Arrgggg the school battle continues | ADHD Information

Smallmom- to answer your questions. Her grades dropped on one semester from top grade to lowest grade in math...so thats a tell tail sign.  I have a full eval from a Neuro Psych who identifies her as ADHD with Executive Dysfunction issues.  He made all sorts of educational suggestions for a 504 plan.  The teacher is doing most of them without the 504 plan in place.  I have yet to understand what a STT program is and I am not even sure how she was determined to need that as opposed to a 504.  The meeting I went to last was for a 504...so they somehow changed the name of the program without telling me.  She does very well most of the time...as long as its simple 1 step problems and memorization.  Which has been mostly what she has been doing.  The doctors feel she probably has a genious IQ although her disabilities keep her from scoring well on any tests.  Her IQ makes her look like she is doing well.  Most of the issues are expected to start over the next 2 years as things in school become more complicated.  The Doctor and I were both hoping to get her into the 504 and learning to overcome her executive dysfunctioning issues before she was failing. The school seems to think they can only address her issues once she is failing.  Now she is failing math and they are trying to skirt around it.  I wont stand for the excuse that she does not need the 504 because her teacher already accomodates her without it.  Thats great for this year...but what about next year?? And then after that??  I figure its best to nip this sucker in the bud now and let them know I am not going away...so give me a 504.  The meeting is scheduled for next Wed.  I have not been able to reach advocate as of yet.  I will keep trying to reach her.  I hope it is not too late due to short notice.  Thanks for all of your support and I will keep you all updated!

My 4 th grader is doing awful this yr..failing in most her subjects...shes well behaved ,but pays lil attention to teachers, sorta zoned out or lost...she was on ritalyn la 40mg..now shes on 10 adderall..tryin to start over an find an even ground case shes over medicated u know? her short term memory is the worst i ever seen , she adhd n odd...i beginning to wonder if shes got sumthing else....any suggestions will be appreciated...teena moore

Teena,

The only way to know if your daughter has a learning disability or psychological issues that are impairing her learning is thorough educational and psychological testing. 

I agree with Barb that getting an advocate is a good idea.  It's always helpful to have an advocate from the beginning, if you are seeking a 504 or an IEP. 

I am not sure what an STT is, but I imagine from how you have described what the school is doing, that an STT are basic interventions put in place by the Academic Intervention Committee.  This is often the first step made by schools.  The Academic Intervention Committee meets and puts basic interventions in place.  A period of time passes to see if they are working, and if not, the Committee meets again to discuss the possibility of a 504.  This is where your private dx comes into play.  Because your daughter has a private dx of ADHD from a medical doctor, she has a disability.  It will be decided at that point whether or not she meets the other criteria for a 504, and educational impact is part of that criteria.  Her disability has to be causing some type of educational impact.  Possible educational impact can be poor grades, school anxiety, school refusal, etc.  The doctor can help you here, by writing the accommodations (504)  the doctor believes your daughter MUST HAVE to be academically successful. 

It sounds like you are just at the beginning of the process, that basic interventions have been put in place and are now being monitored.  An advocate can be a big help in making sure the school sticks to its required deadlines and evaluates and chooses the interventions properly, not actually doing accommodations and calling them interventions.  But all of this is a process that takes time.  I think it's pretty standard for it to take some months to get to a 504. 

Hang in there!  Parents like you often win out in the end because they refuse to give up.  Good luck!

lillian38769.9328009259

Piggirl, what are her grades?  Have they dropped from last year (indicating educational impact)?  What is the STT program?  Has any testing been done on your daughter?  What did it show?  Have you done any private testing?

 

Good for you getting an advocate!  That is probably the best move you could make at this stage of the "game". Wow, they are sneaky and have no respect for your legal rights. You are your child's sole advocate. Good thing you're a pistol! I'm sure they will realize that they cannot mess with you in the near future...

Mine is in 2nd grade.  What did you mean by--

 

[QUOTE=oldtimer]

Lindamood- bell math help with this. 

Multi steps issue are a big problem for me and our son.

Lindamood- bell math help with this.

I will pass on what I learn when we go there.

Can relate also all we here is how great his tests are but daily is bad.

No one will care like you do as I am finding out.

What grade is your child? Our is 4th.

This is mostly me venting.  I went to my daughters school today to find out about our meeting which was to be set after her report card came out.  That cam out the end of Jan.  I had informed them at the last meeting that I would attend this meeting as well.  Come to find out...they held the meeting without notifying me at all.  They decided...against my request for a 504 plan...to put her on a STT? program where her progress is monitored by the staff and re-evaluated.  They decided, even though she is failing math...that she is doind just fine and needs no assistance.  I was FURIOUS!!!!  I explained that she has an official diagnosis with all the documentation of her conditions...not condition...conditions.  She is ADHD with Executive Dysfunction.  She falls just outside the Aspergers spectrum.  She is highly intelligent so she can get by with alot....but her brain cannot pull certain things together.  For example...she cannot problem solve multi step problems.  ie-math word problems which she is currently failing.  Also, she cannot explain in her own words what she understood from a story. So far...she has not had to do much of this and is squeeking by in that area. 

Needless to say, I demanded a new meeting.  I brought up her right for the 504 as protected by FEDERAL LAW.  I told them I have been doing alot of research since our last meeting and I will not allow them to skirt around giving her a program to fit her needs.  They seem to feel that since her teacher has most the accomodations requested by the doctors that a 504 is not needed.  I told them they needed to put me back on the calendar.  The school counsler called me within 10 minutes and said I would need to bring documentation of her diagnosis to the meeting.  I nearly hit the roof. I said.."you mean to tell me you do not have 1 of the 4 copies I already provided you on file????"  She started stammering saying well...just in case I should bring another. 

Since I have been back home I am just continuing to get pissed off at them.  I have called a local child advocate recommended by the psychiatrist.  I am hoping she can help me hand their butts to them.  I just cannot belive that a group of people put her to encourage and protect and educate our children can be so manipulative and underhanded to do the least amount for our children.  Anyway, that me venting.  Anyone else who cares to join in...feel free.

Time for an update.  Had meeting with school for 504 plan. Once again they decided that she does not qualify because she is doing ok.  I brought up the change in her grade for Math from highest to lowest in one term.  Teacher says...well she has brought that back up.  (in 2 weeks time she went from having a major problem to nothing??)  I bring up early intervention...they say...we have no way of knowing if she will have a problem so there is nothing to really help her with...even though Doctors report clearly indicates what type of early intervention and why.  Then the school psychologist says "we have a ton of kids who qualify for programs and are not getting them because we do not have the capabilities of giving them all special classes, but you want us to give your daughter classes when she currently doesnt need them."  Im sorry...did this woman just admit to violating a federal law???????  I could not believe that statement came out of her mouth!  Anyway, Im waiting to hear back from my advocate who couldnt be there for the meeting.  I have another scheduled the end of the month.  SO, the saga continues.....