X-post: If you've held a child back a grade...

[Princess Peach]

as a homeschooler, did you have trouble when you registered the child in ps? We have met with some resistance at our local school over this issue.

 

I want to be ready when the principal calls me back.

 

I tried to Google this issue, but came up empty-handed, so I'm hoping someone here has some insight or even some links with info.

 

Thanks!

 

(I posted this on the Afterschooling board, but thought some folks here may have some advice, as well)

[chiguirre]

It's one of the reasons we haven't considered school more seriously for Geezle. We held him back a year and are pleased with that placement, but our ps won't allow you to hold back a kid with an IEP. I find that so frustrating since he'll be eligible for ps until his 22nd birthday so they aren't going to have to pay more for his education and it would make his life so much easier to have an extra year before moving to middle school. If GW attended ps, he'd have been the youngest kid in his class on top of his asd. Luckily we've never had to enroll them.

[Unicorn.]

I guess it depends on your district. I held all of mine back (late summer b-days w/ Sept. 1st being the cutoff date). Oldest is in ps and one of my twins is going to ps this fall. No trouble at all. On the flip side, one of dd's friends has a late Sept b-day and shouldn't be eligible for 9th grade, but her mom advanced her a grade, and it wasn't a problem either.

[Mandamom]

I kept mine on grade level while homeschooling and the when we put him into school we decided to put him in the year he just (sorta :tongue_smilie:) completed. The public school was perfectly fine with the decision.

 

It has since been a great choice for him -- he took a year off after high school and as a 20 year old freshman will be attending The Pittsburgh Institute of Art this year. :party:

[Princess Peach]

It's one of the reasons we haven't considered school more seriously for Geezle. We held him back a year and are pleased with that placement, but our ps won't allow you to hold back a kid with an IEP. I find that so frustrating since he'll be eligible for ps until his 22nd birthday so they aren't going to have to pay more for his education and it would make his life so much easier to have an extra year before moving to middle school. If GW attended ps, he'd have been the youngest kid in his class on top of his asd. Luckily we've never had to enroll them.

 

I guess it depends on your district. I held all of mine back (late summer b-days w/ Sept. 1st being the cutoff date). Oldest is in ps and one of my twins is going to ps this fall. No trouble at all. On the flip side, one of dd's friends has a late Sept b-day and shouldn't be eligible for 9th grade, but her mom advanced her a grade, and it wasn't a problem either.

 

He was tested by the school district last year, even though we were homeschooling, but he was not given an IEP. DH and I disagreed with their findings and signed it as such. At that point, we decided to hold him back and repeat 2nd grade. He is most likely dyslexic, and also presents as a younger kid (which the principal noticed upon meeting him).

 

The principal expressed his concern that this would set a precedent, as well as opening the door to homeschoolers wanting to advance their child a grade. He is discussing it with the spec ed team.

 

On the positive side, the principal was eager to address DS's reading disability, even mentioning the possibility of testing for dyslexia.

[Princess Peach]

I kept mine on grade level while homeschooling and the when we put him into school we decided to put him in the year he just (sorta :tongue_smilie:) completed. The public school was perfectly fine with the decision.

 

It has since been a great choice for him -- he took a year off after high school and as a 20 year old freshman will be attending The Pittsburgh Institute of Art this year. :party:

 

Congrats to your son (and you!)!

 

I really think the middle school would have been fine with the registration, but the elementary was a stickler for this, among other things (ie, not accepting the physical form our ped generated and instead needing their ow form filled out).

[tex-mex]

He was tested by the school district last year, even though we were homeschooling, but he was not given an IEP. DH and I disagreed with their findings and signed it as such. At that point, we decided to hold him back and repeat 2nd grade. He is most likely dyslexic, and also presents as a younger kid (which the principal noticed upon meeting him).

 

The principal expressed his concern that this would set a precedent, as well as opening the door to homeschoolers wanting to advance their child a grade. He is discussing it with the spec ed team.

 

On the positive side, the principal was eager to address DS's reading disability, even mentioning the possibility of testing for dyslexia.

Have they tested your ds recently? I would think the basic skill test (it can be done in less than an hour) would answer the question as to what grade level he can be placed in. Many public schools do this for homeschoolers. When I taught, my school district had this policy in place for homeschoolers being admitted into ps.

