Back from the meeting. I think it was mostly successful although I they didn't agree to all the accommodations I wanted they came up with others that were good.
Great news!
I have signed the forms to start the process but the paperwork hasn't been completed so accommodations could still be negotiated.
It's also important to remember - accommodations can *always* be negotiated, even after the initial paperwork is completed. If an accommodation isn't working or another issue comes up that requires an accommodation, you can call a 504 team meeting to discuss updating the 504 at *any* time.
No problem with extra time for in-class writing activities, they have a detailed plan where for in class English essays he will be expected to spend that "extra" time doing a prewriting activity, and then get the regular amount of time to do the actual writing.
Do they have a plan for the pre-writing activities? I'm just curious, given that I have a kid who also benefits from pre-writing strategies
The class where this is most critical is Chemistry where he is currently failing. Assessments are at 85%, homework is a big fat 0 at this point.
Is the homework grade a zero because your ds isn't doing the homework or because he's not getting it turned in? Or does he not know what the assigned homework is? This is an area our ds is struggling with, in just a few classes where the teachers are not organized and predictable re homework assignments, and where the teachers are not posting homework assignments in easily accessible places so that ds can look up and double-check assignments.
He will be required to do a homework contract with this teacher for the next 6 weeks. This is required because he is failing. Because this teacher is known to have problems with organization, this is as much for my benefit. I didn't know how critically bad it was until this week since the teacher hadn't updated anything.
How does the homework contract work? Does your ds have a way to verify what he's supposed to be doing for homework or is the contract just about getting it done and turned in?
No social skills class at this point, he is not interested. And the fact that he is in marching band and robotics club make both I & the psychologist comfortable that he is working these things through on his own. And he does see the outside psychologist.
That all sounds good - and jmo, but if he doesn't have to fit in the extra class, that's probably a good thing too, because taking the social skills class at school would take away an elective, right?
They were happy to include the keyboarding for in-class essays but my son doesn't think it's necessary and is resisting that accommodation.
Do you think he needs the keyboarding accommodation or did the psych that did his eval think he needed it? Have you thought of telling him he has to try it but also giving him some kind of reward for doing it? I realize he's 15 and it's very different from getting a younger child to use accommodations - I'm living with a 14 year old
And a 12 year old prodigy (not a prodigy with respect to intellect, but with respect to acting like a teen before her time lol). But I've also found that it's really useful with my ds to get him to actually use an accommodation for a certain period of time - because in spite of resistance to try it, as long as the accommodation is something that really is necessary or really will help - after he's been forced to try it, he usually realizes life is much better using it and that takes away the resistance to use it.
All in all.. I think I am overall lucky. I really like the current high school psychologist.
This is great - I hope that this psych stays at the school for the remaining years your ds will be there!
They are willing to put in a 504 for a kid who mostly isn't failing but underperforming.
Don't ever forget - a 504 plan isn't about *grades* or performance - it's about access to education. If a child is not able to access their education. I know you know that, just wanted to point it out for other parents of kids with disabilities who might be reading this
They were very happy with the outside report I provided them. They seem to "get" what the issues are better at this meeting.
For anyone who's struggling with advocating for their children at school, having that outside report from professionals really does make a big difference. It's easy to argue, attempt to intimidate, or dismiss a parent who has no data - but professional educators are not going to argue the opinion of a board-credentialed, degreed, whatever psychologist or dr etc.
We still aren't where we need to be. And it takes his COMPLIANCE witch isn't as easy with a 15 year old boy as it was when he was younger.
You aren't where you need to be yet, but you are *so* much farther along than you were last spring! I'm impressed with all you've accomplished and how you've gone to bat for your ds - you've done a wonderful job advocating for him. Compliance isn't easy - but again, if you just keep at it, encouraging him to use the accommodations etc, I think he'll gradually realize that it's all good.
Hang in there,
polarbear