The impact of IEP or 504 plan on magnet program selection

[Anonymous]

DS has significant issues with attention, easily distracted and doesn’t always follow directions. He doesn’t have an official ADHD diagnosis yet but we’re getting psychoeducational testing. He is academically strong though as we supplement some teaching at home. Just wondering if we request an IEP or 504 plan, would it hurt his chance to magnet problem when he’s 4th grade or middle school? He’s overall smart but just cannot focus well when there is distraction. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS has significant issues with attention, easily distracted and doesn’t always follow directions. He doesn’t have an official ADHD diagnosis yet but we’re getting psychoeducational testing. He is academically strong though as we supplement some teaching at home. Just wondering if we request an IEP or 504 plan, would it hurt his chance to magnet problem when he’s 4th grade or middle school? He’s overall smart but just cannot focus well when there is distraction. Thanks!

Legally it should not. That would be discrimination against a protected class, but if they have issues, you might want to consider if a program like this is a good fit for them.

[Anonymous]

Under the current magnet pool construction paradigm, both for CES and criteria-based MS magnets, there is an adjustment to the MAP score criteria for students receiving services -- EML/ESOL, FARMS, IEP and 504. Instead of needing a locally normed 85th %ile score, a locally normed 70th %ile is required.

With a significant proportion of IEPs & 504s coming from those with the means to identify, formally, conditions and pursue associated accommodations, this is one of the ways that MCPS has left the magnet selection system vulnerable to gaming. That's not to say it is a principal reason that MCPS might push back on a designation; it's more of an afterthought, if even that.

The timing of designation vs. applicability to magnet lottery pool creation (or appeal) is unclear. There are also the other criteria (grades, reading level), and the whole paradigm could always change -- there is some possibility of that this coming year with a review scheduled for this spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Under the current magnet pool construction paradigm, both for CES and criteria-based MS magnets, there is an adjustment to the MAP score criteria for students receiving services -- EML/ESOL, FARMS, IEP and 504. Instead of needing a locally normed 85th %ile score, a locally normed 70th %ile is required.

With a significant proportion of IEPs & 504s coming from those with the means to identify, formally, conditions and pursue associated accommodations, this is one of the ways that MCPS has left the magnet selection system vulnerable to gaming. That's not to say it is a principal reason that MCPS might push back on a designation; it's more of an afterthought, if even that.

The timing of designation vs. applicability to magnet lottery pool creation (or appeal) is unclear. There are also the other criteria (grades, reading level), and the whole paradigm could always change -- there is some possibility of that this coming year with a review scheduled for this spring.

My understanding is you are correct that inclusion in the pool for CES and MS criteria programs is lower for students receiving those services, but this is not a factor for HS selection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS has significant issues with attention, easily distracted and doesn’t always follow directions. He doesn’t have an official ADHD diagnosis yet but we’re getting psychoeducational testing. He is academically strong though as we supplement some teaching at home. Just wondering if we request an IEP or 504 plan, would it hurt his chance to magnet problem when he’s 4th grade or middle school? He’s overall smart but just cannot focus well when there is distraction. Thanks!

Legally it should not. That would be discrimination against a protected class, but if they have issues, you might want to consider if a program like this is a good fit for them.

Yes. My kids have been through several levels of MCPS magnet programs, and there are absolutely kids with IEPs and 504s. Many have been successful. However, the magnets (particularly HS) are not a perfect fit for every kid, no matter whether they have learning differences. So it is worth looking at the program and asking yourself if your child is a good fit given their specific profile. If he continues to struggle with paying attention to directions, or if he has issues with time management, or doesn't enjoy big semester-long group projects, it might not be the best fit.

[Anonymous]

For ES and MS, having a 504 plan makes it easier it terms of the locally normed MAP percentiles you need to be at. (Same with having an IEP, qualifying for FARMs, being ELL, etc.)

[Anonymous]

There's an extra level of review for an offer for kids with 504s/IEPs to make sure their needs can be met by the program. If not, no offer. They don't do that for ELL/FARMS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's an extra level of review for an offer for kids with 504s/IEPs to make sure their needs can be met by the program. If not, no offer. They don't do that for ELL/FARMS.

