Dyslexia & FCPS
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Anonymous
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21:42 here. PP, I am appreciative of your perspective as a former teacher.
22:37: I advise parents to put their focus and resources into good private tutoring. (Not Sylvan, etc. - but with a tutor who really knows and specializes in dyslexia using an Orton-Gillingham based method.) I can't tell you how many parents I have worked with who have put so much money into educational consultants to fight for years to get county services...only to realize years later that those services were not worth anything. Indeed, the services offered often make the situation worse. What is most disturbing is the psychological impact this has on children. Many dyslexic children are incredibly bright...yet because of the wrong services and misunderstanding in schools, they think they are dumb. Please don't wait for FCPS to make the necessary changes. Just focus on helping your child in whatever way you can. The most you can hope for from FCPS is good accommodations, and hopefully an understanding teacher. |
Anonymous
| How do you go about finding a tutor who specializes in a program like Orton-Gillingham? |
Anonymous
| Call the Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center 301.762.2414 (ASDEC.ORG). They refer only people they have trained and some are in VA (ASDEC only does Orton Gillingham based training and they have a summer program for students). ASDEC will try to refer you to someone who is a good match based on your DC's profile. Many OG tutors (trained in a variety of OG systems) are also members of the International Dyslexia Association (interdys.org). Their provider list is published on their website, although IDA does not have a strict prescreening for who is actually listed. The IDA also has FAQ sheets on what kinds of questions you should ask of any prospective tutor. |
Anonymous
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Big victory today at Franklin Sherman Elementary! We have been asking for an IEP and the Read Well program for DS since January 2013 following his ADHD & dyslexia diagnosis.
As of today, 8 months later, after countless meetings with the school, appealing to the FCPS summer screening committee, and appealing to the FCPS special education department, we finally have both items, not including his private tutor. To others fighting for appropriate services for your child and a FAPE -- do not give up. We feel as if we have only just begun and are committed to ensuring other dyselexic children receive the resources they deserve. |
Anonymous
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Congratulations in your victory, PP. You have been through a lot and should be congratulated on your tenacity!
Not to be a downer, though - but even when schools provide the right program, they don't do a very good job implementing. I know of many where kids of different levels are grouped together, where tutoring is only once a week, or when the teacher using the program has know idea what s/he is doing. So please be vigilant in making sure they are using the program properly. |
Anonymous
Yes, constant vigilance is necessary. We had a similar victory in a neighboring school many moons ago, but the fight was not nearly over. They we needed to make sure the instructor was certified in the chosen reading program (for DC it was Wilson) and then had to make sure he got the hours needed. That part was tricky because asking DC was too stressful for all involved. In MS, we had to fight all over again. Got the best help from the GateHouse person in charge of Special Ed Reading in the Middle Schools. |
Anonymous
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Do not allow your child to be place in any team taught classes. They are the worst classes in the schools. The two teachers ALWAYS end up chit chatting and hanging out together during class periods. The Special Ed. Teacher always ends up being to TA for the content teacher spending little if any time with the special education students.
Team Teaching is a failed experience and broken teaching model!!!! |
Anonymous
We have had a different experience. DC is in one team taught class (English) and so far it has been fine- especially with the Gen Ed teachers. |
Anonymous
| Congratulations! I'm so happy all your efforts have paid off! Woo hoo! |
Anonymous
It's been a year, PP. How are things going? Is your son making progress in the program? Are you still happy? We'd love an update. |
Anonymous
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Bumping this thread.
Anyone else have any luck with their child getting proper services in FCPS? I have a pit in my stomach right now just thinking about the uphill battle I'll likely have at DS's school with his newly diagnosed dyslexia and getting them to recognize it since he's "on grade level". |
Anonymous
Yes,but we were "lucky" as DC has never been on grade level. It was and is a hard slog and takes vigilance beyond getting it established. |
Anonymous
| I'm new to this thread (how did I miss it?) but so many of the posts have resonated with me. We had to get to the brink of filing a state complaint in order to get FCPS to agree to an appropriate IEP. It's too early to tell how well it's being implemented. Given what's come home, I don't think it's great but it's better than anything we've had so far. |
Anonymous
| Again, it is worth re-stating that just because you get the services that your child needs and you are legally entitled to, does not mean that FCPS will implement them properly. It's a sad truth that you have to be constantly vigilant and question how the school is implementing the services. Assume nothing. If you can afford it, get private services from a specialized tutor. |
Anonymous
| People might be interested in this - Learning Ally has a virtual conference called Spotlight on Dyslexia for parents of kids with Dyslexia on Dec. 5. Here is the link: https://presentations.inxpo.com/Shows/LearningAlly/Site/index.html |