[icul8rg8r]

My DD turned 8 in Jan; my DS turns 8 at the end of July. When they attended private school last year (instead of me homeschooling), technically they BOTH could have been in 2nd grade. But we held back my son - he's a summer baby, a boy, socially immature, and a really little guy. BEST THING WE'VE EVER DONE!

 

Our problem is with AWANA at church! He's done 3 years of Sparkies, like his sister, but technically (since we held him back last year when he went to private school) he's now considered a 2nd grader and not allowed to advanced to T&T with the 3rd graders. We're seriously considering going to another church/Awana program that will consider his AGE not his GRADE!

[Princess Peach]

Have they tested your ds recently? I would think the basic skill test (it can be done in less than an hour) would answer the question as to what grade level he can be placed in. Many public schools do this for homeschoolers. When I taught, my school district had this policy in place for homeschoolers being admitted into ps.

 

They didn't mention testing for placement. I did let them know that he was given the 2nd grade ITBS last year and this year (same level) and how much he improved and I let them know his reading level based on that.

 

The response was that they have 4th graders reading at a 1st grade level and they get "supports". It seems that they do not like retaining students.

[Princess Peach]

My DD turned 8 in Jan; my DS turns 8 at the end of July. When they attended private school last year (instead of me homeschooling), technically they BOTH could have been in 2nd grade. But we held back my son - he's a summer baby, a boy, socially immature, and a really little guy. BEST THING WE'VE EVER DONE!

 

Our problem is with AWANA at church! He's done 3 years of Sparkies, like his sister, but technically (since we held him back last year when he went to private school) he's now considered a 2nd grader and not allowed to advanced to T&T with the 3rd graders. We're seriously considering going to another church/Awana program that will consider his AGE not his GRADE!

 

We "held back" our son for Sunday school, too. It actually worked out quite well, because the kids are more where he's at, maturity-wise.

[tex-mex]

They didn't mention testing for placement. I did let them know that he was given the 2nd grade ITBS last year and this year (same level) and how much he improved and I let them know his reading level based on that.

 

The response was that they have 4th graders reading at a 1st grade level and they get "supports". It seems that they do not like retaining students.

Hmmm. It almost sounds like you are dealing with a newbie prinicpal?

 

The whole 4th grade "supports" thing could mean anything from tutoring to an IEP in place. Entirely different animal. I have known of many prinicpals at the school I worked for who were happy to look at the standardized testing, do their own testing, and place the child based on the results -- and the FINAL approval of the parents. Mind you, this was for homeschooled students transitioning into the ps setting. If it were a regular student who was faltering academically (no IEP or 504 Plan on file) or had numerous absences -- in the state I worked at years ago -- those were grounds for being held back a grade.

 

Many times students who get special education are either mainstreamed into the regular classroom a % of time with a side classroom/teacher called "Resource Specialist" (in CA) who would pull the student out for tailored curriculum in the areas of need. Has your ds been officially dx'ed for Dyslexia?

[QueenCat]

We "held back" our son for Sunday school, too. It actually worked out quite well, because the kids are more where he's at, maturity-wise.

 

When we held our son back, we did it for everything. The first year was a little awkward, since it meant repeating some things, but after that it was great.

[Princess Peach]

Hmmm. It almost sounds like you are dealing with a newbie prinicpal?

 

The whole 4th grade "supports" thing could mean anything from tutoring to an IEP in place. Entirely different animal. I have known of many prinicpals at the school I worked for who were happy to look at the standardized testing, do their own testing, and place the child based on the results -- and the FINAL approval of the parents. Mind you, this was for homeschooled students transitioning into the ps setting. If it were a regular student who was faltering academically (no IEP or 504 Plan on file) or had numerous absences -- in the state I worked at years ago -- those were grounds for being held back a grade.

 

Many times students who get special education are either mainstreamed into the regular classroom a % of time with a side classroom/teacher called "Resource Specialist" (in CA) who would pull the student out for tailored curriculum in the areas of need. Has your ds been officially dx'ed for Dyslexia?

 

Hmmm, well he did think that his reading score of 2.5 meant completed second grade plus 5 months. :confused:

 

DS has not been officially diagnosed. We got a quote of $3000 and insurance covers zilch. It's just not something we can do out-of-pocket.

