Reasonable Accommodations in Rigorous Private School

[Anonymous]

Would love to hear about “reasonable accommodations” that your private school has given you for medical or other challenges. Our kid has a host of medical issues and is not doing well in school. His medical issues cause challenges akin to what you’d see in a kid with ADHD (inattentive type), sensory issues, anxiety, organizational challenges, etc. Despite a long list of medical accommodations, the school only will give him extra time. The school is telling me that it is satisfying other accommodations through substitute accommodations but the substitute accommodations actually don’t exist. It’s very strange. DS not allowed to record classes or join by FaceTime if he’s sick (though both are allowed at my other kid’s school and without any accommodation). We are meeting after Thanksgiving and I’d love to be able to go in with a list of proposals. Anything will work but the main issue is inability to focus in class and turn work in on time (because didn’t know it was due).

[Anonymous]

I’m no expert on this (just 1 special needs kid who has gone to 2 privates from k-12), but I think extra time is all they have to do. If they’re not working with you on more, you may need to take the hint that his needs are more than they’d like to handle. I’m sorry your family is going through this.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is they are not required to do anything. What they chose to do is a different story. My kids are at a top private school that will accommodate whatever is recommended in the neuropsych. That said, I’d make sure you are aware of everything available to everyone and make sure your son is using all of these resources. At our private, every lesson is available in Google classroom. They are all recorded and, while they may not be from the actual teacher your child currently has, the lesson and material is there, so no need to recreate that.

[Anonymous]

what year is your child, OP?

[Anonymous]

Its a private school. I would move schools if they can't help you enough. We stayed at a private school for a year too long. Some teachers would help, but others would not. They tried and it was going somewhat ok, but it ended up causing major anxiety and depression in my child because school was so difficult. Value your kid's health and mental state over the academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear about “reasonable accommodations” that your private school has given you for medical or other challenges. Our kid has a host of medical issues and is not doing well in school. His medical issues cause challenges akin to what you’d see in a kid with ADHD (inattentive type), sensory issues, anxiety, organizational challenges, etc. Despite a long list of medical accommodations, the school only will give him extra time. The school is telling me that it is satisfying other accommodations through substitute accommodations but the substitute accommodations actually don’t exist. It’s very strange. DS not allowed to record classes or join by FaceTime if he’s sick (though both are allowed at my other kid’s school and without any accommodation). We are meeting after Thanksgiving and I’d love to be able to go in with a list of proposals. Anything will work but the main issue is inability to focus in class and turn work in on time (because didn’t know it was due).

What are you expecting the school to do about that? In my DS's case, we are working with him, incl medication. Not expecting the school to figure it out.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what you are expecting. Doctors always give long lists of recommended accommodations but I really don't know of a single case where those are followed.

Does the school have a learning specialist who can help? Since you are in private sounds like you can afford an executive functioning coach or tutor to help figure out deadlines?

For inability to focus can the school provide the teacher slides to your child so they can go over the work again at home?

[Anonymous]

We are at public school and joining via facetime or recorded lessons are not reasonable accommodations. Teachers will post the information online, but it is up to the students to make it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear about “reasonable accommodations” that your private school has given you for medical or other challenges. Our kid has a host of medical issues and is not doing well in school. His medical issues cause challenges akin to what you’d see in a kid with ADHD (inattentive type), sensory issues, anxiety, organizational challenges, etc. Despite a long list of medical accommodations, the school only will give him extra time. The school is telling me that it is satisfying other accommodations through substitute accommodations but the substitute accommodations actually don’t exist. It’s very strange. DS not allowed to record classes or join by FaceTime if he’s sick (though both are allowed at my other kid’s school and without any accommodation). We are meeting after Thanksgiving and I’d love to be able to go in with a list of proposals. Anything will work but the main issue is inability to focus in class and turn work in on time (because didn’t know it was due).

It's a private school. They are required to comply with the ADA not with IDEA and the bar for ADA compliance is very low

[Anonymous]

Recording is probably a privacy issue and it's not realistic to FaceTime the entire time. It sounds like your child would be better off in virtual school vs. a private or even public. Reasonable is subjective as these school are not equipped to deal with special needs and it sounds like your child would be better off at a specialized special needs school or virtual.