Source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS has significant issues with attention, easily distracted and doesn’t always follow directions. He doesn’t have an official ADHD diagnosis yet but we’re getting psychoeducational testing. He is academically strong though as we supplement some teaching at home. Just wondering if we request an IEP or 504 plan, would it hurt his chance to magnet problem when he’s 4th grade or middle school? He’s overall smart but just cannot focus well when there is distraction. Thanks!

Legally it should not. That would be discrimination against a protected class, but if they have issues, you might want to consider if a program like this is a good fit for them.

Yes. My kids have been through several levels of MCPS magnet programs, and there are absolutely kids with IEPs and 504s. Many have been successful. However, the magnets (particularly HS) are not a perfect fit for every kid, no matter whether they have learning differences. So it is worth looking at the program and asking yourself if your child is a good fit given their specific profile. If he continues to struggle with paying attention to directions, or if he has issues with time management, or doesn't enjoy big semester-long group projects, it might not be the best fit.

Sure some ADHD kids do get better as they grow older. Mid-elementary age typically is the peak for attention issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's an extra level of review for an offer for kids with 504s/IEPs to make sure their needs can be met by the program. If not, no offer. They don't do that for ELL/FARMS.

That sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's an extra level of review for an offer for kids with 504s/IEPs to make sure their needs can be met by the program. If not, no offer. They don't do that for ELL/FARMS.

Source?

If such a review is done, it’s by Central Office which doesn’t know the programs very well and won’t have to deal with any issues. It is not done by coordinators or teachers who have to meet these kids’ needs.

[Anonymous]

Just make sure your kid can keep up with the work and wants to do it. Some kids with IEPs do great in the magnets, while others have a hard time because of the workload/ executive functioning skills. I am not sure how TPMS is, but it is hard at Eastern to modify the assignments or reduce workload. And Eastern has tons of group work, so your kiddo needs to be comfortable working in groups and knowing others are relying on them to make deadlines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just make sure your kid can keep up with the work and wants to do it. Some kids with IEPs do great in the magnets, while others have a hard time because of the workload/ executive functioning skills. I am not sure how TPMS is, but it is hard at Eastern to modify the assignments or reduce workload. And Eastern has tons of group work, so your kiddo needs to be comfortable working in groups and knowing others are relying on them to make deadlines.

Just chiming in to say there are plenty of bright students without disabilities who are still developing executive function skills and maybe aren’t super adept at working in groups yet. I wouldn’t just single out students with IEPs to do this gut check. Parents of high achieving students with IEPs are very likely quite attuned to determining appropriate fit for their student more than many other folks might be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just make sure your kid can keep up with the work and wants to do it. Some kids with IEPs do great in the magnets, while others have a hard time because of the workload/ executive functioning skills. I am not sure how TPMS is, but it is hard at Eastern to modify the assignments or reduce workload. And Eastern has tons of group work, so your kiddo needs to be comfortable working in groups and knowing others are relying on them to make deadlines.

Just chiming in to say there are plenty of bright students without disabilities who are still developing executive function skills and maybe aren’t super adept at working in groups yet. I wouldn’t just single out students with IEPs to do this gut check. Parents of high achieving students with IEPs are very likely quite attuned to determining appropriate fit for their student more than many other folks might be.

I think this is very true. If you look at kids who leave the magnet programs, I don't think kids with IEPs or 504s are over-represented. I do think that any family contemplating a magnet needs to look at it from all sides. Is the commute worthwhile? Are any extracurricular sacrifices worthwhile? Is the possible "ding" to grades worthwhile? Is my kid a good fit in terms of their organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks? How does my kid do in group work, and what will be the social cost if they are the type of kid to always procrastinate on their portion?

[Anonymous]

NP Just adding that my kid went through all the magnets. Diagn8sed with adhd in ms, so 504 for the end of ms and into hs. I don't think it made any difference other then the accommodations helping her learn more effectively.

We knew several kids with 504s and IEPs accepted to a variety of ms and hs magnets. In my kid's friend group alone, there were 3 504s and 1 IEP, and we knew at least 1 other IEP kid. The IEP kids were diagnosed earlier, but my kid was in ms and friend was diagnosed at the end of es, beginning ms. I don't think having a plan was any detriment to admission. Good luck!