[QueenCat]

Hmmm, well he did think that his reading score of 2.5 meant completed second grade plus 5 months. :confused:

 

DS has not been officially diagnosed. We got a quote of $3000 and insurance covers zilch. It's just not something we can do out-of-pocket.

 

Schools are still supposed to, under federal law, provide testing, even for homeschoolers that reside in their district. Go to Wrights Law, on the web, for help in this area. Requests should be made in writing, by certified mail, to keep them on the required time line. They have to test, even if they know you aren't going to attend there. Testing and eligibility for services are two different things... Insurance doesn't normally cover educational, non-medical things, so I wouldn't expect that to change.

[tex-mex]

Hmmm, well he did think that his reading score of 2.5 meant completed second grade plus 5 months. :confused:

 

DS has not been officially diagnosed. We got a quote of $3000 and insurance covers zilch. It's just not something we can do out-of-pocket.

It almost sounds like the prinicpal wants to place him in the age appropriate grade. Then test him later in the year (most schools have testing in the beginning of the year and it is a long list for the school psychologist to get thru) if you ask for it via an official meeting or letter.

 

I get the impression that because ds does not have an IEP on file, the principal is using the excuse (precedent) not to keep him back a grade, which is a lazy excuse IMO. You have ITBS scores and anecdoctal records based on your working with him as a homeschooler to prove why you held him back. And he is being slothful or lazy to do so as he thinks your ds will do well in the age appropriate grade level with extra remedial help if he qualifies for it. And it sounds like ds is in the primary grades too. Another lazy excuse that developmentally he may mature academically, which is not always true for boys.

[Princess Peach]

Schools are still supposed to, under federal law, provide testing, even for homeschoolers that reside in their district. Go to Wrights Law, on the web, for help in this area. Requests should be made in writing, by certified mail, to keep them on the required time line. They have to test, even if they know you aren't going to attend there. Testing and eligibility for services are two different things... Insurance doesn't normally cover educational, non-medical things, so I wouldn't expect that to change.

 

The principal mentioned re-evaluating DS and testing for dyslexia. I'm hopeful that this will happen regardless of which grade he's placed in. Thanks for the specific info to research. That is very helpful.

[tex-mex]

Schools are still supposed to, under federal law, provide testing, even for homeschoolers that reside in their district. Go to Wrights Law, on the web, for help in this area. Requests should be made in writing, by certified mail, to keep them on the required time line. They have to test, even if they know you aren't going to attend there. Testing and eligibility for services are two different things... Insurance doesn't normally cover educational, non-medical things, so I wouldn't expect that to change.

:iagree:

Technically, a school evaluation CANNOT officially dx the student. The test results show ideally show a discrepancy between IQ and things like working memory, processing, etc. If there is a big gap (2 standardized scores) in an area -- then he is not at "grade level" and there could be a legitimate learning disability.

 

In our area, Shriners Hospitals screen kids for free for Dyslexia. It is a long waiting list. But the test results go a long way in proving to the schools for an IEP or help. Just a thought.

[Princess Peach]

It almost sounds like the prinicpal wants to place him in the age appropriate grade. Then test him later in the year (most schools have testing in the beginning of the year and it is a long list for the school psychologist to get thru) if you ask for it via an official meeting or letter.

 

I get the impression that because ds does not have an IEP on file, the principal is using the excuse (precedent) not to keep him back a grade, which is a lazy excuse IMO. You have ITBS scores and anecdoctal records based on your working with him as a homeschooler to prove why you held him back. And he is being slothful or lazy to do so as he thinks your ds will do well in the age appropriate grade level with extra remedial help if he qualifies for it. And it sounds like ds is in the primary grades too. Another lazy excuse that developmentally he may mature academically, which is not always true for boys.

 

Yes, you are probably correct. It came across as a CYA thing to me. He is going to speak with the spec Ed dept and see what they say. He agreed to tentatively register him for 3rd, but made it clear it may not stay that way.

[tex-mex]

Yes, you are probably correct. It came across as a CYA thing to me. He is going to speak with the spec Ed dept and see what they say. He agreed to tentatively register him for 3rd, but made it clear it may not stay that way.

3rd grade is a make it or break it year for those kiddos like your ds. Academically, the pace is quicker and some students can "fall thru the cracks" as it becomes evident there may be an LD issue. I get why the principal is doing it, but do not agree with the emotional damage that could be done for your ds. It could be humiliating for him at recess or lunch to be teased by some kid if he does get held back next year or they place him in 3rd grade and then by Dec put him in 2nd. Kids can be cruel.

