Kellie: My daughter (16) in 9th grade, tested 1st grade level in written expression, 4th grade level in math and 5th grade level in reading. High school does not offer special classes or help so she is in all regular classes. Spec Ed teacher told my daughter in IEP meeting that she just has to try harder and won’t modify her algebra work because she needs to do all of it in order to learn it. After 9 weeks of hours and hours of tutoring, she is failing algebra and English and science. Am I crazy or should my daughter be able to do the 9th grade work? She is now having anxiety issues and now doesn’t want to go to school. Just want your thoughts on this subject.
My school is offering my son no help. He is new to the school and tested with major deficits in writing and oral expression. He is in 7th grade. English teacher looked at me and said I should have been working with him at home which I do. She refuses any accommodations or modifications. School is backing her saying it’s the 7th grade and he better get it together. What should I do to help him? Tried contacting the superintendent but he was no help.
Sam, does your child have an IEP? Did he receive special education services in the past?
I urge you to write an email or letter, describe your child’s difficulties, and request that the school do a comprehensive evaluation to determine if your boy is eligible for special ed and related services.
Actually, I encourage parents to get an evaluation by an expert in the private sector if they can swing it. You also need to become an expert on your child, his needs, his strengths, and his weaknesses. We wrote a book, From Emotions to Advocacy, to help parents get started and persist.
During an IEP meeting for my son I actually had a physical therapist say the following statement to me so here is another ridiculous statement:
“I don’t feel it appropriate to remove your son from the class setting to do physical therapy until he is a functioning walker but you are definitely welcome to take him out of school for therapy somewhere else.”
(My child is in a wheelchair but is regaining the ability to walk and does so slowly with assistance.) She did not feel it appropriate to remove him from the setting to the other side of the room to do therapy where he can still hear the lessons, but it was okay for me to completely remove him from the school.
We are getting ready for round two of this discussion with yet another meeting.
Wow! Sorry you are dealing with this. I wonder if others realize how wrong this comment is. Hang in there, & hope things go better in round 2.
Just had the worst IEP meeting ever. Son was told to work harder. School said IEP is not changing. Was not allowed to record our Zoom meeting. English teacher did not participate at all. She did not want to. They did not make her. School decided that my son is not welcome back and must go to a school for Autistic kids. No interaction with non-disabled peers. Please help me!
Do you know your rights to challenge this decision in your state? I suggest sending the special ed director a letter/email stating your disagreement with the various decisions, concerns about the meeting. Your state parent training & information project can help you in understanding your options to try to get more appropriate services for your child. http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center
Hello, I just had my daughter tested and she has Autism and learning disability. She has major deficits in Math and Written expression. Once I got the results I request for a meeting to draw an IEP for her to help her get on track. School replied we won’t need to do that. She will never learn anything and she is just going to end up working at McDonalds. What should I do?
Contact the district director of special ed, if you have not already done so. Your state parent training and information project can assist you. http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center
What does the IEP say about the support she gets in the gen ed class? How many sped minutes does she get per week in reading, writing and math? Who provides this? Does a resource teacher come in? Is there a sped teacher in the classroom? What is the disability?
It sounds to me like your daughter needs intensive remediation in reading, writing and math. Since she is more than a grade level or so behind I really don’t see what accommodations and modifications would be effective in helping her understand the 9th grade curriculum. For example if she is taking Algebra and is being asked to write and solve equations and she is still figuring out place value and how to add, subtract, multiply and divide how is modifying the work going to help her understand?
If your daughter is working at the levels you state she must have accommodations & modifications. Based on the triennial evaluation it appears that her goals and benchmarks on the IEP need to address written expression, math and reading. If you do not agree with the testing results you may request an outside evaluation at the school’s expense. Put the request in writing giving them 5 days to respond & they should send a list of places you can have the testing done. You do NOT have to use any of these places. We went to an attorney that specialized in spec ed & got a referral for someone to test our son. Once you receive the results the school must consider them. AT this point you will come to an agreement with the school or can file for mediation or due process.