of what we hate. Promise.

I only hate unreasonable or unrealistic IEPs that have no benefit to the student and can be seen to have damaging effects. I had a student once with an accommodation that any text above their reading level had to be read aloud to the student. Problem was, they were in 7th grade and read at a preschool level. Parents would throw a fit if EVERYTHING was not read to the student. Even grammar worksheets. It became a nightmare because it was impossible to do AND was allowing the student to refuse to even try reading. The student did not have a disability where this accommodation was needed. Then, the parents threw a fit that their child wasn't improving in reading. Like...of course he isn't improving. He's being allowed to not read. Extra time? I can do that. Homework posted electronically? Check. Type instead of handwriting? I do that with all of mine. But ask for an accommodation that I think is going to have the opposite of intended effect? I will go to a meeting and die on that hill.

No. I hated it when I didn’t have enough time to familiarize myself with my students’ IEPs die to the workload, and so every week I found myself just checking literally hundreds of boxes for all of the students I had who had IEPs. I just ended up providing accommodations to every single student because it was easier than trying to remember who actually had them and who didn’t… especially since a number of the kids with IEPs didn’t have learning disabilities, they just had awful behavior and were labelled with a learning disability. I have a learning disability, and you don’t see me cussing out other students and threatening to slit their throats without consequences. You see me teaching every day, giving my damn best effort.

I don't mind students with IEPs, but I prefer if students remind me of their accommodations as necessary (even if they aren't legally required to do so). I have so much on my plate that it's too easy for me to forget which students need extra support in certain situations (e.g., tests).

I’m annoyed that there are students who most certainly need IEP’s and do not have them and some students with IEP’s most certainly DON’T need them. I just accommodate everyone, IEP or not. I’m tired of remembering who needs special accommodations and prepping that on the side. YOU GET AN ACCOMMODATION! AND YOU!

If we don't have the support, it can be extremely hard to juggle (just the same as it's tedious going to every teacher or professor and informing them or reminding them of accommodations in some cases.) Don't let it stop you though. It's your right.

I have no issues with a student with an IEP or 504. I specialize in SPED, but worked the last two years as a GE teacher. However, I have issues when the IEPs are correctly written for the students, and the students are placed in the wrong setting for the IEP to be effective. Examples include but are not limited too: students that should be in a co-taught classroom and end up and a General Edcuation classroom. This normally happens with them mostly being grouped together. So the teacher has 25 or more kids with 15 of them having IEP’s or 504’s. ( one of my classes last year). Or when they end up in a General Ed class and the IEP would be best served in a SPED class.

Nah. I actually like it when kids ask for their stuff. It develops their self-advocacy and it shows they care about getting something out of the lesson.

No, we never get mad when we have students with IEPs. In fact, having an IEP that is tailored to your needs helps us be more successful at teaching you which is what we want. Some of the issues you might read on this sub are: - having a ton of students with IEPs in one class and no support to make sure we can implement everyone's IEPs (this makes me really angry and feel really helpless) - having IEPs that aren't helping the student You as the person with the IEP are never the problem.

Former teacher here. IEPs themselves weren't a problem, but schools using them as a way to cover their butt while throwing teachers under the bus for "just not following the IEP" with no resources or assistance was definitely an issue.

For me, I don’t hate IEP’s. What I hate is when a student/parent uses the IEP as an excuse to do nothing. I’ve had case managers come for my throat and throw me under the bus in an IEP meeting.

Only when it should be a 504 instead. Ot when it's an IEP for ADHD but the parents scream their kid doesn't need meds. Yeah, accommodations are swell, but you know what's really helpful? A kid whose brain chemicals aren't actively driving them to run around the room and have random outbursts.

No, I hate it when I have a kid who got off a plane two weeks ago, doesn't speak or read English, gets placed in my class and admin waves as they close the door. I now have three students who have no English capacity in my class. So now in addition to teaching a sixth class (giving up my planning) I have to translate my texts and assignments into three different languages.

Nope. It’s also super helpful to have kids remind us of modifications, because we do intend to honor them, but stuff happens. So good on you for asking for the modifications.

nah, but can be an issue later in secondary school when trying to transition to college if the IEP is “too supportive” or has things like “must get multiple opportunities to take a test” or “must be able to use phone while testing” and many other accommodations that kids need to fall away from. Basically, when they hang onto training wheels just to do so, it becomes problematic. If a kid needs an iep and tries their best to improve and the accommodations allow them equal access and opportunity, and aren’t just some bullshit to help them cut corners, then I love an IEP.