 

Is there any openings for testing to be done before school starts? A simple evaluation? You need to ask for all of this in writing. Schools have to legally comply within 60-90 days of the dated letter. Keep a paper trail. And go to LDonline for more help.

[Princess Peach]

3rd grade is a make it or break it year for those kiddos like your ds. Academically, the pace is quicker and some students can "fall thru the cracks" as it becomes evident there may be an LD issue. I get why the principal is doing it, but do not agree with the emotional damage that could be done for your ds. It could be humiliating for him at recess or lunch to be teased by some kid if he does get held back next year or they place him in 3rd grade and then by Dec put him in 2nd. Kids can be cruel.

 

Is there any openings for testing to be done before school starts? A simple evaluation? You need to ask for all of this in writing. Schools have to legally comply within 60-90 days of the dated letter. Keep a paper trail. And go to LDonline for more help.

 

Yes, I mentioned the 3rd grade year as being pivotal. We are concerned about all the things you mentioned. It would be nice if common sense could prevail. I will request testing ASAP if they do not let him stay in 3rd grade.

[QueenCat]

:iagree:

Technically, a school evaluation CANNOT officially dx the student. The test results show ideally show a discrepancy between IQ and things like working memory, processing, etc. If there is a big gap (2 standardized scores) in an area -- then he is not at "grade level" and there could be a legitimate learning disability.

 

In our area, Shriners Hospitals screen kids for free for Dyslexia. It is a long waiting list. But the test results go a long way in proving to the schools for an IEP or help. Just a thought.

 

Hmm. I thought they couldn't diagnose "medical" but could do the "learning disabilities" diagnoses. I remember our docs doing the ADHD and autism diagnoses, but those are medical. I thought a friend's son had gotten the dyslexia diagnosis via the school psychologist. It's been a while though, so I could be wrong.

[Unicorn.]

I forgot to mention my ds does not have an IEP, exactly, but he is 504 due to AD/HD. This means he gets priority scheduling, priority seating, extra time for tests and assignments if needed. Nothing was ever said about his age though. I think the schools here are used to people holding their dc back a year, especially boys.

[tex-mex]

Hmm. I thought they couldn't diagnose "medical" but could do the "learning disabilities" diagnoses. I remember our docs doing the ADHD and autism diagnoses, but those are medical. I thought a friend's son had gotten the dyslexia diagnosis via the school psychologist. It's been a while though, so I could be wrong.

From my experience in CA with SSTs & IEPs... it is more like a legal liability issue. If the school officially dx'es it, then they legally might have to pay for treatment (if sued) by the family. Which is why most of the testing is uber-edu-speak for there is a problem, but no labels.

 

However, if there is a pediatrician or outside psych evaluation/test confirming the dx, then the IEP will go along with it. Tho' I have seen many a school psychologist get their nose out of joint if a parent comes in with a professional evaluation or dx and make their work/test look paltry by comparsion. Ego issue basically.

[wapiti]

He was tested by the school district last year, even though we were homeschooling, but he was not given an IEP. DH and I disagreed with their findings and signed it as such.

 

What specifically was it about the testing that was done last year that did not agree with your own experience?

 

The principal expressed his concern that this would set a precedent, as well as opening the door to homeschoolers wanting to advance their child a grade.

 

I totally agree this is a dumb excuse.

 

On the positive side, the principal was eager to address DS's reading disability, even mentioning the possibility of testing for dyslexia.

 

FWIW, there have been some threads on getting a dyslexia diagnosis on the Special Needs board, e.g.: s/o Who Diagnoses What? (question about dyslexia, auditory processing and more) ; dyslexia can only be diagnosed by a mental health professional??? (I don't see much of an issue with a school psychologist diagnosing dyslexia, except that I prefer the quality of private psychs.) Personally, I'd go ahead and let the school psych do some testing, since you are not able to do private neuropsych testing. It is very important to note that a kiddo can "look" dyslexic and have other issues instead.

 

Secondly, I'd very strongly consider ruling out developmental vision issues with a covd, because such issues can share symptoms with dyslexia (and it's not entirely uncommon for a kiddo to have both). Even if you can't afford the full developmental vision evaluation, a regular eye checkup with a covd optometrist might allow the covd to at least screen for such issues, and a regular eye checkup should be considered at a minimum where a kiddo is having trouble reading.

