Figuring out what my autistic ds REALLY needs

This may get a little long, but if you are homeschooling a special needs child, I’m hoping you can offer a little support or a few suggestions.  I’m a little too drained to think things through.

I have always homeschooled my 3 children (Almost-13yo dd, 11yo ds, 10yo dd).  The first few years we traditionally homeschooled with various workbooks & materials.  After my husband & I separated, I enrolled them in an online public charter school for a couple of years.  (They were still at home, but it wasn’t the best option.)  During this time, it was recommended by our pediatrician (who kept saying she didn’t think ds had autism) that we take him for behavioral counseling.  We did, and after a few visits, the therapist suggested having him tested….for autism.

Ds was just shy of 9yo when he was diagnosed with mild autism and other issues involving anger and behavior.  Since the online school was a public school, they developed an IEP for him which included weekly tutoring online with a special ed teacher, occupational therapy, and speech therapy (for receptive and expressive language).  He also continued seeing the behavioral psychologist.

This fall, I took all 3 children out of the online public school and began traditionally homeschooling using CM methods and the huge blessing I discovered called the Simply Charlotte Mason Curriculum Guide.  It has been working well, but my son no longer receives OT or SLT.  (Insurance does not cover and I cannot afford on my very part time income.)  I had thought I would apply for the Ohio Autism Scholarship program, but I’ve hit some snags with that.  I’m not really sure I want to move forward with it anyway.

Briefly, the Autism Scholarship Program allows parents to take their child with autism, Asperger’s, or PDD-NOS out of the local public school and either put them in a private school that can better meet the goals in his/her IEP (and the program pays the tuition, up to $21,000/yr.), or they can homeschool them and the program then pays for tutors, OT, SLT, or other therapies specified in the IEP.  It is public money from the Ohio Dept. of Ed. that funds this program.

In order to apply, you must have a diagnosis of autism (we do) and a current IEP written by the local school district (which we no longer do).  So, I contacted the local school district (a large metropolitan district that is failing) and had a really hard time (over a month) getting anyone to return my calls or emails.  Finally, we made contact, dropped off copies of ds’ testing and previous IEP (from the online school), and waited….and waited….was told it could take a couple of months…..so I waited.  After feeling ignored for more than 2 months, I again called/emailed.  Another couple of weeks, then I was told, the IEP is ready; come in and sign it.  Of course, I asked to read it at home first….so I waited for another week or two, then I had a copy.

After all of this time, the new IEP looked like a rubber-stamp of the old one (with minor rewording)….except they completely left off OT and Speech!  They have given me the run-around as to why, I have had supporting documentation sent to them from the OT therapist, his speech teacher from last year has not returned any of my phone calls, and I have simply been ignored since January.  Meanwhile, I have been very busy teaching my son.  He is progressing, but I can’t help but feel that more could be done for him.

Testing must be done every 3 years in order to maintain an IEP, so that would be coming up for him in a couple of months.  However, I am leery of having the local school district do any testing with him.  To be honest, I just had the strangest feeling back in the fall when I went to the district’s admin. bldg. to drop off paperwork.  Also, I am a member of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and they highly recommend against taking any funds from a public school or state dept. of ed. program unless absolutely necessary.

This lengthy discourse leads me to my question:  have any of you simply pressed onward after the original special needs diagnosis without ongoing or periodic testing, and if so, how have you figured out just what your child needs and what he/she doesn’t?  As homeschoolers, we don’t ordinarily write a formal IEP (Individualized Education Plan) as public schools do, but what do you think ought to be established in its place?  Anything?  Or just our own plans as we would set them forth for our neuro-typical children?

I want my son to achieve as much as he possibly can, but I am starting to wonder how I can ensure that is happening.  Any input that any of you have would be greatly appreciated.