Hi all -
This is my first post. My 6 year old first grader is gifted (I think) and has ADHD and other neuromotor issues. I'm just at a loss as to how to handle this. The school has put him in a class of mostly kids with IEPs and behavioral issues b/c he is on an IEP - the vast majority of the kids are no where near where he is academically. He's been reading since he was 3, doing his multiplication tables since he turned 6 and is now obsessed with civil war history and baseball stats.
The school's response is that they have no capability to handle gifted children until 3rd grade - that I have to handle this through private instruction. Which means I come home from work at 6pm and essentially start his schooling (since he gets nothing useful academically all day). Right now school is just childcare for us. The school also says he no longer qualifies for an IEP b/c his test scores are too high, even though he has serious executive function impairments. This is the kind of school where unless he is on an IEP he will get NOTHING - even with an IEP it takes 4-5 months to schedule a simple meeting. What do I do? Do I get him tested somewhere to show that he is both gifted and learning disabled? Do I keep him on an IEP (and if so how?)? I wish I could pursue private school as an option but it just isn't in the budget at this point.

If I understand correctly, he is in a substantially-separate placement for children with special needs? Or is it an inclusion placement (both NT and special needs) that happens to be heavily-weighted toward special needs? Also, if the school is proposing to dismiss him from an IEP, I assume there was recent testing done, including cognitive, achievement, executive function, and behavior. Change of placement (including termination of services) cannot be done without a re-evaluation, which you would have known about, since a parent's signature is required. If there was a re-evaluation, and you are not satisfied with the evaluation, you can request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), usually at least partially at the school's expense (depends on the state; some have an income test and sliding scale). And you can appeal the finding of no special needs up the state chain, if you feel your documentary support is strong enough.

With a doctor's diagnosis of ADHD already in hand, he also qualifies (if the IEP route doesn't work out) for a 504 accommodation plan, which won't modify his instruction much, but sometimes helps with organizational and attentional supports. And offers civil rights protections in the event of certain questionable disciplinary actions.

How is his report card? Are there deficits of any kind being reported by his classroom teachers? The educational impact test in the IEP eligibility flowchart is not supposed to consist solely of standardized test scores. (Unless they are proposing to instruct him entirely in quiet one-to-one settings, clearly, tests won't predict performance in busy classrooms very well for EF-challenged kiddos.)