 

As for the grade level, I'd wait to have that discussion until after the testing. The school may be more amenable to the idea afterward, or conversely, they may be able to better demonstrate to you where they are coming from. Kids with LDs that are properly addressed may catch up to their age peers eventually, which is something to keep in mind, and also, 2E kiddos are not rare amongst dyslexics (I would not want to hold back a 2E kiddo).

[Princess Peach]

What specifically was it about the testing that was done last year that did not agree with your own experience?

 

Simply put, he tested below average or lower on every single area and they said that because there was no differentiation, he did not have a SLD. They attributed his reading difficulty to lack of instruction, which is complete nonsense.

 

 

I totally agree this is a dumb excuse.

 

 

 

FWIW, there have been some threads on getting a dyslexia diagnosis on the Special Needs board, e.g.: s/o Who Diagnoses What? (question about dyslexia, auditory processing and more) ; dyslexia can only be diagnosed by a mental health professional??? (I don't see much of an issue with a school psychologist diagnosing dyslexia, except that I prefer the quality of private psychs.) Personally, I'd go ahead and let the school psych do some testing, since you are not able to do private neuropsych testing. It is very important to note that a kiddo can "look" dyslexic and have other issues instead.

 

He has far beyond the reversals of b's and d's. He has a family history (DH has it, as well as a couple close relatives on my side). He is pretty much a textbook case.

 

Secondly, I'd very strongly consider ruling out developmental vision issues with a covd, because such issues can share symptoms with dyslexia (and it's not entirely uncommon for a kiddo to have both). Even if you can't afford the full developmental vision evaluation, a regular eye checkup with a covd optometrist might allow the covd to at least screen for such issues, and a regular eye checkup should be considered at a minimum where a kiddo is having trouble reading.

 

As for the grade level, I'd wait to have that discussion until after the testing. The school may be more amenable to the idea afterward, or conversely, they may be able to better demonstrate to you where they are coming from. Kids with LDs that are properly addressed may catch up to their age peers eventually, which is something to keep in mind, and also, 2E kiddos are not rare amongst dyslexics (I would not want to hold back a 2E kiddo).

 

I'm not familiar with 2E, could you explain?

[wapiti]

Simply put, he tested below average or lower on every single area and they said that because there was no differentiation, he did not have a SLD. They attributed his reading difficulty to lack of instruction, which is complete nonsense.

How awful to sit through that conference. That is nonsense. Although, a learning disability isn't going to get him held back anyway. Ironically, it seems to me that, if there really was no LD, these low results across the board may point toward holding back, though there's "low" and then there's "low" (below average isn't enough to say a student is performing below grade level). Also, from a different angle, a better question may be whether you think the scores accurately match his ability level, with the discrepancy being caused by an LD.

 

As for the IEP, if you were able to get one, consider what you'd like that to include, best case scenario - I think it's great news that the school is prepared to address his reading issues regardless. In other words, maybe you don't even need an IEP.

 

He has far beyond the reversals of b's and d's. He has a family history (DH has it, as well as a couple close relatives on my side). He is pretty much a textbook case.

You might get more advice on the SN board, where there is lots of dyslexia discussion. (FWIW, in addition to all the helpful folks who post there, some of whom send their kids to school, posts such as this one come to mind)

 

I'm not familiar with 2E, could you explain?

twice-exceptional, a.k.a. gifted with a learning disability

[tex-mex]

How awful to sit through that conference. That is nonsense. Although, a learning disability isn't going to get him held back anyway. Ironically, it seems to me that, if there really was no LD, these low results across the board may point toward holding back, though there's "low" and then there's "low" (below average isn't enough to say a student is performing below grade level). Also, from a different angle, a better question may be whether you think the scores accurately match his ability level, with the discrepancy being caused by an LD.

 

As for the IEP, if you were able to get one, consider what you'd like that to include, best case scenario - I think it's great news that the school is prepared to address his reading issues regardless. In other words, maybe you don't even need an IEP.

 

Forgive me for jumping in this conversation -- but I mentioned previously that to label it as an LD and then getting intervention, accomodations, or a 504 Plan or IEP there needs to be a discrepancy between test results and IQ. At least 2 standard deviations between the two basically. And it appears that they did not find any discrepancy when the OP was at that meeting?

