Principal’s Weekly on mandated services and ramifications for not providing services

A spring 2015 Principal’s Weekly reminded principals that IEP-mandated services for students are not to be canceled except in extraordinary circumstances.

The Principal’s Weekly reminded principals that the programs and services on a student’s IEP — such as related services that include speech, occupational or physical therapy, and counseling — are legally mandated and necessary for the student to make progress in school. Therefore, providers of these services must serve each student as mandated and may not be assigned to other duties that would prevent them from doing so, except in extraordinary circumstances. An extraordinary circumstance is one that cannot be foreseen by a principal or a school; our interpretation is that this is a snowstorm or widespread illness.

We must ensure that our students get their services. If you are prevented from seeing your students regularly, you must report it formally to the school’s administration and your OT/PT supervisor. You can also discuss it with your school’s chapter leader and reach out to kevangelista@uft.org. In addition, you can complete the online special education complaint form. Your complaint will be handled by Carmen Alvarez’s team of experts. Feel free to discuss any of these issues with us to see the best steps for your individual situation.