Should my daughter be in special ed?

Question

I have a hard time beleiving that my 9 yr old daughter should be in special Ed. She was born with apnea and actually died nine times the first day of her life. There is a chance she may have suffered some minor brain damage, or even have dislexia, or ADHD or even be a little autistic. I have had testing done, but none were conclusive. Anyhow, she is in the 3rd grade and pretty much functioning on a kindergarden/first grade level. She is a beautiful sweet lil girl thats sits quietly in class and mimics all the other children, pretending to read, and do her studies. You would never even know it til you see her work. The ARD commity decided to put her in special Ed. She has been in Special Ed since 1st grade. Now it seems she is getting further and further behind, and they dont seem to care. Now they want to put her in life skills classes, so she will be able to survive in life. I visited her special Ed class, she appears to be the only one in there without a severe disability, and I dont feel she needs that. Why wont the school help us find out what the real problem is? I dont want her just pushed through to graduate not even knowing how to count money or read!!!
Any advice here will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I am confused. No committee can decide to place a child in SPED on their own. A parent has to give consent to test, a team that includes the parents must meet to discuss the test results and decide the least restrictive environment, and an IEP must be developed to set goals for the child. Are you saying the school changed your daughter's placement without your consent? They cannot do that without prior written notice to you, explaining why they chose to do this.

As for the testing, what tests were done? Who did them, the school? Did she have a psychological exam and an achievement test done prior to her placement in SPED? If she has a significant gap (20 or more points) between her ability( based on IQ) and her achievement, then she qualifies for a learning disability in one or more areas and is eligible for SPED services. When you say the tests were non-conclusive, how did the school justify a special education placement? Did you bring in a medcial certificate documenting ADHD or another medical diagnosis? No matter what, being in SPED does not necessarily mean she should be placed in a complete pull-out program, unless her needs are severe. She still has to have access to the general curriculum and spend some parts of her day with non-disabled peers.

I would recommend that you request a meeting of the team to discuss your concerns. You should have a copy of your procedural safeguards (or can obtain one from your school or get one from your department of education), which explains your rights as a parent. Go in and ask why your daughter is placed where she is, how what she is being taught relates to her goals, and ask whether or not she can get that instruction in a different environment. Remember that there are many advocacy groups that can help you if you are not satisfied with the results of this meeting.

Please be aware that many kids who need special services function quite well socially and can articulate their needs, but require help in academics. I have several students whom other teachers have commented do not appear to 'need special ed'. They do not understand that these kids have processing problems, comprehension difficulties, etc...that are not going to be evident until you see the work they do or observe them while working independantly. Your daughter appears to fit this profile. She must need special education if she is two years behind, even though she does not outwardly appear to be in need of any assistance.

I hope things work out for you. Good luck!

Answer 2

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter.

As for special ed, I don't know. have you noticed an improvement in her work? Has there been a major change or anything of the sort since she started in special ed? What kinds of problems do you find that the other children have?

I would go to her doctor and discuss this situation, and consider more testing. I would also put her in disability therapy, because you may get some information there.

When you think you can pinpoint a problem, do as much research on the situation as possible. In some areas, there are special classes that your daughter can take at special schools (sometimes after school, sometimes half day, and sometimes the whole day) that will help her be able to learn in a way that she will comprehend.

Also, instead of special ed, I have seen children with these kinds of problems who have specific "helpers" who sit with them outside the class so that they can learn certain things in a different ways if they don't really get it. They spend the rest of the time in the class.

Finally, try to determine if she is a savant. Maybe there's one thing that she's just fabulous at, and get her involved in that.

Good luck!! I hope I helped in some way.

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Answer 3

In our school district the ARD committee has a parent representative and liaison. It is usually someone whose child has already been through the system who is familiar with the sort of obstacles, resources and challenges you are going to face. Remember, that you are her only advocate. The school has an obligation to provide services but not all are very progressive about identifing alternatives (especially after a child is placed an funding is coming from the feds). I know that sounds harsh, but the reality is that the schools are big and even if you have a psychologist who is recommending a program s/he can't advocate and make it happen. In this state, the school has to work to get services even if they are not available on their campus...it can mean new programs or busing...which is why its important to be a part of the committee and know what you are asking for. Our district is closed minded. I have seen parents who needed to literally fight and fight hard with attorneys for even basic needs (like an attendant on the school bus, or a facilitating machine for communication). You will need a good relationship with your daughter's physician cause the doc usually has the final say. Find out if your school has a special needs committee or an equivalent of PTA for moms with special needs kids (I can't remember what its called). You will need the support and information you get from these ladies and they will help you know when to pick your fights.... Last, you might want to see an attorney or at the very least hit the local library to find out exactly what rights and programs are available. If a school district has not dealt with a particular condition or situation before they may not know who other services they are supposed to be providing or what other resources are available. All I can say is that our pediatric office was our greatest resource. As it turned out my daughter's ped wife was on the school board, so she had a good view of both sides.... Say a prayer...start asking questions quietly...keep reiterating your concerns and talk with the teacher...there may be opportunities for her to attend some regular classes throughout the day for better social interaction and development. I will say a prayer for you.

Answer 4

It sounds like she does need some kind of special teaching. Perhaps putting her in a lower grade level will help with her understanding the curriculum. I know from personal experiance that if the class passes you by, you will never understand the next step that they are all learning. It gets worse when the class is two steps then three ahead. You never catch up, and finally will give up. Dopping a grade might put her with younger kids, but if she will learn better with less advanced classes she is still learning. There is no shame in taking longer to learn as long as you do learn. As for the special ed classes she is taking, perhaps you could find a different place to take her classes. One where there are more kids like her. Not disabled, but still behind. Also try asking her how she feels about it. She might really like the other kids in special ed. She might also like being at the top of the class physically if she is not at the top in a normal class. She sounds like a very nice girl, who is sensitive to people. Treat her carefully, and try to always take her feelings into consideration. Good Luck!!

Answer 5

I would talk to the school principle first to ask why your child is in Special Education classes. If the school does not have any legal justified educational reasons for what they are doing with your child, then you need to contact the School Board, and if needed, you could also contact an attorney. Make sure that you document everthing! Make sure that you keep copies of all documents between you and the school. By doing this you will be creating a documents "paper trail" that will back you up on your word, and if need be, you can refer back to the documents "paper trail" that you have created. You will be able to use the documents "paper trail" against the school if needed. But you should know that PWDs are demanding and getting full mainstream inclusion in today's mainstream society including within public school classrooms. Even though your daughter might be placed in a regular education classroom, it is very possible that there are PWDs in a regular education classroom with your daughter. I am a PWD by birth and I was mainstreamed into a regular education classroom throughout my public school career and I have meet other PWDs who were also mainstreamed into a regular education classroom thoughout their public school careers.

Answer 6

Trust you instincts. HOWEVER, don't be too proud to give your daughter the teaching tools she may very well benefit from.

Answer 7

Hon, yes. =(