Back- up
I have a child in 5th grade. Her second grade teacher, her third grade teacher and the reading specialists have all suggested to me that the child be tested for learning disabilities. Her father reacted violently to the suggestion and so I let it lie. I figured I'd come back to it. Well, he has finally wrapped his head around it and I've requested that the child be tested. So on Monday we had a "child study" meeting. The teachers all agree she should be tested, the Vice Principle is looking at the kids SOLs and telling me the kid is functioning well. The Special Ed lady either doesn't want the extra work or is worried about her budget and if the kid is functioning and not causing issues for the school then let her be. I am so friggin naive. I thought they were there to help me. I thought they were there to HELP THE CHILD. Apparently not.
So I've been stewing on it. I called the state board. I can ask for mediation which is free but voluntary so both the school and I have to agree. I can file a due process report which is basically like going to court.
I looked up the National Center for Learning Disabilities, clicked on local stuff and started calling numbers. I just got off the phone with someone at "Discoveries" in Newport News Virginia who assured me that if I want to have the child tested for Special Ed/Learning Disabilities it is my legal right to have the child tested. Apparently I want to speak to the director who will tell me the proper procedure. The director is in Alabama at the moment.
I am so relieved.
So I am to talk to the director on Monday and we will see if my relief lasts for any amount of time... but just being told "Yes, you didn't make it up. The law says they have to test her." That is huge. I think I'm going to go cry and then I need to clean up the arts and crafts mess I made with the preschooler...
1 comment:
Yuck..bad memories for me...I had to go through all the testing with my oldest...I even took her somewhere else to be tested, and she still did not get what she needed in p. school...I home-school her now, she is still far behind where she should be..I am hoping and praying to get her caught up by high school! I see her learning at home and I know she is already learning more here then she would have at public school!! My oldest son is still in public school and doing wonderful..he has no LD's...Good luck I hope things work out for you! BTW I was living in NC when all this happened..not in VA so hopefully VA is better! :)
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