Re-evaluation

I believe that most states must base there guidlines on a discrepance between IQ and achievement scores.

If your son is having trouble with writing why don’t you request and Occupational Therapy evaluation?

If your son scores have improved since three years ago, it is probably due to the fact that you did so much private remediation and that he is working very hard!

I would just ask in advance what test will be used and in advance write a letter requesting that he receive IQ, achievement, and OT evaluations. Then just make sure you double check when you receive the consent form!

K.

On the other hand, many people decide to refuse additional testing due to the fact the child may place out of the program. You can always have private testing done if you want it. But have seen kids who lost a few points in discrepancy lose services altogether. If the accommodations are useful and/or you still desire some services, be very careful about allowing additional testing. Nothing wrong with testing for related services like OT, though.

Janis

Thanks. So I can refuse testing altogether? I thought they had to re-test after 3 years.

They have to meet to discuss re-evaluation. You can justify continued placement based on other things than re-testing. If you feel that there has been no significant change in the area of disability since the last testing, you can decide not to do formal testing. You can give evidence such as grades and regular ed. tests to show levels, for example. You can say that the accommodations were very important in the child’s placement being successful and that you want to continue the current placement. No longer do we have to do full re-testing every three years…unless your state has rules that exceed the federal requirements. We DO have to re-test if we want to change the child to another area of disability or if we want to dismiss from special ed.

Janis

Why do you want to keep him in the program, if he is remediated in his deficiencies? It appears that he can do it himself and maybe you can take the special ed ‘crutch’ away. Special education is not supposed to be a ‘place’ that a student stays in for his entire school life. The students that I have remediated and ultimately exit sped enjoy not being ‘different’ and it has really helped self-esteem.

We were in the same position and chose to have our son exit spec. ed.; it’s not meant to be a final resting place, and our son is functioning adequately in 6th grade with the supports everyone gets in reg. ed. There is a HUGE range of kids in reg. ed., and my son fits in fine. No, he doesn’t function in the “honors” group like you’d expect from his IQ, but spec. ed. wouldn’t have helped there at all. For testing ask for the new WJIII, TOWL 3 and Gray Oral Reading 4. Good Luck.

First, all members of the team decide if more information is needed to assess that a disability still exists and requires educational intervention. Not just parents.

I might also believe there is good data in doing an assessment. I like the Test of Written Language, 3rd Revision (TOWL-3) for written expression. I like the Woodcock Reading Mastery as a general reading test—with a fluency and RAN test thrown in from the WJIII or other sources. Finally, if math is an important issue, the Key Math is an excellent test. The Woodcock-Johnson is really a “screening” test and is not comprehensive enough to diagnose the different aspects of LD.

Connie,

Let me just add that I agree that if your son needs no services or accommodations, then he should exit. In my personal situation, I know my child will continue to need extended time on tests and possibly read-aloud all the way through school because of auditory processing issues that will never just disappear. You cannot underestimate the value of extended time on the SAT, for example, for a child who is a slow processor. So that is why I am hesitant to see parents give up special ed. placement. When my child no longer needs direct service, then I will want her to be on a consultation caseload so that she can still have the IEP just for accommodations. Just wanted to clarify why I am hesitant to see a child exit if he still needs the support of accommodations.

Janis

Thanks to all for the ideas, specific suggestions and the questions. I have really been thinking about the question of “why keep him in special ed?” and I appreciate that it was asked. To tell you the truth, I thought he would continue with his IEP right into college. I was thinking that he may improve his skills alot but that LDs don’t just go away. Right now, he receives very little service, and he is in a regular classroom full-time. His case manager helps to oversee implementation of the IEP and talks with him weekly with a primary focus on teaching and encouraging self-advocacy. (He’s just moved to a junior high—it’s a whole new ball game from elementary.) He has access to an on-call “editor” for proofreading and individual help with writing assignments. The accommodations of asking to have test questions read to him when necessary, using a calculator on tests, using books on tape as needed, and spelling graded seperately are very important to his sense of security and his success. I don’t know if it really is a crutch or not. I guess I’m still pondering.

We have found that in our middle school most of these accomodations(not the reading of tests) are in regular ed. already, and that access to guidance counselors is already there. Being associated with special ed. is not helpful to remediate reading and writing at our middle school.What about a 504 if he still qualifies as LD?