Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy GIEP meeting this afternoon

Yup. That makes sense.

What do you need to do to prep for that step? I wish I could be more helpful, but this is way out of my league. I'm happy to ask questions...

Okay, so I'm thinking through this due process thing. If I file now, it probably won't get to a hearing officer until a couple of months from now. Even if the hearing officer orders further present levels testing, it wouldn't happen until the Spring. I could request testing for subject acceleration in the Spring (knowing that they have *never* subject accelerated a child at this school - ever.). But they still wouldn't test any further than that. So I guess option 5 would be: Leave it at status quo and request testing for acceleration to 4th grade math when he is in 3rd next year.

There are also 2 types of due process: One where you try to get the district to comply. The time that they were not educated is lost, but the district has to start following the law. The other type is where you also seek compensatory education for the time that the child was not educated. Any opinions on which type to go for?

I have no idea how much legal assistance for due process would cost, but I suspect I would have sticker shock

It would probably cost less than it will cost the district though. From what I've heard about other recent gifted DP decisions, we have a good shot at prevailing. I hear you Dottie about not taking it lightly, though.

Hi Jool!
Sad and Mad right with you - but wow - what a treasure of friends you have here.

OK, sounds like you are well on your way to filing for mediation, DP change and DP damages...

What are you going to do in the meantime?

I would reccomend ((drumroll)) afterschooling. That way when they test him, he won't miss by one point or something irritating like that. ALEKS online math is a fast favorite. Or just get ahold of a Math book for above his grade level and start flipping through it and spot checking. Hothousing is entirely fair in this situation - and it will help him emotionally during the wait AND it will give him something to do.

What makes your kid amazing is that he learns so fast and deeply, not if he does or doesn't have particular skills at a particular moment in time - still, it's much easier for a school to 'see' what's amazing about a kid if they have the various checklist of skills for a particular grade. So hothouse away, have fun, enjoy every minute!

Smiles,
Grinity

Jool, right there with you. Following with interest. If we don't see action shortly, we'll be at the same crossroads you're currently at...

Good luck!

JB

Thanks all of you guys for being so supportive. Everyone's responses are so thoughtful. I'm verklempt!

Grin, you bring up a good point. He currently does afterschooling with a physics tutor, so he gets challenge there. But there could be benefit in going further with his skills so that he is able to really show on testing what he is capable of learning. Hmmm.... maybe I could do some present levels testing myself to use in DP... Any suggestions for online grade level testing?

Oh, Jool, I'm sorry. We were in your exact shoes last year at this time, and it went nowhere. We went with Option 2 and found ds6 a new school -- not only did I not have the patience to run it out with the school, but ds isn't the type of child who handles twiddling his thumbs well.

But looking back, maybe we should have advocated more, and I definitely recommend you fight the good fight -- the year is still young (sort of!). Go get 'em! That 88% must have just *killed* you; I'd have been fuming.

I second-guess myself on that, too, Mia. How much fight is enough? When is it "okay" to say, "I've had enough and I'm not going to do this anymore?" Obviously the answer is different for every person, but I sure still have lingering self-doubt about choosing to take my ball and go home instead of staying in the school and fighting.

But I also think we tend to take the route that suits our kids and ourselves. We are all intelligent people who try to do our best, so we usually make choices that make the most sense for us.

And after all, your DS and mine are both doing so well. You and I are (relatively) sane and getting along financially. So I don't think you/we should exercise that hindsight too hard. I think you made some good choices for your situation, and I'd like to think we did, too.

<patting back reassuringly>

It's just too easy to think about what we could have done. But as long as it all comes out okay, I don't think we have to do that to ourselves. (At least, that's what I tell myself...)

I have to fight against second-guessing too. I think second-guessing goes with the territory of being a concerned, active parent. (Why I'm still looking online to see if I could have gotten a better deal on the car we bought last month is another story ).

Kriston and Mia, in our situation, we are lucky to have weapons to "fight" with (state law). Not a guarantee, but at least I know we have a decent shot at getting our district to teach him something. There may have been a higher risk of a losing battle in your DSs situations. Our son is also not miserable. Not learning much, but happy overall. And he's only 6 so I feel we have a couple of years of leeway before there's a real danger of full blown underachievement syndrome, KWIM? Mia, is your son happier now? Kriston, if my son was noticeably unhappy with school as yours was, I would not risk his well-being by keeping him in the situation.

Yes, I agree completely. I think if I were in your shoes--and with your sparkling personality instead of my overbearing one!--I'd be a lot more likely to fight.

But we didn't even ask for significant accomodations. I mean, I never met with the principal. Not once. In my defense, we thought it through and considered that route, but felt like MAJOR changes had to happen IMMEDIATELY for DS7's well-being, and we didn't see what meetings could possibly accomplish under the circumstances and with the time constraints we felt were necessary.

So in short, I think we did the right thing, but I still worry that I wimped out...

As a direct result, I have such admiration--awe, really!--for those of you who fight that good fight.