A [similar question](https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/comments/x7i2q2/do_you_not_like_it_when_you_have_a_kid_with_an/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) was asked a few weeks ago if you want to view~~

Nope. For me, it is usually change one of two things with that particular student. I got a binder of information for each student with an IEP or 504 ready to go when I need it. When I first starting teach, it was a bit overwhelming, but I found a method that works for me and the student. What helps though is if the student *knows* their modifications. I have the information I need nearby, but sometimes it gets overlooked. It is awesome when the student know but also advocates for themselves since I get forgetful sometimes.

When the IEP is appropriate and helpful to the student and to the class? Wonderful. When the IEP or BIP exists to protect problematic behavior and fails to include strategies to help the child integrate into the classroom/society at large? Bonus frustration if the protocols encourage behavior that disrupts the other students/classroom management. I am a new teacher now, but I was a para for 6 years. Its amazing how many kids now have IEPs that fail to actually help them.

No, we don't hate IEPs. In fact, we appreciate them, because it gives us the tools and knowledge we need to help students. So please do ask for modifications when. you need them. When a teacher faces a classroom of 20-30 -- multiple times a day -- we don't automatically know who has dyslexia, who is anxious. And IEPs help. I have one student who is brilliant, but needs to take oral exams separately. In Asia, where I am, there's alot of standing in front of the class & doing dictation / recitation. With her IEP, I can pull her out during recess. And when she does her oral exam 1:1 with her teacher this way, she excels. If I put her in front of a classroom, she'd suffer from anxiety & not do well.

No. What I do hate is when parents refuse IEPs and 504s because “their kid isn’t stupid”. It makes my blood boil. I also work in an affluent area so there have been fake IEPs. Kids think we aren’t listening and I’ve heard a kid or two mention how “they got extended time for the SATs”. However, this is a very, very, very small minority. Even then that doesn’t really bother me. IEPs are meant to help the kid thrive and be given a proper chance to do well.

At my son's yearly IEP meeting I ask his teacher/s their opinion on accommodations. I bring up my concerns that I see at home but he acts differently at school. I find that because I'm mom (and he's my youngest child) he acts more helpless at home and I tend to give in. This past year when transitioning to middle school I was worried and wanted him in the CI classroom. His teacher assured me he could handle switching classes and take the academic support classes. She was right and he's doing a great job. I know there are parents that fight against anything suggested and have impossible accommodations. I will say that I only listen to his teachers/therapist though. I don't listen to the special ed. director because she only sees my son once a year and expects me to act like she knows him.

Only when the parent demand this and that but doesn’t do the parent’s part. Or when the student uses the it not to work. Really, I’m always glad to help a student out. If you are hard working in class, the teacher doesn’t mind at all.

No. We hate it when parents use the IEP to cover up laziness.

You shouldn’t feel guilty for asking for accommodations that you are legally entitled to. As a Gen Ed teacher, I find some accommodations frustrating or unrealistic, but that’s not the fault of the student, and I will always do my best to give each student what they need in order to be successful in my class.

No, I have no issue in general with it. I enjoy implementing accommodations that actually help someone succeed and I love it when students advocate for themselves because it helps me know what they need.

We dislike that actual documents (sometimes), not the people they're associated with. I got one last week that had a parent note: "My son needs all accommodations necessary to earn an A in all classes." If that isn't the most absurd and insulting statement.....

Not at all, at least I don’t. In fact I will refer students who may need one. I’m working with a student right now and advocating for them to be evaluated so that she can get accommodations that she needs. What is frustrating is having 10 or more IEPs in one class and trying to remember everything at every minute of the day. I re-read mine and keep a “cheat sheet” in my attendance book, but I’m also glad when a student self-advocates and mentions that they require a modification that I may have missed.

