Fusion Academy -- asking the right questions

[Anonymous]

We are considering 1 class at Fusion (in NC) for our DC (8th grade, dyscalc and dysg). Math has always been a weakness but this year it is going downhill fast we feel we need to take dramatic action. Their teacher is new to the school district (generally a high performing school, largely UMC+ educated parents) and the grades for the entire class are low across the board. It's technically high school level (Math 1) but is the primary track for those who are college bound.

We've heard mixed things about Fusion (namely on this board, and I'm trying to get local feedback). I decided to consider it strongly since the neuropsych who did DCs testing recommended looking at them.

Ideally, this would just be for this year.

There are not a ton of specialized / LD focused schools in our area and the ones that are here couldn't necessarily slot DC in immediately, so Fusion might be our best bet (besides a private tutor who would re-teach the course content each day)

Our main questions are--
-process for getting credit
-"leaving" his base school for the one class
-credit transfer for high school/course flow for next year.
-Qualifications of his specific teacher
--other questions we should ask?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Fusion as a full time school can be amazing for the right kid, who can't learn in a traditional classroom. But for your needs, I'd keep them enrolled in school for all classes, get a strong IEP (including, perhaps, outside of gen ed for math), and a tutor who specializes in math and learning disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Thanks —may I ask what about the 1 class only do you think wouldn’t work?

we had a meeting at the start of year and was denied IEP/granted 504. At the time, and based on the data/testing that made sense. We could probably go back and ask for the IEP but the basis kind of seems like “teacher is ineffective”…I feel like by the time we get to a switch to an IEP more time will have passed..,and the extra help will be from the current teacher (unless I’m missing something)

we started a tutor with experience with LD students and could up the frequency….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks —may I ask what about the 1 class only do you think wouldn’t work?

we had a meeting at the start of year and was denied IEP/granted 504. At the time, and based on the data/testing that made sense. We could probably go back and ask for the IEP but the basis kind of seems like “teacher is ineffective”…I feel like by the time we get to a switch to an IEP more time will have passed..,and the extra help will be from the current teacher (unless I’m missing something)

we started a tutor with experience with LD students and could up the frequency….

It's not that I think it won't work, but it's expense is worth it for the entire school experience, but less worth it for what is essentially tutoring (at least in the DC and MD school districts I know, you can't attend public school part time, so you can't get out of their math class if you otherwise want to be enrolled). And Fusion's teachers don't necessarily have special ed experience/training, which would be my number one criterion in your situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks —may I ask what about the 1 class only do you think wouldn’t work?

we had a meeting at the start of year and was denied IEP/granted 504. At the time, and based on the data/testing that made sense. We could probably go back and ask for the IEP but the basis kind of seems like “teacher is ineffective”…I feel like by the time we get to a switch to an IEP more time will have passed..,and the extra help will be from the current teacher (unless I’m missing something)

we started a tutor with experience with LD students and could up the frequency….

It's not that I think it won't work, but it's expense is worth it for the entire school experience, but less worth it for what is essentially tutoring (at least in the DC and MD school districts I know, you can't attend public school part time, so you can't get out of their math class if you otherwise want to be enrolled). And Fusion's teachers don't necessarily have special ed experience/training, which would be my number one criterion in your situation.

Get a tutor. It will be much more effective and a better use of your money.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you need a tutor for one subject. We have used Fusion for tutoring and found it very helpful. In addition to helping our teen with the substance, it gave them much-needed confidence and they began to get excellent grades in troublesome subjects. We had also been grateful to have Fusion as an option fulltime when our child could not handle being in a more traditional school setting.

[Anonymous]

a tutor sounds better than leaving for one class that may not be taught by a math expert. I got the feeling from other families that fusion does enough to get the kid to pass

[Anonymous]

Credit transfer is going to vary by your local district. There are definitely kids at our Fusion who do math tutoring but not for credit, which is substantially cheaper. Some come in the summer to do a class too
Is virtual tutoring an option if there are not a lot of others near you? Id look for someone who has LD experience or a grad student if you have options.

I think its going to depend on whoever the teacher is at Fusion. We had a disaster of a math teacher last year with our middle schooler-- had to change teachers mid year and remediate further. The teacher could not adjust to understand DC's abilities and accomodations so DC learned nothing.

I'd meet whoever the math teachers are at your local Fusion and do a trial session.