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Desperately need advice!!!!

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

My daughter has been recently classified as “Other Health Impaired” because she has severe ADHD-Inattentive. She is also eligible for speech language services because of severely low auditory processing scores. She has trouble in math, however is not considered having a disability in this area.So at our “eligibility determination” meeting they told me all this and gave me a couple of options.1. Speech language services and a math tutor 3 x’s a week with regular education teacher.2. SL services and pull out for math help with special ed teacher3. SL services and classroom aid or certified teacher for in class support.I wrote my letter that I wanted a certified teacher for in class support. Well today the coordinator calls me to tell me the principal is not ready to hire a teacher this year but will start looking next year. In the mean time they will give her tutor in math 3 x’s a week.I’m shocked and outraged! My daughter is being severely affected by her ADD and CAPD and they’ll give me a math tutor!!!!What are my rights. Can they take away this option for this year. She needs help now! I’m too angry to read lengthy articles about my rights. I can’t hire an advocate or attorney and they probably know that.CW

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/14/2001 - 5:00 AM

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I would say you may need to read those documents-which your school district legally had to provide to you. You didn’t say how old your child is, but our school district does not use co-teaching at the elementary school level. It is used minimally in 5th and 6th, and common in 7th and 8th.The pull-out programs are often the best because those teachers are Special Ed certified and are much better able to deal with the specific problems. An in-classroom support aide is not always the best alternative, because they end up helping other children as well as those who are classified. Tutoring would depend on your child-my opinion is that with ADHD, having your child stay after school, and have to work on other homework later is not the best solution either. I have a child with ADHD, and a Visual processing deficit but does not require SpEd services at all, but I am a SpEd substitute for our district and have dealt with all the options you have described.As far as an attorney, you may qualify for Legal Aide depending on income (the only thing they usually don’t handle is matrimonial law) and the school district would have to reimburse for any expenses. In my experience if you keep after them, they will do anything to “make you go away”. Hold tight and see if it works, and then move from there.

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 03/16/2001 - 9:58 PM

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The parents that I’ve seen have the best results are the ones who are personally committed to their chid’s success. Regardless of their school choice (private - public), the parents all were committed to providing home schooling IN ADDITION to and to complement the child’s school activities. Remember, you see your daughter all summer and at nights and on weekends and are in the best position to help her now while she is young. It takes lots of effort, but it is the only thing that truly works.

While IEPs are wonderful if they work as planned, teachers and schools change a lot even if you wind up never moving, and you can’t rely even on a perfect IEP to give your daughter the results she needs.

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