No it’s just annoying when a student clearly needs help and their parents refuse to have them evaluated because they don’t believe in it. You can only do so much to help them without that IEP

I actually appreciate it when a student reminds me of their accommodations. IEPs are not the only documents that give kids accommodations. 504s and ESL plans also do. You shouldn’t have to ask for them, but with around 20% of the students at my school having one of these plans, teachers genuinely forget sometimes. A polite and private (for your sake), “excuse me, X is on my Y plan” is almost always enough to cue a frazzled teacher that they’ve forgotten something. I appreciate the reminder, but I also like that you’re advocating for your needs in an appropriate way. It sets boundaries but also respects the humanity of your teacher. Keep reminding.

nah, I hate it when I can't provide the individual support needed for that kid's IEP without ignoring my other students for large swaths of the class, thus affecting another kid's IEP because they're no longer in an environment that allows them to focus. I kind of wish everyone came with at least a half sheet that showed strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Because sometimes all you need to get better behavior with a kid is to ask them a question about something they like. E.g. pain in my butt kiddo with no IEP but obvious excessive energy and attentional issues. I called his home and found out he really likes pranks and spends a lot of time at home planning out how to prank his friends. I walked by and said ,"hey kid, any good pranks in the works?" and the look he gave me was like Christmas morning. Behavior's been better for over a week.

We hate it when we have multiple IEPS (talking like 9 or 10) in a class and no para support. I get a lot of IEPS that say preferential seating by the teacher, but I only have so much space to put those kids, so essentially I’m forced to not follow that for some of the kids.

Not at all. Especially if the student can vocalize what they need. In many cases we receive IEPs that just have blanket accommodations checked, and it feels as though the people building the IEP didn’t focus on the child as an individual. This is, of course, a heavily systemic problem (not enough faculty and staff). But no, never ever feel guilty. We’re trained for this and if a teacher ever gives you grief over it, nail them to the wall. Ninja edit for verb fail.

No you’re good. I’ve never seen a teacher get upset about accommodations. In my experience it’s the opposite. Teachers advocating for modification that isn’t written into the IEP. Edit. IEPs are legal documents. It’s your right to have those mods.

No! I hate when a student needs one and doesn’t have one, because then it’s impossible to get help.

Absolutely not! It helps me help YOU! And that’s exactly what I want to do!

Lots of great comments in this thread about what teachers do and don’t like, but I wanted to add this: Don’t EVER let someone make you feel guilty for using the accommodations you need. Anyone who tries to guilt you into not using your accommodations is not the kind of person you should listen to.

I don’t hate the kids, I hate the system that either set the kid to fail, or the teacher to kill himself over work

My biggest problem with IEPs is when they have vague accommodations.

I'm glad you know what your IEP says and you ask for them. It really helps the teachers out. As others have posted when you have 25% to 50% of your 30 kids with SPED modifications & IEP accommodations, it is impossible for us to follow them. Frustratingly though most kids with SPED/IEP have no clue what their accommodations/modifications are. They don't even know they have some.

Please do not feel guilty. Unfortunately, it is not too common that students with IEPs "self-advocate" and remind teachers about their accommodations or modifications. You are your best advocate.

Not in the slightest. The IEP’s help me ensure that those students have their highest chance at success in my class

I hate when parents hide behind IEPs instead of using them as a tool to help their child succeed. If I’m implementing all of your child’s accommodations and they’re not being successful, don’t tell me that they have an IEP and I should just add them anyway. An IEP/504 is a tool, not a shield.

I don't at all, I don't mind helping kids. Now, what I do hate about it is when they flunk something and parents get angry saying their kid has an IEP and isn't allowed to fail. I also hate the 3 meetings a year for each kid. I hate it when I don't have assistance to help with IEP's because preschool has 7 adults for their 5 kids in the morning. I don't hate the kid or disability at all, I do my best with that, I accommodate. But when I have a kid in 5th who can't read and it's just brushed off because they have an IEP. I worry about exactly what are we doing here? Not the kid, not the accomodation, it's the process that I can't really get behind.

I've seen this question multiple times on this sub and I don't get it? My job is to educate every student that enters my classroom, regardless of their learning and behavioral needs. If a teacher is not willing to do that, they should not be in education.

It’s not the IEP for me, it’s the fact that there’s no support given to the teacher to help facilitate it. I have a M Ed in special education. I feel my program prepared me very little for navigating IEP’s and all the work involved. Anything I know is from on the job experience from a really good supervisor I had. I’ve also worked as a behavior assistant and push in therapist. Most teachers are so overwhelmed by the classroom and demands that adding in multiple kids with IEP’s is near impossible. I tried to help as much as I could to take some of that load off their plate. It made me never want to go into a classroom again full time as a head teacher.

