Ironically, if you have a kid like mine who displays disruptive behavior in class, you'll get a lot of attention. Not the good kind of attention, but at least they take notice. Your son seems to quietly suffer, which seems to be worse in some ways.
Two different challenges, and two different poor responses from respective schools.
But the 504 / IEP question is completely separate from whether he is gifted. I think they are messing with you in that regard.
He wasn't so quiet last year--even had a suspension (The X-Acto Knife Incident), and was verbally/emotionally abused by one teacher (documented). I guess last year is "off the table" as far as SPED is concerned, even though program coordinator and school counselor both encouraged me to seek neuropsychological testing.
He could go to once a week pull-out for gifted if he was in regular MS. The problem is that it isn't graded and isn't acceleration, which he is evidently capable of (in some respects).
Yes, it's baloney that when he does well he isn't served but if he doesn't, they just want to boot him.
I don't envy the meltdowns, BSM, but you're right that at *least* they will want to do something to help, in that case.
None of this is a lot of fun, but I guess nobody ever said this parenting thing would be, right?
I really don't feel too bad about it any more. I know I've tried to the best of my ability and I'm pretty sure the district isn't doing the right thing. Even if my communication has been clunky.
