IEP kindergarten retention question?

Question

I was wondering whether you believed if it would be better to hold a child back in kindergarten or push
them forward to first grade? The child is on an IEP and they
increased thier services but he/she is still behind in all academic areas. As a parent I say hold the student back now or never. The school says they do not have the space in the inclussion classroom so the student goes forward. How do you feel about this and what are some
benefits to either decisions?

Please help ease my worrying mind.
Thank you in advance for your input.
Cass

I am not sure they will be able to catch up to the other students, even with tutoring over the summer. they do not know any site words and is just beginning to count meaningfully to twenty without skipping numbers.

Answer 1

Go to www.schwablearning.org to sign up for free to post on their parent to parent message board. You'll get lots of ideas there.

The main thing I hear about retention is, if they hold a child back, are they going to do anything different the next time? What are they going to do different than they did the first time?
If they failed first time, how are they going to pass the 2nd time?

children with problems need 'different' methods of learning, and not the same things that are not helping.
Teachers of ALL people know this, but they act like they don't know this and will not admit it, because the administrators over them will not let them help children.

If they did, your child would not be in this position now.
Since your child has IEP, it is not retaining that will help, but the IEP plan needs to be changed. whatever is on the IEP plan is not working so they HAVE to do somethign different.

Request an IEP meeting to change what's on the IEP plan to somethign that WILL help. That's what IEP plans are for.

Answer 2

Hi, Great question. Space cannot ever/ should not ever determine what, if any, services a child recieves! Don't let them tell you that! If your child is not ready to move on to the next grade level don't force it. They will continue to loose ground more likely than not. However, it is important to push your child to do his or her best. Which I am sure you do, just from the fact that you wrote the question.

The most obvious benefit is the child is given the opportunity to better understand understand the basic concepts on which he/she will build upon for the rest of their life. Having the opportunity to stay back will also increase their confidence and make them stronger in their studies for years to come.

Being that the child is in Kindergarten, I cannot see a bad side to the discussion. If they were older other issues could come into play.

I have Cerebral Palsy, I also used an IEP, I now attend college pursuing music performance. Had it not been for the IEP staff I would not have the opportunities I have now. Give your child the best chance possible. It is easier to hold him or her back now than it is to catch them up later in school. when parents and educators wait, it begins a cycle that can lead to poor selfesteem, ritcule by fellow students, and in some cases improper diagnosis of a learning disability.

Also, I might reccomend from personal experience to embrace your childs strengths while continuing to help them with their struggles. Had it not been for music I would have never been able to keep up my drive to do all the other things that I was having a hard time with. It served as a release and as a treat when i was frustrated with everything else.

Hope that helped!

Answer 3

If done correctly, the education of the child should be greared to the pace at which the child can learn--whether that means a slower pace or "keeping up."

The school is obviously not accepting the responsibility fo rdoing this--they simply wan't to move the child through the system at a rate that fits the system, not the child.

Your best bet is to have the child evaluated by INDEPENDANT qualified professionals--and be prepared to take legal action if necessary.

But here's a heads-up: while the indent of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) IEP's is to protect the child, the actual effect is to protect the schools. In practice, with the IEP "documentaion" the school can show a supposed "good-faith" effort to educate a child, regardless of whetehr the child learns or can learn. It's true that hte school is bound by the IEP--but it's also true that they are the primary authors--and can change the IEP. Ultimately, it releives the school from any responsibility for outcomes. Again, that's not the intent of the law--but in practice, that's what happens in many cases.

Answer 4

I think you're right about holding the child back in Kindergarten or never. I have a son in 1st grade who's just meeting proficiency and is young for the grade, but I know we've crossed the threshhold of when we could productively retain him.

I helped edit the revision of Dr. Wayne Light's Retention Scales, which advises school officials and parents to choose retention only if a certain matrix of conditions is met. We're having trouble keeping it in stock, so it's a good bet your district has it on hand somewhere.

I don't remember the details of the decision, but age and maturity factor in, presence of IEP factors in, and previous retention factors in. In all cases, it sounds like this child could benefit from retention.

