FELLSMERE — A woman with three children attending Fellsmere Elementary, two with special needs, has been denied services for her eldest son since she moved to the area two years ago, she said.
Laura Sanchez said the school claims he’s fine and working at or above grade level with good conduct. But his report cards over the last two years are studded with Ds and Fs in math and reading. He’s getting into fights too, she said, because his communication problems create frustration and he lashes out.
“They are lying and their evaluations are no good,” Sanchez said.
She took her eldest son to be evaluated by an independent doctor about a year ago, since the School District’s evaluators found her son “did not meet eligibility criteria for the ESE (exceptional student education) program.”
The Neuro Network Partners of Weston Florida diagnosed him with “Autism Spectrum Disorder,” and Sanchez went armed with this diagnosis and her son’s report cards to a formal IEP (individual education plan) meeting this week.
She asked Vero Beach 32963 to attend the meeting, as well as a Farm Workers Association of Florida representative, Frank Aquino.
Fellsmere Elementary Principal Ramon Echeverria stopped the meeting and ducked out to get advice from the Indian River School District. On his return he said the meeting would have to be rescheduled until a school attorney could be present, if the press stayed.
Sanchez decided to keep the scheduled meeting and Vero Beach 32963 left.
She called later to say, “I have good news. My son was found eligible to receive ESE services. Now everything is fine. I feel so happy!”