 

I am suggesting she get testing and begin the route to see if there is a discrepancy. It sounds like the principal is thinking the same thing too. HTH

 

ETA: For my 2 cents, I agree with Wapiti and prefer to pay for a private Clinical Pediatric Neuropsych evaluation. I did the same for my ds and it was worth the $3500 investment for his IEP.

Edited July 17, 2012 by tex-mex

[wapiti]

Forgive me for jumping in this conversation -- but I mentioned previously that to label it as an LD and then getting intervention, accomodations, or a 504 Plan or IEP there needs to be a discrepancy between test results and IQ. At least 2 standard deviations between the two basically.

 

I'm not sure it's that straightforward - different states seem to define things differently, unfortunately. In my state, a student must be performing below grade level after in-classroom attempts x, y and z to turn things around, in order to get IEP services for anything except speech. Discrepancies between ability and achievement are not particularly relevant in my state for 2e, for example (gifted student performing average due to an LD does not get services even if the difference is more than 2 std deviations). And the level of certain performance areas has to be really low (e.g., my ds lost OT services even though his motor ability was around the 13th percentile; it averaged out with his extremely high visual perception on one test and poof - he's performing average :glare:).

 

As far as holding back, I was only thinking that most schools seem to prefer to keep in the regular grade for age with added services rather than retention, saving retention for situations without LDs. In any event, I don't think retention adds a whole lot if no changes are made to the student's instructional situation, etc.

 

And it appears that they did not find any discrepancy when the OP was at that meeting?

 

I was under the impression that only achievement levels were tested rather than ability. Maybe I'm wrong?

 

I am suggesting she get testing and begin the route to see if there is a discrepancy. It sounds like the principal is thinking the same thing too. HTH

 

ETA: For my 2 cents, I agree with Wapiti and prefer to pay for a private Clinical Pediatric Neuropsych evaluation. I did the same for my ds and it was worth the $3500 investment for his IEP.

 

:iagree: on the testing. Also, different types of practicioners and different geographic areas will have different price points. Around here, generally it would be $1200-1700 for an eval with a PhD.

Edited July 17, 2012 by wapiti

[tex-mex]

I'm not sure it's that straightforward - different states seem to define things differently, unfortunately. In my state, a student must be performing below grade level after in-classroom attempts x, y and z to turn things around, in order to get IEP services for anything except speech. Discrepancies between ability and achievement are not particularly relevant in my state for 2e, for example (gifted student performing average due to an LD does not get services even if the difference is more than 2 std deviations). And the level of certain performance areas has to be really low (e.g., my ds lost OT services even though his motor ability was around the 13th percentile; it averaged out with his extremely high visual perception on one test and poof - he's performing average :glare:).

To be clear, by the time a parent gets to the FIRST meeting (for seeing if they qualify for an IEP) is based on an SST (student study team) meeting previously.

 

In Texas, they call the SST an ARD, for example. I worked in CA and was also the IEP Coordinator for my school site as a Mentor Teacher.

 

Often, I would go into my Principal's office to discuss a student's performance and get counsel. Many times I was correct in thinking intervention was needed and I initiated the SST process after informing the parent. To prepare for the SST meeting as a schoolteacher, I would have to provide the team evidence that as you stated, "...a student must be performing below grade level after in-classroom attempts x, y and z to turn things around, in order to get IEP services". Proof such as tests, daily work, letters sent home, parent conference notes, report cards, and more.

 

The "x, y and z" attempts for intervention on my part were scrutinized by the SST team in that first meeting and a decision was made to begin testing by the school psychologist. Based on the results, we had a SECOND meeting to discuss if there showed a discrepancy (i.e. 2 standard deviations in my previous example) and my prior evidence showing poor academic performance in the classroom WITH intervention... in many cases, the case file got approved to create goals for IEP services. I hope this makes sense.

 

I worked in a low performing (Title I) school with many students below grade level. I have rarely encountered a 2E student -- the only one I know of in my professional experience did not qualify for services. He was dx'ed by his doctor as Asperger's Syndrome and was profoundly gifted. Unfortunately he was bullied at recess and the only thing the school could do was a 504 Plan, which basically means nothing in the terms of getting services. It was quite sad. I allowed that student to choose a friend who would hang out with him indoors in the Computer Lab supervised by an adult teacher. He loved it. But he had a difficult time socially.

