Josephine: Our daughter had difficulty learning to read since Kindergarten, often reversing letters in words, but we were told that this was normal for the age. In first grade I voiced my concerns to the teacher. At the beginning of the year the first grade teacher told me that it was normal but by the end of the first grade school year, she told me that though our daughter was at reading level, she had placed her in an ICT class as part of the gen ed population of the class.
A private evaluation by a neuropsychologist for our daughter, who confirmed that our daughter had dyslexia.
We requested an IEP at the start of the second grade and brought the results of the private evaluations; however the school had another psychology evaluation and the results were very different from our private evaluation. Took a whole school year to determine that our daughter would have an IEP, be placed in an ICT class and be given three sessions of reading help.
Final weeks of the 3rd grade school year, we had our annual IEP meeting where special ed teacher had requested a re-evaluation to declassify our daughter. And in fact, the special ed teacher had discontinued the 3 wk reading sessions with our daughter a few months ago and that our daughter is at reading level and doing well. In her words, to continue the IEP would put the school out of compliance, that there were no other goals for our daughter to achieve.
We have seen improvements in my daughter’s ability to read, however she still has her struggles in reading as well as in writing.
1. Were the teachers allowed to discontinue services (the 3 sessions) without informing the parents first?
2. Are they out of compliance to continue the IEP if there are no other goals? I thought the annual meeting was to further develop the IEP so that my daughter continues in her progress?
3. I will be having a private evaluation done, but if there is a discrepancy again between the private and in school evaluations will we need to be in limbo again for a year before we can have an IEP?
4. If the student is at reading grade level, what can be written in the IEP to continue services, to be within compliance?
5. What if she receives good grades; however does mediocre on the state exams? Does she need to get a 1-2 before the school is required to do something? What if she gets a 3-4?
I am prepared to teach the skills that my daughter needs myself to maintain her self-esteem and academic confidence, but is it really true that the school only has to make sure my daughter is at grade level?
This is a strange use of the word “compliance”!
Unfortunately, there are districts that will provide the absolute minimum of services and supports that they can get away with. With such districts it can be a real struggle to get a child the support needed. Especially when the needs are a little on the subtle side.
Please note that it is possible to request a summer meeting.