How is part day or full day school refusal handled in MoCo?

[Anonymous]

Any experience or knowledge welcome. This is for middle school (or high school).

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Does the kids have an IEP?

[Anonymous]

Not yet - just 504

[Anonymous]

Parenting and therapy - not the school's job

[Anonymous]

Going through this right now. Per the previous poster, the school has an obligation to help. They cannot just ignore this. Your child may need some accommodations that the school can provide. Please request a preliminary IEP meeting to request testing from the RTSE and your school principal (RTSE = special education department head) at your school). Based on the results, your child might qualify for an IEP. I requested testing in 5th grade because I started to see signs of school refusal. He has pretty extreme social anxiety. Staying at home won't help him, but I also cannot do this on my own. His school primarily works with us to help find ways to adjust his schedule. He also has other accommodations and goals, but we are working on a full day now (with mixed results). You also can ask to work with your child's counselor for a partial day schedule - and if needed, interim instruction services (home/hospital). Best wishes OP - I know how hard this is.

[Anonymous]

Thank you. Does the county ever come after the parent or child with consequences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Does the county ever come after the parent or child with consequences?

That is why I requested an IEP. He's not refusing to be difficult; he is terrified of school. Based on the number of absences, the case could get referred to truancy officers, but even then they work with the families to help keep students in school. An IEP helps protect your child based on their needs and finds the best available accommodations possible. IIS is also a possibility while you work with an outside therapist (that is the institutional services). That keeps your child's placement in the school but temporarily reduces their workload while your child is in treatment or you all are learning how best to approach this. It's not the best option as it's only the core classes and it's very rudimentary, but many students in IIS are going through something similar.

[Anonymous]

If your child is terrified to be in school, is Virtual Academy not an option?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Does the county ever come after the parent or child with consequences?

That is why I requested an IEP. He's not refusing to be difficult; he is terrified of school. Based on the number of absences, the case could get referred to truancy officers, but even then they work with the families to help keep students in school. An IEP helps protect your child based on their needs and finds the best available accommodations possible. IIS is also a possibility while you work with an outside therapist (that is the institutional services). That keeps your child's placement in the school but temporarily reduces their workload while your child is in treatment or you all are learning how best to approach this. It's not the best option as it's only the core classes and it's very rudimentary, but many students in IIS are going through something similar.

I wouldn't jump to assume other kids are trying "to be difficult". They have their own special issues too, but they may have parents who lack the ability to do the legwork and often financial expense for an IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child is terrified to be in school, is Virtual Academy not an option?

Absolutely not. It just feeds into the problem. The VA just isolates kids more. He needs to learn how to cope in public places. Including school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Does the county ever come after the parent or child with consequences?

That is why I requested an IEP. He's not refusing to be difficult; he is terrified of school. Based on the number of absences, the case could get referred to truancy officers, but even then they work with the families to help keep students in school. An IEP helps protect your child based on their needs and finds the best available accommodations possible. IIS is also a possibility while you work with an outside therapist (that is the institutional services). That keeps your child's placement in the school but temporarily reduces their workload while your child is in treatment or you all are learning how best to approach this. It's not the best option as it's only the core classes and it's very rudimentary, but many students in IIS are going through something similar.

I wouldn't jump to assume other kids are trying "to be difficult". They have their own special issues too, but they may have parents who lack the ability to do the legwork and often financial expense for an IEP.


There is no legwork. I paid nothing to have him evaluated by the school. If you do not know what you are talking about, please refrain. And yes, a child be labeled as difficult for school refusal if they do not understand the reasoning behind it. Hence the IEP and not the truancy officers to help him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child is terrified to be in school, is Virtual Academy not an option?

Absolutely not. It just feeds into the problem. The VA just isolates kids more. He needs to learn how to cope in public places. Including school.

Isn't that fear and anxiety an issue for a mental health expert (psychiatrist or psychologist) to treat and get under control? What role do you want the school to play that it's not currently?

[Anonymous]

We went through this last year - my 7th grader had accrued almost 30 absences before the end of the 2nd quarter. The school never threatened us (you can get the absences excused for medical reasons) and they were kind and tried to accommodate, but tbh they failed pretty miserably. Their sole focus was "get him in the building at all costs" without acknowledging or even recognizing the root of his issues (anxiety but also sensory overwhelm and possibly burnout) and IMO they made it worse. Waiving some assignments after they were overdue was too-little-too-late when it was the classroom (and hallways etc.) that were the actual problem. Eventually they told me we had to stop allowing him to even call home (with no clear plan for how I was supposed to even get him in the building to begin with under those conditions); we withdrew to homeschooling and then Fusion and we are still recovering. I hope you have better luck.

[Anonymous]

My sister went through this with my nephew. For a while he only attended PE. They just wanted him in the building. Then they messed with his schedule to make things better for him. Added some accommodations like a particular seat and taking work out in the hallway. They kept adding one more class until he was staying a full day. They excused all the missed work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child is terrified to be in school, is Virtual Academy not an option?

Absolutely not. It just feeds into the problem. The VA just isolates kids more. He needs to learn how to cope in public places. Including school.

You have two very different issues and this is mental health related. It sounds like you need to take them for a mental health evaluation and therapy to address these issues and as an in-between consider the MVA if they will allow him in.