I’ve been writing my column, Doing Your Homework, for many years.
Parents and teachers ask questions. Sometimes they don’t agree with my answers.
Often, they aren’t willing to do the work it takes.
Here’s a good example of how doing the work will get the results your child needs!
Question: When the school refused homework accommodations on an IEP for her child, a mother asked me about writing a 504 plan to get the accommodations.
My Advice
There is no need to write a separate Section 504 Plan. You should be able to include all needed accommodations in your daughter’s IEP.
Mother’s Response
She sent a heartfelt thanks for the advice.
This is how she “locked in success!”
I provided the school with all of the information you suggested in this article – Can We Include a Health Care Plan in My Child’s IEP?
https://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/can-we-include-a-health-care-plan-in-my-childs-iep/
About 3 weeks before teachers and staff returned to school for Fall term, I gave the school:
- a medical management plan
- a written opinion
- a treatment plan
When we had our start of the year IEP meeting, there was little pushback.
They didn’t cave. They just seemed to realize there was no hurt in giving it a go.
1. School staff at the table expressed very few concerns. It was as if those concerned realized that in order to make their case, they’d have to do a better job of doing their homework than I did.
2. Some at the table realized this plan actually made everything much less stressful on everyone – especially teachers.
3. Our medical and therapeutic support team not only signed the medical management plan, but sent in additional information and letters strongly supporting our cause. I believe that did more than anything else to lock in our success.
Doing my homework really worked!
I thought I was current on the law, accommodations, and strategies for negotiation.
But I did not have a clue how to address my child’s homework problem and the school’s refusal to accommodate.
The accommodations in the plan we agreed on work so well.
My daughter stays caught up on homework and has rarely been more than a couple of days behind.
We hope to carry this format on to high school and beyond.
I have been a follower of Wrightslaw for a long time. I have a special place in my heart for all of you.
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Wrightslaw:
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What is an AT evaluation and can all schools provide it?
It may be helpful for those who are reading this to understand your approach. You gave the staff the information ahead of time (3 weeks). They had time and a chance to truly review your information. I had to do a lot of homework concerning the appropriate assistive technology for my child. The staff members did not have a background or enough of a knowledge base on AT and secured an AT evaluation. More, I did the follow-up homework after the AT evaluation to help the school district as AT changes. It is about collaboration and doing your homework. The AT person in my school district admitted that she did not have the training to keep up with changing technology. We collaborated and it was a good partnership and many students benefitted.