Moving to DCPS for HS - dyslexia and ADHD

[Anonymous]

We're considering a move to DCPS for high school for our son who is currently at SN Middle School. He's still in 7th, but we want to start looking at what might be possible. He has dyslexia and ADHD. We are IB for Jackson-Reed and would consider charters (like DCI?).

Would love to hear about any experiences at a DCPS high school for a LD and/or ADHD - do any of them do a decent job with IEPs and accommodations?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't think DCI would be good for dyslexia, given the foreign language emphasis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're considering a move to DCPS for high school for our son who is currently at SN Middle School. He's still in 7th, but we want to start looking at what might be possible. He has dyslexia and ADHD. We are IB for Jackson-Reed and would consider charters (like DCI?).

Would love to hear about any experiences at a DCPS high school for a LD and/or ADHD - do any of them do a decent job with IEPs and accommodations?

I’m a tutor who was recently hired to tutor a Jackson- Reed student. It was clear to me within the first meeting that the student could not actually read on grade level despite having had an IEP for dyslexia for years in DCPS. The parent had always been told by the school that the student’s dyslexia had been remediated and was no longer a problem.

I’m also a parent to a kid with ADHD and a language disorder and dysgraphia (not technically dyslexic but benefitted from dyslexic reading instruction). Jackson-Reed is a good school, if your kid doesn’t need any extra support, IMO, or if you are prepared to supplement with extensive outside dyslexic instruction and support.

MCPS is not much better when it comes to dyslexic instruction, although there are some programs for 2E kids at North Bethesda MS & Walter Johnson HS. MCPS is slowly placing more dyslexia-trained instructors from the ES level.

You might check out Siena School in Silver Spring, MD - an excellent private school for kids with dyslexia.

Sorry I can’t be more positive about public school for kids with dyslexia. You can get an IEP and some accommodations like extra time, but dyslexia-appropriate instruction doesn’t really happen IME.

You might find a local “Decoding Dyslexia” advocacy group and ask about schools there. There is an active one in Montgomery County