What should I be doing? | ADHD Information

Thank you for your reply. You had excellent starting points. I have just recently begun to learn the importance of a paper trail. I have also become aware of the lack of interest the school and her therapist have in helping her. I have started war with her therapist and I will be getting a new one. I am making a trip to the school with my new found information, to see why they never bothered to explain the things I have learned on this website to me. She was diagnosed almost two years ago, she has been failing all year, and they never even mentioned there were specail programs for her. If need be I'll start a war with them to. This website is a God-send. I should have been here along time ago. Yes. Keep a notebook of everything that happens in regards to your child - doctor's stuff, e-mails with school, notes from meetings, etc.

The school won't do anything unless you specifically ask for it. If you want the school to test her ask for a full battery of tests, and put it in writing. I learned that my school would only do a few initial screenings because I did not ask in writing. I tested outside and they accepted it. Ask the school what tests they look at and accept and what the doctor's credentials need to be. For example, my son had the WISC-IV Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children test, the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ III) and some tests to determine if depression, etc. were present in his case.  The school completely to accepted the results of these tests and the credentials of the doctor, although they very obviously resented my going "outside" to test my son.

Good Luck - it is an uphill climb but so worth it!
There are better people to answer this than me, but since you asked "what should you be doing?" I guess I would start with reading. This is a lifetime disorder and you are always going to have to educate yourself on the newest information to help your child.
The first step is getting your child an appt with a neuropsychiatrist. A full battery of tests should be done to ascertain everything that you'll be dealing with. This takes time, count on talking to a lot of people and dealing with insurance issues. No one is going to make it easy, because you're talking about a significant sum of money. Ditto for the schools. Every child with special needs is a money issue for them. You have to have Doctor evaluations to back you up. Find out what their procedures are and do everything in writing, you want a paper trail and you want them to know that you have one. If you're dealing with a pediatrician, consider calling your local CHADD and get a recommendation for a new one that perhaps is known for being good with ADHD. I'm lucky, mine is very good, although I still went to a neuropsychiatrist for my child, but like I said, that takes time and you cannot wait to start helping your child.
In the meantime if it were me, I would be working heavily with my child. My children do extra work at least two days per week to ensure that they have a strong competence in the basics of math. They also have to read three chapters of a book every day. ADHD children have to work harder than everyone else. If they have a strong base, then the further work becomes easier and that is key for an ADHD kid, because anything difficult triggers zone outs. I would also make your child's teacher my new best friend. Ask her what she wants from your child. Good teachers will recognize a parent that is trying to work with them.
Like I said, there are people here that have had experience with public schools and can better advise you, but it is imperative that you get an appt with a neuropsychiatrist ASAP.
Good luck. I just started dealing with the doctors and schools 6 months ago, I am about to change doctors because they are unproffesional and I believe negligent to their patients. I found out yesterday that the school has also been giving me a run around. My daughter was diagnosed ADHD in first grade. She is now in second and they say that she has failed but no one ever mentioned she could be in specail programs. Also the school asked that her therapist do a few test, then I found out the school will not accept test from outside facilitys. So where do I start and what do I do. What does everyone else do. What kind of help should she be getting, what kind of doctors should she be seeing? How can I help her. Every where I go they tell me it is someone elses job. My hands are in the air and I feel like nothing has been accomlplished.