IEP- ADHD and behavior or social-emotional skills

[Anonymous]

We know that students can qualify for an IEP under the category of Other Health Impairment and have needs in behavior or social-emotional skills, even if they are on grade level academically and do not have academic areas of need (like reading or math goal needs). It seems like schools are very reluctant to qualify kids for special education who have ADHD with needs in behavior or social emotional. If your child fits this profile, how did you get an IEP? Did you have to request this or did the school initiate the process? How significant were the behaviors or the social emotional difficulties?

[Anonymous]

You actually have to show an educational impact not that you just subjectively believe your kid needs supports. What exactly is the special education you think your child needs? My child’s IEP is almost purely driven by behavioral issues that disrupted his ability to be in the classroom (and other children).

[Anonymous]

Ours who in HS only needed social and emotional was qualified under ED not OHI. In ES when his needs were academic he qualified under OHI. He had a 504 in MS and had to requalify for an IEP in HS but was on grade level. He ended up with a non mainstream placement.

[Anonymous]

Both of my kids have had primarily behavioral/emotional regulation goals in their IEPs in various years. But it was clear that the issues that gave rise to those goals were making it very difficult for them to be in the classroom, pay attention, and/or access the curriculum. Everyone in the team agreed that building those skills would be necessarily in order for them to learn.

[Anonymous]

This is why several joke about only being autistic for early childhood and then ‘they outgrow it.’ (It’s a way to make them qualify.)

[Anonymous]

My ASD child's school put DC on a 504 instead of an IEP for exactly this reason. DC does fine academically but could totally use social emotional supports. In our school system (MCPS), resources for school sponsored social groups or peer buddies or other social supports feel frustratingly nonexistent. My DC is not disruptive at all. Instead DC goes almost mute at school, but will answer when called on in class. School occasionally has a grad student come from UMD to run an "assertiveness" lunch bunch, but that's hit or miss. I'm not sure school system owes us more, legally, if kiddo is doing fine academically. I supplement outside of school with social groups etc. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why several joke about only being autistic for early childhood and then ‘they outgrow it.’ (It’s a way to make them qualify.)

If you get services early enough you can definitely outgrow it.