Hi,

DS6 has wisc scores in that range and similar processing speed. I don't know if they "should be" reading at 6th grade level but yes DS is. DS does have fine motor issues and pretty serious attention problems (at least for school work) so I don't think those things alone are always sufficient to keep someone from reading. He is ahead in math too, not as much as reading. The attentional issues keep him from showing the math clearly at school as every third problem is wrong or simply left blank, despite him understanding it quite well.

Despite DS legally qualifying at least for a 504 and quite possibly for an IEP, he has neither, our school is I guess I would put it culturally opposed to those interferences. The school does informally provide a few accommodations but it would be much better to have something more consistent. We became concerned though that the level of antagonism we would create by forcing the issue might do more harm to DS than good. I got the sense there was a passive aggressive flavor to the interactions. So I hate to say it but for us IQ scores did not help the 504 effort at all, perhaps it even hurt. Hopefully your school will be different.

Instead we went to partial homeschool which had the wonderful side benefit of gutting the homework load. No one except the superintendent in our district knew it was an option, at least everyone appeared surprised. So just because it's never been done doesn't mean it for sure does not exist.

In addition we've informally arranged for DS to bring his own work from home for math, and I think the IQ scores helped with the open-ness to that idea. The school worksheets are multi-colored multipage cartoony disasters for adhd types, and the content isn't quite novel enough to hold his attention. The math teacher was unexpectedly and wonderfully open minded. It made DS happier.

I really feel the IQ scores have helped, but not in ways I necessarily could have predicted.

As far as the reading goes, I would try to find an out-of-school reading specialist to assess the issues. Someone who will not have any conflict of interest (sometimes a school assessor is under pressure to find particular findings, or not find anything, to avoid the school having to pay for the child to receive assistance or fit the child in to some particular person's over-busy schedule). Someone with impressive sounding credentials who can write a letter to the school suggesting particular helpful strategies.

I think obviously bright children can effectively be discrimated against in helping their specific learning issues because it's easy for the school to say to themselves, "The not so bright kids with no support at home are the ones that most need Mrs. Reading Specialist, Suzy with that mom that writes all the emails, she is obviously bright, she will learn to read sooner or later no matter what help she gets." That would be the thinking in my DS's school.

If you do want a 504 or IEP and the school is dragging their feet, if you can afford the expense you might look for a special ed advocate in your state. I paid one just for a couple phone conversations, it didn't end up costing much and they were really helpful in telling me how schools interpret the laws. I just kept track of the time and cut it off when I had gotten what I needed (otherwise they would have let me vent and I could have run up many hours of bills just venting). Some advocates will come to school meetings, etc... but for me just talking to one ahead helped me feel a calmer sense of entitlement. (Now take that with a grain of salt considering our efforts did not result in a 504 or IEP, LOL). Some will even know the ins and outs of your particular school district, who in the school is likely to be on your side and who isn't, etc.

Polly