Closing the book on Kael's IEP

I spoke with Kael's special ed teacher Friday, and she, along with Kael's regular teacher, are suggesting that he be dismissed from his IEP. 

I immediately talked with Kent about it and showed him the Social Skills Rubric his teachers have used in observing Kael.  We could both clearly see that Kael was exceeding the goals that we, as a team, had set for him last April. Kent's first words were, "Don't you just want to give him a big hug? And celebrate?!" And I do.  I am so proud of Kael for all he has done and how hard he has worked.

So, today I went in and met with the teacher so we could talk a little more about the next step. She looked at me and said, "Laura, this is a huge success.  Kael is doing so well- he's not at all discrepant from his peers socially or academically."  She continued, "It doesn't make sense for us to keep collecting data when Kael is continually meeting his goals."  She paused.  I must read like a book because even though I was hearing what she was saying, I was thinking about something else. "You're worried," she said matter-of-factly. Well, yes. We are switching schools next year (boundary lines are changing due to another elementary school opening) and I am really nervous about sending Kael to 2nd grade with no help, no support system, no reason for me to e-mail the special ed teacher at the new building anytime I feel. Not only that- it's only September! Kael has the whole rest of the year to get through at his current school without his IEP.  "Laura, you can e-mail me anytime you have a concern about anything- I'll still be available and I'll still pop in and see him sometimes.  He just won't have this IEP anymore.  That's really the ultimate goal of this whole process anyways, right? To have him independently go about his day? Well, he's doing that.  And he'll keep doing that."

She was right.  And Kent and I are on board with this whole IEP dismissal thing...but that doesn't mean I'm not going to worry.  Because I still see him forgetting things.  I still see him struggling to stay on task.  But I'm learning that it's all about my lens.  I have held Kael to a very high standard and realize that sometimes I'm too hard on him.  I've been volunteering in his classroom once a week and I've noticed that all the other kids forget things sometimes. I've noticed that all the other kids aren't staying on task all the time. I've noticed that other kids blurt out answers without waiting to be called on.   I've noticed that Kael is more or less one of them. 

Dismissing Kael from his IEP does not make him any more or any less autistic.  It does mean that he's learned to cope when things are difficult and to do what he's expected to do.  And you know what? He's going to be just fine.  Scratch that.  He's going to be great.