I
hate that "yes, but it's policy so we won't put it in." Policy can change. And you know what, it's flatly CHILDISH to refuse to include a provision that
matches a policy. I've actually sweetly but obstinately refused to move on from a line-item that is treated that way, myself-- "well, I don't see why including it is a problem if it's already policy. Can someone explain to me why there is a rule about that? Can you show me where it says that we can't? No? Well, then, since it's a
necessary accommodation, then policy or not, it belongs in the 504. Why are you making such a big deal about not doing that? Why?"
Yes, it is
so often like this.
I've only ONCE used the following highly confrontational statement, but BOY, did it get results:
Is this truly "Can't" or is it "don't want to"?? Because those are RADICALLY different statements. If this is what this student NEEDS, then "can't" is the ONLY legally valid limitation on accommodations. So-- y'all check with legal, and I strongly advise a call to OCR for some technical assistance, since there seems to be some confusion on your part about the difference between cannot and will not. If you "won't" do it-- I'm afraid that we're going to need to document that you're aware of the liability that you're assuming, and you are CHOOSING to take it on anyway. In spite of expert guidance to the contrary.They were pretty hostile at that point, so it wasn't like I had much to lose. Next meeting, not-so-hostile and arrogant about it. Actually, "sheepish and willing" sort of sums it up.
One final note about your list--
Section 504 is pretty clearly
not about a "menu" of accommodations for students to CHOOSE from. Because it's not about a fixed set of disability categories or educational opportunities, see-- so the law is pretty open-ended in INTENT. That is, it basically just states that whatever it is POSSIBLE to do, and whatever it is NECESSARY to do, that's what has to happen for an individual student. Period.
Letter to Zirkel and some digging about "undue burden" ought to fix that particular misconception.
This stuff makes me SO angry. It's fine for kids like mine and MON's, because we will fight, and we're capable of knowing when we're being handed baloney. Most parents, not-so-much.
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As for higher ed being ten times worse.. meh-- not our experience, actually. Colleges actually seem to WANT to do the right things, in contrast with so many of the school staffers that I've encountered both personally and as an advocate. Honestly, it was EASY. REALLY easy. DD14 managed it all on her own-- with only a couple of faxed documents and a pair of phone calls to confirm things. Yes, individual negotiations (kind of)-- but most campuses have an office specifically dealing with accommodations for students who are QID's. It's only a problem if you have to GET an evaluation for the first time at that level, but it's still possible.
Higher ed was better than what MoN describes even fifteen years ago. I know because I was regularly supplying flexible and individual accommodations THEN-- with guidance from the DSO on campus. Extra time... physical accommodations, providing notes to students with written expression disorders, tests given at testing centers, etc. No big deal. Not even 20 years ago.
It does get better.