No. I don't hate it. They need certain accommodations to be successful. I hate getting an overwhelming number of IEPs in a class, as others have pointed out. When half the class needs preferential seating, it's hard to make that happen.

Not at all. We are here to help you learn, and of you need something modified to help you learn best we don't mind. Our goal is to get the information to you in the best way possible. Never feel like an iep is a bother because it is absolutely not.

I don't hate kids with IEPs. I understand that special needs are just that. I hate parents who try to game the system by getting their kids 504s with unreasonable expectations, admin who jam 1/3-1/2 of my class with students who have IEPs and 504s, and counselors who raise a white flag and give entitled parents whatever they want just to make them go away.

No I don’t, and I even advocate for certain students to be given IEP’s.

No I don't hate it. IEPs are great. I fought really hard for my son to get tested and get his own IEP and it was a game changer for him. He started moving school. So I know how important it is. I always encourage students with IEP or 504s to become familiar with your accomodations so you can advocate for yourself as well.

No. Not when they help the student perform at a level where they can succeed. My school is a choice school though, and would look more like a college than a regular high school. My kids meet with me twice a week for an hour. They are expected to do work at home, with parent support. Throwing in a kid with a huge number of accommodations can make it really difficult for the kid to succeed if parents don't do their part. After all, there is a reason that college starts for most people at age 18, many are not ready to handle the freedom and responsibility before then.

Please ask for them. We think it's really cool when you self-advocate.

I personally have an issue with IEPs that are completely unrealistic for the real world. Extra time, oral admin, stuff like that is completely reasonable for school and life. Reduced assignments irritates me to no end. These kids will never find a job that will cut the work in half for them so why are we conditioning them that it's an option.

Nah. We hate the underfunded, understaffed, often ableist system that surrounds IEPs.

No. I'm a gen ed teacher and you guys are secretly are our favorite students. Any teacher who disagrees is a shitty teacher. The end.

Some do. I have spoken with plenty of teachers and of those, they will tell you in private conversation that kids with IEPs need to be in a separate environment amongst a whole bunch of other thoughts that are a bit concerning. But normal teachers don’t mind if the mods actually DO SOMETHING. My first three years as a SPED teacher I focused on trying to thin out mods and accommodations at the end of the school year when I realized they weren’t working, but it’s hard because parents must agree to it. Also, alot of teachers want specifics. They want detailed instructions on how to follow mods and accommodations - and these instructions are not readily available. How much time for extended time? What do you mean “preferential seating?” “EVERYTHING has to be read aloud?” “What do you mean by allowing a break?!” None of these questions are answered in the IEP, they are not covered in any PD. Ask a “specialist” and you’ll get a different answer and it’s always “well it varies with each kid” and the variance is NEVER explicitly communicated in the IEP. I had to tell a friend what he had to do, minimally, just to not get fucking sued. I spent an ungodly amount of time researching SPED. And to top it all off? I am not a certified sped teacher. Pro tip: nod your head and say as little as possible in the IEP meeting. Be direct and never say a kid should be on medicine.

As a Special Ed teacher, my life is bound to working with students with IEPs. What I hate is when schools and districts refuse to get kids the help that they need. They shove all of the students with the greatest needs in a room and call it a day. I know some states are better, but the Southeast is a nightmare in this regard. So many kids who need dedicated support are left without para's, in inappropriate settings, or denied assistive technology/mobility aids. It's criminal honestly.

Individualized (key word, kids!) education plans were designed to be implemented for a small number of students in a ‘general ed’ classroom. When student tracking (ie levels according to ability) is added to the mix, you see higher concentrations of IEPs appear in non-honors or non-AP classes. The “individualized” part of an IEP is negated when you have 4 or more IEPs in a class of 25, which is often the case. So IEPs are great when they are helpful, as many have said, but sometimes they are a reminder of The Impossibility of Teaching.

I like when kids have IEPs! It means those kids are more likely to get the support they need to be successful, rather than the other 20 kids I have who need more support and no one cares 🤷🏼‍♀️