Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Reviewing old posts, PTSD setting in, giving up.

Based on all you've done and the current situation, it seems reasonable to follow your idea of trying homeschooling given it is feasible for your family. Give him a chance to embrace learning and feel good about himself again... you can always use some of the time to work on his EF challenges.

I hear you! And yet, citing the 504 can become automatic and unemotional for both you and the teachers, as they learn to make their compliance with this student's unique support needs ingrained, and routine.

This could be an occasion to document each specific incident of lack of compliance and the impact on the grade, as it occurs. Keeping dated, written documentation in an advocacy log at home may be helpful, because then you can extract a collection of facts to present at an advocacy meeting. This also provides a history of facts if you need to escalate the issue.

Agreed. Whatever his learning environment next year, the further development of EF skills may be a great goal.

Right. The role of parent in this process may be that of documenting at home, following up with school for compliance.

Have you contacted them in writing with your best list of facts and evidence, to request the evaluation?

Wherever he goes, the need for advocacy may present itself.

Clearly something must change. That may mean changing the advocacy approach, and/or gaining an IEP, and/or changing to a different learning environment. What are his thoughts on what he like to see changed?

I've requested evaluation thrice since third grade, and been denied thrice. The last request was well-executed and accompanied by a very expensive neuropsychological report I obtained on the recommendation of the program coordinator and counselor.

See what I mean?

Yes, something is going to change. DS would prefer to just be left alone for now and be allowed to flunk out so he doesn't have to do anything more. I'm going to make him finish the year but next year is different.

indigo: at 504 meeting earlier this year, I brought my "documentation" and tried to refer to it and was told to "lay last year to rest." That was with my advocate in tow. Kinda hard to know what to do in that moment. I assume they thought I was there to complain, which was not the case. The 504 coordinator looked at me like I'd grown a second head when I asked to have the language "and teachers will reply" to the "weekly check-in" accommodation. Same for other accommodations where I asked they be made more explicit.

Yuck, just not going to do this any more. I hear you on advocacy, but monitoring DS 504 compliance takes too much time and it just doesn't feel like the best thing to do with our lives.

Yes, from the information you shared I believe I would also be at a loss as to how to try again for an IEP, unless there was a change in personnel, or someone to escalate to such as your state Department of Education. ((hugs))

Looks like they wanted 504 compliance feedback information in real-time, however their statement may have provided a great opportunity to mention that it is often helpful to recap what did work and what did not in the previous year's 504, in order to learn from past experiences (both positive and negative) and craft an even better plan in the subsequent (current) year.

And so they demonstrate that you have hit a nerve, focusing in on the weak spot(s) of the prior year's 504. The 504 is essentially your kid's lifeline in school and you want it to be strong: "A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link."

In case you felt badly after that meeting, I want to encourage you that you did great in introducing these points into the conversation.

I hear you. You know your situation best and I trust you to make the best decision.