I’m a 25 yr old mother of three. My two youngest have hearing problems and are speech delayed and are in speech. But, I am here about my 7 yr old. He is in 2nd grade. And doing really bad in reading writing and speeling. He does fine in math.But they haven’t really gotten into word problems.
Last year his teacher was going to hold him back and then didn’t. I worked with him all summer. And made note about the things I saw that just didn’t seem right. I put them into the computer and it gave me all kind of web sites on LD.
I figured it was going to because it runs in the family.So when I went to meet his teacher at the begining of this school year I told her I wanted him tested. She told me she had to watch him for 2 weeks before she could recomend testing.
Well we missed a lot of school so far due to hurricanes. But I emailed her about haveing him tested and she says he’s doing fine but we just got a report that says he’s not.What do I do? I know he has a problem. We are moving in a month or two and I want him tested before we move. Because the school distrect we are going to have MUCH HIGHER STANDARDS!!! I explained this to her and she isn’t listening. Please help!!!???? YM
if you are moving in 2 months it may be better to wait
I get requests for assessments and I have 15 days to respond to them. I send a permission to assess form for the parent to sign and other developmental questions. Then after I recieve the permission to assess I have 50 days to do the testing and respond to the parent. So if you do the math there are roughly 60 days between this process and if you are moving he may not get quality testing to determine if he is eligible for special education.
Re: teacher not listening
I requested testing to the teacher when I met her and she said she had to watch him for two weeks. That was fine. But now every thing I have talk to her about has been in email.I have kept the copies and her replies to those.
I have had sooo many problems with this school. His teaccher in Kindergater yelled at her students. !st grade it was her first year teaching. And now this one isn’t listening. This school has only been open four years.
But I only have one good thing to say about it and that is it is clean. Other then that there is nothing.
And, I’m not the only parent that feels that way.
I know my son and he is very close to hating school. And, it’s not his fault. He is a very good boy.
The notes I alwaqys get are not that he is doing well. It’s tyhat he’s so helpful and a joy to have in class.
I don’t know how soon we are moving we haven’t found a house yet. But, I’m sure as soon as we do I am going to the new school.
I am going to talk to people higher up monday. If, I have to, I don’t really want to but I will change schools while we are still here. I will just go to the school board.We have school choice that just started here. But, for this year you had to have them signed you last January. thank you for you advice. YM
Re: teacher not listening
Do you really want the folks from this school testing your child? (Besides, as Victoria pointed out, if they do the math and know you are moving, they’ll figure out that they will have fulfillied their legal obligations if they wait ‘til you move).
Often the testers have the school system in mind when they interpret the testing, too — this can be helpful in making placement and program decisions. Do you know anything about the shcool system where you’re going?
The standard rule: Make the request for testing *in writing*.
Sign and *date* the letter. Later on if things get very nasty you may also want to notarize, but for now act as if things are normal and try to keep it polite. Keep a copy for yourself, also dated. Mark the envelope and the top corner of the letter “delivered by hand on (date).” Then go in and if possible hand it directly to the principal, if not speak to the secretary in a friendly manner for a few minutes so she can’t possibly say she never saw you and the letter. If the principal is very difficult (you aren’t at this stage yet, I think) also deliver a copy to the district superintendent’s office.
Once the written request is in the clock starts ticking for a time limit for testing.
However if you are moving immediately, this throws a wrench in the works. The school you’re in now doesn’t have any responsinility after you leave, and the new school doesn’t know you. If you know absolutely where you are going (already have contract on the house or lease), get a copy of your child’s records from the present school — they cannot refuse — take the records by hand and a polite request in writing for testing to the new school, and a second copy to the school district if that is where the testing is coordinated, and try to get your child registered and get things moving there — that is where you are going to have to work things out anyway.