Andrew Valdez Roster # 23

Case Study: Amy Rothman

1. The major arguments that Nathan don’t attend this course is that a free, appropriate public

education doesn’t cover college courses. Especially when other students who do attend

college course at the high school are paying for them on their own dime. Also, by putting

him in this class, it would force Nathan out of Amy’s class where he has shown improvement

in structure and organization. At the end of the day the IEP is believed to be appropriate by

the IEP team.

2. I would side with the IEP team. I believe the arguments they stated stand up to the

requirements by law. There’s no reason to not work towards still enrolling Nathan in this

class as per the psychologist’s suggestion. However amending the IEP does not seem to be

the appropriate decision.

Summary:

• Amy Rotham is the resource teacher for a large inner city high school that has divided

itself into 4 “academies” in an attempt to foster a “small-school atmosphere.”

• Amy is sitting in her room when a student, Jason, tells her about an incident he witnessed

at lunch. Nathan Worth, one of her students, was being bullied at lunch by some kids who

called him “retarded.” Principal was there and intervened immediately.

• Nathan is autistic. IQ of 140, skipped a grade. Very Smart. Photogenic memory.

• When Amy saw Nathan later that day, he was reluctant to her about the incident. She

goes about the period, checking in on other, and when she returns back to Nathan to find

an enveloped from Nathan’s mother asking to set up an IEP meeting, so that Nathan

could be enrolled in a college Intro to Physics class.

• Nathan’s mother seems to be very controlling. Has already been a bit of headache for the

district, when she was against weening Nathan off the resource room.

• The sense is that the district director of special ed. Donna Caldwell does not like Mrs.

Worth, and will be trying to blow her off.

• Mrs. Worth shows up with a lawyer. In her opinion all of the resources have been focused

on Nathan’s autism and not his giftedness thus forcing the school district to pay.

• Donna replies by stating that giftedness does not necessarily fall under the FAPE

provision. She goes to explain that because of what school Nathan is at (inner city), this

college class is going to happen (costs $1300). Nathan is already in honors class, and they

accept students getting college credit, but the school doesn’t pay for it for any other

student.

• Mrs. Worth is willing to have Nathan drop the resource class. She doesn’t believe the

social skills has been trying to teach are doing any good.

• Psycohlogist on the IEP team suggests not amending the IEP but still working to allow

Nathan to take the class (not on the school’s dime). Lawyer chimes in with legal talk.