Asking for a friend:

A RL friend and I met when our kids were babies. By first grade it was apparent that both our kids were 2E but in very different ways. Over the years we have shared resources and have piggybacked on each other's research and success within our school district. It has been amazing how often we have been told that no other child like ours exists or have been given totally opposite information from the district. We have been fortunate to have each other and the information the other receives often fills holes, lets us know to ask questions or seek information and prevents us from falling down a rabbit hole.

Last year at our IEP meeting I asked about having some of my DD's high school courses count for credit so that she would be able to take a lower courseload moving through high school. I was told in no uncertain terms that it was impossible for her to be given high school credit until she was a 9th grader. She would have to be grade accelerated in order to start collecting credits early. They actually used my friend's son as an example without giving his name or any specifics. (Apparently they have never figured out that we know each other...) "We have a middle school student who has taken courses at the high school for years but he does not receive high school credit for it. The AP math courses are just his seventh grade math."

Fast forward to this year and my daughter has completed her grade acceleration in order to collect high school credits. My friend's son spent the year taking math courses at the local university because by the end of seventh grade he had gone through all of the math courses available to him at the district's high school. Remember I was told last year at my IEP meeting that there is no mechanism for him to receive high school credit for any of his courses at the high school, AP courses or courses taken at the local university. They were just considered his 5th, 6th and 7th grade math classes. He might receive college credit for some of the courses but he could not receive HS credit for them.

This morning my friend met with the guidance counselor at the high school because her son is going to be part of an inaugural group in a new dual enrollment program with the local community college. Freshman and sophomore years at the high school, junior and senior years classes will be at the community college. When awarded his high school diploma he will also receive an associates degree. Sounds great – and right up his alley.

HOWEVER the guidance counselor also told my friend that since her son has an IEP he CAN receive high school credit for the math classes he's already taken if the IEP team believes it is appropriate. In other words the EXACT opposite of what I was told and what my daughter has had to do.

So my friend was looking through a "devils advocate" perspective trying to find a loophole. We came up with a questIon and are wondering if anyone here with a young kid who has taken early college classes may be able to help. If she pushes for the HS credits to be applied does she lose any further college level math classes at the school district's expense? If she doesn't pursue the HS credits is the school district obligated to provide 3 more years of math at the college level to meet his 3 year math requirement? If he pursues the credits can he take math at the university as electives or is there a loophole that would allow them to say only courses offered in district are available? (He has already gone beyond what the community college offers so continuing in math means courses at the university...) This dual enrollment program sounds pretty intense so I don't see him carrying a full coarse load at high school and still taking math classes at the university. This kid is all about math - I can't seem him keeping his sanity if he gets no math for the next 4 years...

I have suggested that she consider early graduation so he can start at the university early but this dual enrollment program makes that less appealing. Along with being PG in math he is on the spectrum (high functioning) and has ADHD. His social skills are a weakness so my friend has pushed to keep him mainstreamed in order to keep him with NT peers.

Have any of you faced a similar situation? I realize it's possible that this guidance counselor got it wrong and my DD's team was correct and the credits can't actually be awarded. My friend has her triennial next week and is looking for all possible perspectives to know how to address this so she doesn't inadvertently face an unintended consequence.

TIA