The biggest lie school districts and CSEs tell parents of children with special needs is: “We can’t do that because we don’t have that [or don't typically do that] in this district.” Whatever “that” is.
Whether it’s:
We do not have any 12 kid classrooms without kids with behavioral issues.
OR
We don’t provide 1:1 tutoring after school.
OR
We have never offered speech/language services 5x/week to any child.
NONE OF THIS FLIES....
The United States Supreme Court has made clear: your district must develop a plan that is appropriately ambitious in light of your child's circumstances. That is a fact specific inquiry. The team needs to look at the current facts as they relate to YOUR child and ask themselves:
What does this specific, unique child need in order to make the kinds of progress he/she should make (or is expected to make) given his/her strengths and weaknesses?
NOT:
What do we have available?
Or
What do we want to pay for?
Or
What have we done for other kids in the past?
DO NOT allow your district to get away with saying "NO" because they've never done it before you or because they currently don’t have the staff available to do it. FIGHT BACK.