Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Regions Northshore-ish Massachusetts Peeps?

Hi, We're in Haverhill (which is near North Andover and Boxford). My kids are still in pre-K, but just trying to find some local people who have some intel on identification, testing and education in this area. Thanks!

For testing, you can always request it through your local school district, if you can find a good reason. A few districts may consider testing for early admission to k or 1st. Otherwise probably most likely to be approved if you suspect a 2e, as you will need to state an area of concern to get a comprehensive eval done. For private testing, try this list on the website of the SAGE school in Foxboro:

http://www.sageschool.org/admission/testing-locations/

Or this list on the website of ACERA school in Winchester:

http://aceraschool.org/admissions/to-apply/assessment/

For all the dirt on Haverhill, see the latest coordinated program review by the state (emphasis on special education): links to current CPRs for all PS districts in MA:

http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/reports/

Or this wider-ranging report from 2010: google haverhill public schools level 3 review report, and it will be the first entry (pdf)

Unfortunately, it's not pretty.

There are also some charter schools in the area. Check the DOE website for brief summaries.

http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/

We live about an hour of south of you, in the same county. You can try to find someone and shell out $$$. Gifted Resource Center in Providence, RI (though a hike) is another possible option - http://www.grcne.com/. Clark School (http://www.clarkschool.com/) is re-locating to Rowley and they may be another possible option to contact.

We had testing done both privately and with the public schools. Ds8 is a 2e/pg and had an IEP when long before we had a gifted diagnosis. However, federal law stipulates that IF a parent requests testing for a child, then the school has to administer it (though not sure if you can get it every year). Then, if you un/homeschool, you can also request testing too (though most parents without gifted kids avoid this possibility like the plague).

So you could technically go to the special needs department in your local school district and say that you'd like your child tested because you are concerned about placement and debating about enrolling your child in the public schools or a specific public school. Say this with a poker face whether it's true or not. You'll probably have to put such a request in writing. More significantly, you could specify that the Woodcock Johnson III Academic Achievement be administered to your child. It's entirely feasible that the public school will go along with it; mine did.

I actually got the public schools to administer the WJ-III to my ds when he was 5.5 in kindy - even though he was in a private (gifted) school at the time, were debating about un/homeschooling, and had never intention to send him to the public schools. I also managed to get them to re-administer the test last June too, even though we un/homeschool now. Legally, the public schools had to give the test. They didn't have to administer the WJ-III but I asked very politely and claimed that I was mulling over public school (there's school choice in my city and that helped me).

Unfortunately, though, these types of tests can open more worms than you like and your child may or may not be fully compliant with the person administering the test, the setting, the test, etc. However, IF you go through the public schools, the good news is that you don't have to shell out oodles of $$$. The bad news is that IF you're child (ie. like mine) decides not to show their true face, you're not necessarily going to get accurate scores. BUT that can happen regardless of who you see. Ultimately, you need a series of tests and a portfolio of work over a range of time so you can get an accurate picture.

Another option is that you could always get some testing done (for free or rather cheaply) and then see Dr. Lovecky in Providence or someone else for a second opinion or further testing. There's no hard rules here.

With Haverhill and the public schools, you might want to consider all options (public schools, private schools, and un/homeschooling). I can commiserate.

You don't have to pretend that you're considering the public schools to get testing done. In fact, it is advisable not to do so, as if and when that info comes to light, it will add unnecessary animosity to your relationship with the district. Public schools are responsible for child find of all students who are resident in their district. I have evaluated many a child who was not enrolled in ps, and where the family had no intention of doing so. What you do have to give is a plausible referral question that involves special education. Where there is no gifted mandate in Mass, that will require some area of possible disability.

You can request testing through the schools once a year, but they may decline to do new cognitive testing, if it's been under two years, on the grounds that the old cog is still good. I usually try to avoid that kind of over testing, unless there is reason to believe it was not valid. Mass still has the discrepancy model on the books, so you can say, quite honestly, that you are concerned that your child may be 2e, so even though he has some decent academic skills, you worry that he may be underperforming in some areas. That will put the gifted question on the table, but still allow for a legitimate special ed referral.

AEH - I disagree with some of what you've said. The public schools don't care and are not responsible for a child in their district if they attend private school or are un/homeschooled and do not qualify for any services or an IEP. That's one of the reasons so many gifted and 2e kids end up being un/homeschooled in MA.

That's why aeh specified that the referral question has to involve special education. The schools may not want to, but they are required by IDEA to look for disabilities even in children that do not attend public school.

Regarding private school students and IDEA in MA:

http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/07_2.html

cdfox, I understand you and many others have had bad experiences with public schools in MA and other places, but, as others have clarified, I was referring to what they are required to do specifically in the context of special education child find, not what they care to or want to do with non-public school students in general.

Also, although there are plenty of bad eggs out there (as there are in any field), some public school special education teams actually do care about private/home/unschoolers and their special education needs. What they usually don't really understand is how students with disabilities can be serviced anywhere outside of the public school system. So when a child is found eligible, they have a hard time coming up with an intervention plan that doesn't involve enrolling in the local public school.

I've spent my whole career in public school special education, yet I homeschool my own child who would almost certainly be identified as 2e (or worse, not identified as anything at all, just simultaneously underchallenged and unremediated) if enrolled in the public schools. And there's a reason for that.

Yes, that's very true AEH. Thanks .

Re-reading all of your great info/advice and seeking new input. DD is 4.5 and we entered her in the lottery for the public charter montessori here in Haverhill. I am leaning though to the neighborhood elementary school she's districted for (which will close in a couple of years when a new K-8 school a few blocks from us is supposed to open.

We have not done any testing still, but I am planning on talking our the child psych on staff at her pedi.

RE: pre-K. IMHO, she continues to show PG qualities at her montessori pre-k, but has definitely upped her social game and is very concerned about fitting in and assimilating much to my dismay. Though it's important for her and I'm glad for her that she has friends and is not shy, I would like her to do that not to the detriment of her smarts.