[Anonymous]

My child has anxiety and ADHD at a rigorous private. They do not use remote learning or zoom. She has a list of accommodations, but the teachers rarely, if ever, actively grant them. What is suggested: breaking down homework into “chunks” so it’s not overwhelming (not done), preferential seating (small classes so not necessary), making sure instructions are understood (not done), allow for movement breaks (not done). You get the gist here. We don’t push it because she is an A student, but works much harder than most. She is medicated and that allows her to concentrate in class. She still struggles with executive functioning. She couldn’t attend this school if she wasn’t medicated. If your child is having trouble concentrating in class as a main symptom, there isn’t much you can do accommodations wise. Her plan lists suggestions - one of them being teachers giving notes to the students, but they don’t have to. You don’t say what the medical condition is but that needs to be fixed. Sleep apnea - trial modafinil or stimulants, anxiety trial new SSRI and use magnesium. As far as the executive functioning piece (not handing in homework) there should be a learning specialist at school that you can use or hire an executive functioning coach. My kid’s high school and K-8 had an online portal where assignments were posted with due dates. Unless your kid is in elementary, I’d be very surprised that if your son doesn’t have the same. Even parents can access the assignments from the parent portal. So your son knows about homework assignments and this may require a lot more handholding on your part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m no expert on this (just 1 special needs kid who has gone to 2 privates from k-12), but I think extra time is all they have to do. If they’re not working with you on more, you may need to take the hint that his needs are more than they’d like to handle. I’m sorry your family is going through this.

+1. A lot of schools provide extra time and may recommend outside tutoring. For the ADHD I would recommend medicating and helping your child build executive function skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has anxiety and ADHD at a rigorous private. They do not use remote learning or zoom. She has a list of accommodations, but the teachers rarely, if ever, actively grant them. What is suggested: breaking down homework into “chunks” so it’s not overwhelming (not done), preferential seating (small classes so not necessary), making sure instructions are understood (not done), allow for movement breaks (not done). You get the gist here. We don’t push it because she is an A student, but works much harder than most. She is medicated and that allows her to concentrate in class. She still struggles with executive functioning. She couldn’t attend this school if she wasn’t medicated. If your child is having trouble concentrating in class as a main symptom, there isn’t much you can do accommodations wise. Her plan lists suggestions - one of them being teachers giving notes to the students, but they don’t have to. You don’t say what the medical condition is but that needs to be fixed. Sleep apnea - trial modafinil or stimulants, anxiety trial new SSRI and use magnesium. As far as the executive functioning piece (not handing in homework) there should be a learning specialist at school that you can use or hire an executive functioning coach. My kid’s high school and K-8 had an online portal where assignments were posted with due dates. Unless your kid is in elementary, I’d be very surprised that if your son doesn’t have the same. Even parents can access the assignments from the parent portal. So your son knows about homework assignments and this may require a lot more handholding on your part.

When did your daughter start medication?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear about “reasonable accommodations” that your private school has given you for medical or other challenges. Our kid has a host of medical issues and is not doing well in school. His medical issues cause challenges akin to what you’d see in a kid with ADHD (inattentive type), sensory issues, anxiety, organizational challenges, etc. Despite a long list of medical accommodations, the school only will give him extra time. The school is telling me that it is satisfying other accommodations through substitute accommodations but the substitute accommodations actually don’t exist. It’s very strange. DS not allowed to record classes or join by FaceTime if he’s sick (though both are allowed at my other kid’s school and without any accommodation). We are meeting after Thanksgiving and I’d love to be able to go in with a list of proposals. Anything will work but the main issue is inability to focus in class and turn work in on time (because didn’t know it was due).

What are you expecting the school to do about that? In my DS's case, we are working with him, incl medication. Not expecting the school to figure it out.

Have your son try to sit in the front row of the class whenever he can and teach him to notice when he’s zoning out (e.g., I know I’m zoning when I start doodling or making to do lists) so he can correct it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child has anxiety and ADHD at a rigorous private. They do not use remote learning or zoom. She has a list of accommodations, but the teachers rarely, if ever, actively grant them. What is suggested: breaking down homework into “chunks” so it’s not overwhelming (not done), preferential seating (small classes so not necessary), making sure instructions are understood (not done), allow for movement breaks (not done). You get the gist here. We don’t push it because she is an A student, but works much harder than most. She is medicated and that allows her to concentrate in class. She still struggles with executive functioning. She couldn’t attend this school if she wasn’t medicated. If your child is having trouble concentrating in class as a main symptom, there isn’t much you can do accommodations wise. Her plan lists suggestions - one of them being teachers giving notes to the students, but they don’t have to. You don’t say what the medical condition is but that needs to be fixed. Sleep apnea - trial modafinil or stimulants, anxiety trial new SSRI and use magnesium. As far as the executive functioning piece (not handing in homework) there should be a learning specialist at school that you can use or hire an executive functioning coach. My kid’s high school and K-8 had an online portal where assignments were posted with due dates. Unless your kid is in elementary, I’d be very surprised that if your son doesn’t have the same. Even parents can access the assignments from the parent portal. So your son knows about homework assignments and this may require a lot more handholding on your part.

When did your daughter start medication?

Diagnosed in elementary. Lack of rigor and natural intelligence allowed her to compensate until demands became too much in 8th.