Like many other writers, I sympathize, and encourage you to keep asking new people until you get the answer you want, which may not be "yes, retention," but will ensure your child's best interests are served, rather than shunting him or her wherever it's convenient.

Answer 5

Not having the space is not a legitimate reason for a child on an IEP. (Whole point of IEP is to prevent that kind of programming!)
You know that packet they offer you each meeting? "The Parental Rights" download from the district or walk into the district office and get another copy. There should be names and numbers of who to start calling if the principal of your child's school said there was no room. Get a hold of the director of special ed and keep documentation of everyone you talk to and all the things they said. This is the first of a long litany of fighting you will need to do! If the kid is behind, then he needs to catch up. I don't know the nature of his IEP but by the end of kinder. they are reading and doing basic adding and subtracting so sounds like he is going to need a lot of help- don't leave it to the schools, read TO him every night out loud. Sounds like you already are trying to help him keep up the fight!

Answer 6

If a school tells you there is no space, you need to say, "Oh well, your problem, he is staying back. A school has absolutely no right to tell you there is no room. A public school must provide a free and appropriate service. If there is no room, that is not your problem. They will need to split the class or make arrangements. NEVER PUSH A CHILD THROUGH!!!
If you and the teacher beleive the child is not ready, specifically based upon lack of goal achievement and 1st grade readiness, the child remains behind. If the child is having difficulty, what are the reasons he or she is behind?
I urge you to look at the whole child.
Different types of disabilities too would lend to different results. For example if you child has an autism spectrum disorder, I may say you do need to move up b/c he or she will be scattered in readiness. If your child has a reading disability or language I may say keep them back b/c the repetition is good.
No decisions is ever based on numbers. Ask your school district to place their information in writing to you. Follow up the statement with a letter of what you heard them say to you. This is illegal and grounds for due process. The decision is based upon the needs of the child only. As a parent you have final say as an IEP team member.
Good Luck

Answer 7

The IEP is about meeting the child's individual needs. Forcing the child to go forward because"they do not have the space in the inclusion classroom" is not a reason. Find out who regulates the schools in your area (in Texas it is the TEA -Texas Education Association) and contact them. They may be able to offer you some assistance or help you find an advocate to bring to your IEP meetings. Depending on the child's issue they may never be on level with their peers (and granted they cannot be held back forever)...creating an IEP for your child and best meeting all his needs is a balancing act. Good luck.

Answer 8

I guess I would start by asking the age of the child? My son was behind in K but is already old for his class an because of that, really not a candidate for retention. Now we are in second grade and things have progressed from bad to worse. We have since had him tested, and I wish we would not have. Once you decide to have him leave that regular ed classroom or inclusion classroom, it will be very difficult to work him back out of that resource room. My other son entered 1st grade and was behind, Christmas came, he was behind. His teacher said she would still be concerned if Spring Break of 1st grade came and he was behind and low and behold, he was caught up, it clicked for him. If the district is telling you he can not be retained because lack of space, tell them you are getting a parent advocate attorney and I am guessing their story will change rather quickly. Do not take him out of that regular ed classroom, where he is getting core curriculum unless it is absolutely necessary. Be sure he is provided the appropriate accommodation's. That is my two cents. Or her, he or she, sorry, assuming.

Answer 9

Hi, Even though they are pushing your child forward they are going to be pulling the child out of class to go to see someone(different in schools) but a special teacher to work. or they would have a para come into the class to help said child to work. In the resource room they will help the child get caught up. They work a lot of the time one on one. It may be that the child and teacher didn't mesh well and with someone else he/she will flourish to be caught up completely by 2nd grade hold back after first if the child isn't ready.

Answer 10

Is your child of special needs? My 6yr old son is autistic...has an iep..aka individualized education plan and is doing well, though some changes can and should be made to it...do not worry I have an iep meeting about it on the 23rd of this month...anyway, getting to your question, I do not feel that if your child is of special needs that she or he needs to be held back. I do however agree that even though if the child moves on that a plan be made so that focus is on what she/he is having problems with in the kingd. area. I am in agreement with whoever posted she/he would most likely get frustrated doing something over and over again....though my son love doing repetitive things..of course he is autistic and this is the norm for children of this delicate disorder......I hope I helped you Cass and good luck!