Maggie: My ADHD son attends private school. I am beginning to think he’s not being challenged enough but there the school doesn’t do IEPs so there is no tracking mechanism to show how he’s doing. I’ve requested testing to see the skill level and I just get told that his student skills still require him to be where he is. Suggestions on how to get the school to show me where he truly is academically?
Because your child’s school “doesn’t do” IEPs does not necessarily mean they do not monitor students’ academic progress. You might want to schedule a conference with the teacher(s) and administrator to ask questions such as:
What assessment tool/method does the school use to determine students’ skills in reading and math at the start of the year?
How did my son’s performance compare to what is expected for a student his age?
What strengths/weaknesses were identified for my son in reading and math?
What tool/method is used to track progress throughout the year, and how often is it administered.?
If the staff at your son’s school cannot provide specific and thorough answers to these questions you might want to consider whether his current school is right for him.
My question to you is why keep him in a school that is not challenging for him and is not working with you to monitor and track his progress with appropriate assessments? Another option is for your to have him independently evaluated at your expense. If you continue to go the route of private schools, know that an internet research will give you a wide array of good private schools that can truly challenge your son. Will they monitor his progress (like with an IEP)? Probably not but the curriculum, the rigor and extracurriculars may help him in many ways. There are private school associations and consultants that you can work with. Or, look at charter and magnet schools in your area.