When The Stakes Are High
How to Get Academic Help for Your Child
Melody Rossi
Is your local school meeting all of your child's educational needs? If not, do you know what changes could be made or how to initiate those changes? Many parents are so intimidated by the thought of asking the school system to become involved that they decide not to bother. However, if your child begins to seriously lag behind, intervention is crucial!
Suppose your bright second grader has suddenly quit bringing home assignments, insisting he finishes everything in school. Upon investigation, you discover that your son hasn't completed any work in weeks! He is restless in class, and he cannot seem to remain focused on tasks that you know are easy for him. After reflecting on his behavior at home, you wonder if he might be exhibiting signs of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). What should you do?
Consider another example. Perhaps your feisty kindergartner has always had the most darling way of saying certain words. Recently, she has become very quiet and withdrawn. Her teacher tells you that her classmates have begun to mimic her speech patterns, which you assumed she would outgrow. For the first time, you wonder if she should see a speech specialist. Will your insurance pay for this? Where do you begin?
These are just two examples of everyday occurrences that come under the umbrella of Special Education. Initially, Special Education existed to meet the needs of students with serious disabilities, but due to parental outcry, many mild and moderate conditions are now recognized as interfering with education. More students than ever are qualifying for Special Education services.
Federal legislation (PL 94-142 and IDEA) mandates how schools must interact with students who may have disabilities. If the parent requests, the school must provide an assessment as well as free and appropriate intervention. Frequently, parents are directed to private practitioners, such as neurologists, speech pathologists, psychologists or pediatricians. While parents may always choose to consult with outside professionals, they must not feel compelled to do so.
If there is a legitimate possibility that a child has a disability interfering with his education, the school must provide a fair, multi-disciplinary assessment, followed by an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to address the educational needs and goals of the student. These actions must be completed with parental consent and involvement at every phase. Even if your child is in a private school or is being home-schooled, he or she is still eligible for an assessment and services by virtue of your residency and taxpayer status!
Academic Procedures
If you suspect your child may qualify, find out who is in charge of special education in your local school. (If you are not sure, ask the school nurse.) Request in writing that your child be assessed. The school has 15 days to respond with a proposed assessment plan, which you must promptly approve and sign. The school must then initiate the assessment procedure within 50 calendar days. When the assessment is complete, a meeting will be held with teachers, the psychologist, the nurse, and any other involved professionals (such as a speech therapist) to develop the IEP.
The above information may seem complicated. Suffice it to say, if you request an evaluation of your child, the school cannot simply tell you they are backlogged and put you on a waiting list. If they try to do this, politely indicate your knowledge of the timeline. Your next step should be to contact your school district office, the Special Education program specialist for your area, or your county Office of Education to report non-compliance with federal guidelines. The school can be in jeopardy of sanctions. Make sure you retain copies of all paperwork and record the dates you signed and returned forms, or had relevant conversations with school officials.
Eligibility Guidelines
Students with the following conditions are those eligible for special services:
- Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (added in 1999)
- Specific learning disabilities
- Visual impairments
- Language and speech impairments
- Serious emotional disturbances
- Autism
- Hard of hearing
- Deafness
- Deaf-Blindness (in combination)
- Mental retardation
- Orthopedic impairments
- Traumatic brain injury
- Multiple handicaps
- Other health impairments (temporary or chronic in nature)
Keep in mind that schools do not needlessly offer costly and time-consuming services. In addition, legislation regarding special services is fairly new, and many veteran teachers and administrators are not up to date. Therefore, parents must usually request special services. When it comes to your children's academic futures, it is best to be informed, persistent and insistent!
Melody Rossi is a former Special Education teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District. She currently runs an after-school program for inner-city children.
Helpful Resources
Here are some agencies and areas you can use as resources for information and assistance:
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