Thanks for the welcoming!
Beckee, I'll answer as I can--sorry it's lengthy.
[quote=Beckee]
In the report, did the doc give an opinion as to whether the FSIQ was the best summary of his cognitive potential?
--The doc didn't give an alternative to FSIQ-I only later learned about GAI and subtest scatter from you all. (School was unfamiliar with term "GAI" so would only use FSIQ. )In his written summary paragraph Dr. acknowledged that the scores reflected "difficulty with visual-cognitive shifting", indicated an ADHD diagnosis was likely correct, eliminated Asperger's/ASD and finished by stating "his Giftedness can be both a curse and a gift, in many normal expectations remain expected of him yet his thinking may be beyond the obvious and into the sublime". (I'm not sure why the fairy-godmother-eze or bad grammar?) He then stapled on a three-page web printout of common ADHD accommodations and verbally indicated that some of the lower processing-type scores were suspect given faster answers on similar but more complex tasks elsewhere in the testing. He did not elaborate. Unfortunately he also had a falling-out with our insurance company over incorrect billing codes and now will not return our phone calls requesting clarification.
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When I see a Processing Speed Index like that, I think of a kid I tested once that you had to give super-long wait time... would think that, unless you got meds that work much better for him than whatever he was taking that day, you would be looking at a highly individualized program for him, in school or out.
--Yep, that's why he's home. Although his PS has gotten SO much faster now that his meds are adjusted so he can sleep. His third grade teacher kept insisting the meds weren't working so DS's (former!) psych kept adding on-ugh. Poor kid was a zombie. For homeschool we do a lot of discussion/dictation and typing rather than writing. We think the motor planning/integration is the major issue given last month's SPD diagnosis. The ADHD appears minor compared to that if we're reading it right.
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I'm wondering what was actually in his IEP. What was his eligibility category? Did the school give him any kind of cognitive and academic assessments? What supports did they recommend? What in the plan wasn't working for him?
--Our first IEP meeting did not assign a case manager or an LEA so we refused to sign and had a second meeting w/ the superintendent of special ed. District does not use the ability/discrepancy model, so most of the team felt he didn't need an IEP as he was obviously performing above age/grade level in standardized tests. Requests for AT assessment and differentiation were denied. IEP contains no measurable goals.
2nd draft IEP:
Area of Disability: OHI/ADHD and Emotional Anxiety disability.
Special Ed Svcs: OT, Social work, Resource push-in
Educational Support: social, emotional and other: time management in the classroom.
Learning Deficits: Distractibility, Other: time management and processing speed
Curriculum Accommodations: may write on test booklet, extended time on tests (may begin test in class and finish in resource), no scantron, provide visual
aids/organizers
Goals: improve coping skills (45m group social work, anecdotal log), time management (60m resource push-in, classwork), processing speed (20m keyboarding, OT anecdotal log)
School testing/assessment by school psychologist:
Test of Written Language 4th ed
-convention: percentile rank 91, SS 14
-story composition: pr 95, SS 15
-spontaneous writing: pr 99, composite index 132
Math from WIAT-3: average range, numerical ops 104 SS, pr 61 (why so low?)
Projective social/emotional tests: indicators for stress, anxiety and perfectionism
OT report: 96%ile VMI, 100% BOT, Fine Manual Control 84%ile,
Manual Coordination 21%ile.
Sensory Profile Companion:
Definite difference in school factor 4 (availability for learning)
Probable difference in auditory, visual, school factor 3 (range of tolerance for sensory input), Registration- Avoidance
Sensory Profile: Definite difference for auditory, oral and behavioral outcomes, probably difference for sensitivity (most recent outside OT assess shows Def difference for vestibular, auditory proprioreceptive )
-It looks decent on paper but unfortunately extended ISAT time and keyboarding were the only parts followed. The social worker had a baby, the resource teacher never came in (and didn't answer phone calls or email!) , no one sent him to resource, and his classroom teacher never received a copy of the IEP. DS's psychiatrist said that further OT assessment wasn't necessary when we asked for a prescription to see about sensory diet, ect.
--Academics:
3rd grade Winter Reading MAP at 235-238 99%ile, Math MAP 225-228 98%ile. Lexile 1107-1257. We were told these scores were "appropriate". After that he showed negative or slight growth for over a year--I think he gave up trying. Besides MAP our district uses 2nd-grade Cogat (he didn't finish quant--it's timed. 99%ile on verbal) as basis for math pullout-therefore he didn't qualify due to Cogat despite 98% MAPs. His ISATs for end of 4th grade (he's 5th now) are 99%ile for reading and science. 89% for math as we found out he didn't know how to "borrow" for subtraction. Khan Academy fixed the subtraction crisis and now he's doing pre-A with some AMC-8 tests thrown in.
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If you ever decide to try a public school setting again for whatever reason, I would also recommend you go to your state's disability rights organization and ask for an advocate.
--I've never heard of this organization--but it sounds like what we may need as finances are pretty tight, local advocates were $$$ and gifted programming isn't mandated in IL. I'll check wrightslaw to see what is available here unless someone has a direct link. It's so frustrating to be told public education is meant to be "appropriate, not optimal" when paying so much for outside services for multiple kids.
My next question probably does not belong in this forum, but...IF we know that we'll need extended testing time for SAT/NUMATS in the future, do we have to re-enroll DS1 in public school for at least one class in order to have a current IEP which states "extended time for standardized testing"? I've heard that without an active IEP which documents that particular accommodation, ACT/SAT will refuse time and a half. Prior to the IEP he also had a 504 Plan which listed "extended test time" and preferential seating as accommodations. Is his IEP inactive as he's not in public school this year? It would expire in March 2012 if he were enrolled. Dual enrollment is legal in IL, but I cannot find district info on it.
