I am looking for any information I can find on what some of the Learning disabilities are, symptons, and the name of the test to diagnose. The best my sons schoool has to offer is to get him diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. This isn’t good enough to me. His major problems are in most critical first are 1) listening 2) writing abilities 3) memory retention 4) reading. All is way below normal. I have wanted the schools to test him since he was in the 1st grade. He has been swept under the carpet for 4 years and all 4 years has been isolated from the rest of the class for disruption. He is in 3rd grade and has always (every year, year after year) had his own “special desk” away from the rest of the class. Please help.
Re: You're in the right place then
Good advice from Sue. And don’t let up, I’d think your right going with your instincts. A child does not belong sitting with teacher every year, something isn’t working and it needs to be addressed.
If you make a formal request for testing, in writing, they get to choose between going through a due process procedure to prove why they shouldn’t, or doing the cheaper thing and testing your kid. Include in that letter the specific concerns you mentioned and the fact that you have requested it before. They’ll have their standard battery of tests such as the WISC and Woodcock-Johnson — go to LD In Depth and look under Assessment (http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/assessment/assessment.html or just click on the LD In Depth box and look for Assessment) for
a lot mroe good information about testing.
Does he currently have an IEP? W/O testing, I assume not — I would also include in your letter that clearly teachers see issues becaues of their decision to give him special seating and while you do appreciate their concern, you would sincerely like to do a more thorough analysis of your son’s educational challenges so that his needs can be met.
And yes, it’s important that you write it politely and as if you believe they are on your side and want your kid to do well. For one thing, some of them almost certainly do…