I have a high school son with dyslexia and capd. When proposing a plan for an IEP much time is spent requesting a PPT, arguing over the items in an IEP, mediation and the like. Then when services are received, much of the year has passed. Some times one has to be receiving a service for a reasonable period of time to see if the service and/or amount of time is effective. After my son graduates he will continue not to read at grade level, may not be able to attend college because the school failed to bring him to grade level, may not be able to obtain employment because the school failed to bring him to grade level. So this dance the BOE does affects a student all his life and the recourse is non-existant. It is my understanding that one can not receive financial remedy under IDEA and one can only go back 2 years and address any issues legally. I think if the school does not bring a child to grade level, they should be accountable and perhaps they should support the child for the rest of that childs life,given that that opportunity to learn had not been provided, perhaps then the BOE will make a sincere effort to meet these childrens goals. Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated. thanks
Re: Schools failure ends with child
It is my belief that parents need to not count on the schools to get the whole job done. We need to be providing extra opportunities for learning, tutuoring when necessary and encouraging our kids that learning does NOT stop once you exit the school building. Learning is something that is ongoing throughout life. If we, as parents, aren’t instilling a love of learning, then we fail our kids.
As for the school dragging out meetings and denying services…. well, that sounds like a due process issue. While you may not get a monetary settlement, compensatory services would be helpful. The could give your ds an opportunity to go to a vocational or technical school. You may also find that he qualifies for extended schooling which would make him a “super” senior. This would mean he would not graduate with his current class but would give him an opportunity for further school access.
Check into the Department of Vocational Rehab to find out what services he may qualify for. There are programs that can help him develop skills to be self-sufficient.
My dd has dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, CAPD, SI and Irlen Syndrome. While she is only in 8th grade, we are working hard to make sure she learns about various programs that she can access as she gets into high school and, later, into college. She has a Text-To-Speech reader on her home computer so that she can read email, web sites, and have access to ebooks. There are are TON of assistive technologies to help our kids develop skills and be successful!
I would encourage you to read Embracing the Monster by Victoria Crawford. This wonderful book is about a woman who has complex LDs and how she learned to be successful. Its truly inspirational.
I’ll start with a caveat that I don’t know [i]how[/i] this was done, but I once heard that a student with an IEP managed to get college paid for by the state because of his special needs. That would be a recourse if possible. Check into what can be done by your state department of education once your child graduates. I would hope there would be something to help your child transition into college.
I can understand your frustration. My son has an IEP, and the name of the game seems to be to do as little as possible for the shortest amount of time possible. Good luck