 

Another family got services for their child by suing the school district. They got a one-on-one aide (myself after retiring from full time teaching :D) to shadow their 1st grade mild Asperger son. It was a great gig. The pay was $16 an hour and the child was a delight. He was mainstreamed in a regular classroom. The only bad part was that I was not really needed by the student and ended up being used by the teacher (due to my past experience) as a aide or tutor. And truthfully, I was bored to death sitting there from 8:25 am to 2:30 every day doing NOTHING. And the child did not need my help as he excelled in the classroom. So, after a month of torture doing nothing... I could not take it anymore and grabbed a pile of worksheets to grade. Then began walking around the room cueing students to be on task without disrupting the teacher. The teacher was thrilled to see my skills and delegated many duties -- the parents were happy to see an aide in the classroom. (In CA, budget cutbacks were such that having a teacher's aide in many school districts got phased out by the late 90's or early 2000's.) I was delegated to work with students who needed help with reading or math in small groups. It was nice. We got along swimmingly well for 3/4 of the school year. Until another teacher reported my "extra" duties to the principal due to her being jealous that her enemy (my teacher I worked with) got me as an aide.

 

Which was the kiss of death for the position when the principal found out. By the 2nd grade, they pulled funding from my position and I ended up in Resource (RSP) class half the day away from the delightful student. The parents were very upset. But their son did not really need my help academically. I was needed at recess and lunch times to shadow him. (And that was very fun to do yard duty on the playground also, but another story.)

 

As far as holding back, I was only thinking that most schools seem to prefer to keep in the regular grade for age with added services rather than retention, saving retention for situations without LDs. In any event, I don't think retention adds a whole lot if no changes are made to the student's instructional situation, etc.

 

Retention in the early grades actually do help. After the 3rd grade, it gets to be socially humiliating. I have had numerous BOY students in Kindergarten retained with the parent's approval due to immaturity and inability to keep up with peers academically for the next grade level. A year difference (without changes to the instructional situation as you said) in keeping that same child in K helps them blossom in confidence and maturity. I've seen students end up class leaders by 4th/5th grade who were held back in K, for example. It usually is the Fall babies (boys) who fall into this retention demographic.

 

As for the OP's child, I am assuming he does not have an IEP on file? And therefore, it is okay to retain him a grade level. If he did have an IEP, there is no point in doing so as the IEP academic goals are being met quarterly or yearly via mainstreaming or RSP or whatever.

 

I was under the impression that only achievement levels were tested rather than ability. Maybe I'm wrong?

 

 

School Psychologists can run a large battery of tests just like a Neuropsychologist. But the issue with them is a long waiting list of students who need to be tested and usually they are the ONLY ONE in the entire school district who can officially test. It can be a nightmare. Which is why I am telling the OP to get the letter requesting testing before school starts. By that time a spot opens in Nov/Dec, they will have had their first parent-teacher conference and documentation by the teacher will be made for the SST team to make a decision for testing if he qualifies.

Edited July 17, 2012 by tex-mex

[melmichigan]

He was tested by the school district last year, even though we were homeschooling, but he was not given an IEP. DH and I disagreed with their findings and signed it as such. At that point, we decided to hold him back and repeat 2nd grade. He is most likely dyslexic, and also presents as a younger kid (which the principal noticed upon meeting him).

 

The principal expressed his concern that this would set a precedent, as well as opening the door to homeschoolers wanting to advance their child a grade. He is discussing it with the spec ed team.

 

On the positive side, the principal was eager to address DS's reading disability, even mentioning the possibility of testing for dyslexia.

 

I'm hoping it's just the best of intentions and not that they would receive more money if he is in a higher grade and further behind. Yeah, I'm pessimistic by experience.

[Princess Peach]

Update:

 

I never heard back from the school, but I had to get a medical form filled out and bring it back to the school, so I did that today. The principal is on vacation and the secretary didn't appear to remember our situation, even after I reminded her.

 

She did check the computer, which says 3rd grade (what we want), so she said he's registered for 3rd as far as she knows. I also have the copy of the registration form, signed by me, which says 3rd grade. She said I could call back the week of August 13, and the principal would be back from vacation. But, I'm inclined to let sleeping dogs lie because if they want to change it to 4th grade, they'd have to get in touch with me. Right?