Aeh, polarbear - huge thank you. I find your posts very, very useful. Polarbear, I especially find the stock responses/language part very helpful. I should work on that, for sure.
I apologize for not remembering what was in your private neuropsych. The school does not necessarily need to do additional evaluation, but it depends on the contents of the private eval. For example, many neuropsychs do academic screening only, using very sketchy (not bad, but really appropriate only for cursory screening) instruments like the WRAT. When that is the case, it is entirely appropriate for the school to offer additional achievement testing, so that all of the IDEA academic deficit areas are assessed. Something similar can happen with cognitive testing, especially as neuropsychs often pick and choose subtests to address specific functions, and may not end up with a complete battery of anything in particular. If the testing is not recent, a school may wish to re-assess all the relevant major areas of learning ability, academic achievement, executive function, and social-emotional development.
The neuropsych administered WISC, SRS, Conner's, Beery VMI, Woodcock Johnson, ADOS, BASC and three more tests I don't recall on the top of my head. The school has accepted the WJ scores, but they want to do another IQ test (is the WISC not good enough ?). I am not sure why they want to do another test. We actually did the eval through a good hospital, and the eval was quite extensive.
If the school has already come to an agreement that there is a qualifying disability, then, yes, you can write a 504 immediately. Also, did you have an initial IEP meeting based on the neuropsych? If so, was an extended evaluation written?
Yes, we did have an initial IEP meeting to discuss what should be tested further (OT, SLP evals are two areas I requested, in addition to a list of things I wanted to appear in the final IEP). What is an extended evaluation ?
Typically an IEP eligibility evaluation includes testing, but it's quite possible that your ds' very recent testing from the private neuropsych can be used in lieu of ability/achievement/etc testing through the school. It's possible they may want to tag on additional testing (OT, SLP, etc) depending on what would be beneficial in understanding or further defining your ds' needs and challenges......If you compare what is listed on this form to the testing done by the neuorpsych then you should be able to see if there is any type of repeat testing planned.
Polarbear, yes, the school is more than willing to use the neuropsych's report and results and test data. They readily recognized his strengths and challenges.They are also willing to tag on additional testing. I am wondering about why they would want to administer another IQ test. It does not make much sense to me, why they'd take achievement and IQ scores from the neuropsych's report, and then tag on another IQ test (they will not repear the WISC, but use something else). Is this standard ?
I agree with everything else they are asking me to sign off, just that administering another IQ test with a relatively short gap from the neuropsych's testing makes me wonder why. So, I haven't yet signed off on the form we received yesterday.
I am also somewhat glad that they will offer a 504, even if he does well (though what that means, I have to research, you are absolutely right on that point).
Then they are at least acknowledging that your ds has a disability and needs accommodations for it in the classroom and most likely on testing. There will be a certain period of time it will take to complete the school's additional testing (did they give you a time period? It's legally required to be completed in a certain amount of time). During that time, I'd suggest you get to know everything you can about your ds' challenges, how they impact him in the classroom, and what accommodations and remediation he needs. (I know you're already doing that! sorry if it sounds redundant and obvious :)). There will be another meeting after the school's eval is complete, and that will be the meeting in which the *team* decides if your ds qualifies for services under an IEP. *TEAM* is the key concept here - the team should include you (parents), your ds' teacher(s), the school psych, school SPED staff, and any other relevant evaluators such as OT etc. You might want to consider consulting with an advocate prior to this meeting - there are parent advocate groups in many locations who will help you navigate this process at no charge. OTOH, even if you have to pay, having a skilled advocate who knows and understands your local school district well might be invaluable.
This is very valuable advice. Yes, the school has acknowledged that he has a disability and that they will give a 504 (at the very least). His current teacher has a lot of structure (she's doing it on her own, for now) and that really seems to be helping.
I do hope your ds will be able to either receive gifted services or differentiation of some type, but I also want to encourage you to focus on the 2nd e at this point too - if you can really concentrate on helping your ds learn how to cope with and work around his challenges while he's in early elementary, you'll pave the way for him to be self-confident and able to handle the challenges that will lay ahead of him in his education, which in turn will mean he'll be able to take off and fly in gifted/accelerated programs in a few years.
Yes, I agree with this. I actually said so in the meeting yesterday - that it is more important now to remediate than to think that he's gifted. He'll always need to work on and deal with some parts, given the nature of his disability, but I do think he should develop healthy coping mechanisms or work around his challenges, provided he gets help.
Did your ds already have an IEP? If not, how did the social skills pull-out work? Was he pulled out of class with another student? If he had an IEP, has he met his social skills goals? What needs were identified when he qualified originally? I'd dig into the details of what they are proposing.
No, he does not have an IEP. He got social skills pull-out on the lines aeh mentioned above [From aeh. I used to run social skills groups that included non-referred children (not identified with an IEP, 504, or even an ICAP/DCAP/student assistance plan). I've also facilitated lunch/friendship groups with fluid membership that included both referred and non-referred students. So hypothetically, a plan is not necessary for a social skills group. But this depends on whether the school runs groups that include non-disabled children. If they already do, then there is no particular reason either a 504 or IEP is needed for that service. If all of their groups are restricted to students identified with disabilities, then including a single student not formally identified as having a disability lays them open to citations for placing them in a special ed setting inappropriately.].
He was pulled out based on his teacher's observations and received this service. I was hoping he could continue this while the IEP eval is in progress, but apparently they only get a set # of sessions. I don't think he's close to meeting his goal.
I am really glad and feel blessed to live in a good school district which seems to support him. I really want that to continue, and hope it does, even though we are in the early stages of the IEP journey.
