APS ADHD Support with IEP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, my kid is also in APS with ADHD. The services are…fine. But down here it is 100% true that public is better than private. The private schools are oversubscribed and the dirty little secret is that they don’t have to deal with any problems they don’t want to. If your kid can’t keep up, they get “counseled out”. APS is rich enough that at a public school that has to provide accommodations that they do so.

However, many of the programs are really focused on kids that also have some level of autism. Instructional Studies in HS is usually paired with Social Skills, and the kids at the HS level are expected to be motivated to accept the relevant support. Some classes are co-taught so there are two teachers in the room to assist kids staying on track. Those classes, however, are not honors AP classes so if you want your kid to be on target for the top schools in the highly competitive APS student cohort, those classes aren’t going to fill the bill. The teachers are good and I’m pleased my kid has access, but I also know my kid is not even close to being on track for a T20 school.

Also, remember, the purpose of the IEP is to make sure that the child can successfully access the curriculum. If your kid is already making As, you’re going to have a harder struggle to prove they need services.

At some point, if your kid is struggling, you need to try the medication. That may just be the sufficient edge to remember to turn stuff in and focus on class. Also some of the things you describe are called being a teenager. And for that one on one work, yes you need to get a private coach.

We are unable to try the meds because of medical limitations.

So if our kid is coming in with As and Bs, but really struggling with juggling it all, and wants to take honors or AP classes — there wil just be a 504, ie more time for tests? The co-taught classes won’t be honors, and without a IEP they won’t get one on one counseling.

Would a private school be better for this range on the ADHD spectrum? How do you find a private counselor?

No there is no 1:1 counseling for ADHD in a public school. The only 1:1 is for counseling for mental health and they are stingy with that. You need to readjust your expectations OP. Maybe stay in private.

There have been sooo many threads saying public schools are better accommodation for ADHD than private schools. Our friends private school has a counselor they can stop by weekly and help get organized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at APS. Kids with ADHD sometimes qualify for an IEP, which means they need special instruction and accommodations like extra time, and sometimes qualify for a 504 plan, which just grants accommodations.

The Parent Resource Center had a lot of information on the process on their website. I found the Student Support Manual really helpful when my kid was going through the process initially. They also have a ton of archived webinars.

https://www.apsva.us/parent-resource-center/

Extra time is a common accommodation and I have never heard of much push back on that one. There is also a special education class called Instructional Studies that is supposed to teach executive function skills. I think there is a non- special ed version too. My experience with this at the middle school level is that it just completely depends on the teacher and the mix of students. Sometimes it’s been amazing scaffolding for keeping my kid on track and sometimes it’s been essentially a study hall.

My personal experience has been that a private executive function coach has been a lot more effective for this because it’s one on one. Of course, that’s out of pocket and they aren’t cheap, but I think of it as paying to outsource the nagging to keep our relationship intact. A lot offer services online, so that is something you can start now.

Different poster, but also in APS looking for an EF coach that can really personalize their approach. Do you have any names you’d be willing to share?

I got the name of our executive function coach from a list at the Parent Resource Center at APS, including some current and former APS teachers. If you call, they can send it to you. It’s got a lengthy disclaimer about how it’s not an endorsement, etc.

Another good place to find ADHD resources is the CHADD Resource Fair, which is next weekend. It’s got a good collection of tutors, EF coaches, therapists, etc as well as private schools that can accommodate ADHD.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chadd-2024-adhd-resource-fair-tickets-1014825068097?aff=oddtdtcreator

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, my kid is also in APS with ADHD. The services are…fine. But down here it is 100% true that public is better than private. The private schools are oversubscribed and the dirty little secret is that they don’t have to deal with any problems they don’t want to. If your kid can’t keep up, they get “counseled out”. APS is rich enough that at a public school that has to provide accommodations that they do so.

However, many of the programs are really focused on kids that also have some level of autism. Instructional Studies in HS is usually paired with Social Skills, and the kids at the HS level are expected to be motivated to accept the relevant support. Some classes are co-taught so there are two teachers in the room to assist kids staying on track. Those classes, however, are not honors AP classes so if you want your kid to be on target for the top schools in the highly competitive APS student cohort, those classes aren’t going to fill the bill. The teachers are good and I’m pleased my kid has access, but I also know my kid is not even close to being on track for a T20 school.

Also, remember, the purpose of the IEP is to make sure that the child can successfully access the curriculum. If your kid is already making As, you’re going to have a harder struggle to prove they need services.

At some point, if your kid is struggling, you need to try the medication. That may just be the sufficient edge to remember to turn stuff in and focus on class. Also some of the things you describe are called being a teenager. And for that one on one work, yes you need to get a private coach.

We are unable to try the meds because of medical limitations.

So if our kid is coming in with As and Bs, but really struggling with juggling it all, and wants to take honors or AP classes — there wil just be a 504, ie more time for tests? The co-taught classes won’t be honors, and without a IEP they won’t get one on one counseling.

Would a private school be better for this range on the ADHD spectrum? How do you find a private counselor?

No there is no 1:1 counseling for ADHD in a public school. The only 1:1 is for counseling for mental health and they are stingy with that. You need to readjust your expectations OP. Maybe stay in private.

There have been sooo many threads saying public schools are better accommodation for ADHD than private schools. Our friends private school has a counselor they can stop by weekly and help get organized.

Well, in our experience (children have been at both private and public), public was able to get us more services: OT, speech, ect. as well as classroom supports: graphic/writing organizers, planner check-ins, preferential seating. In private we weren't able to get any accommodations- even for a diagnosis of dyslexia. We were essentially told, if this is too challenging, then theis school isn't for you.

Now, my NT child is still at this private while my dyslexic child is in public. We are sending our youngest ADHD child to public HS as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at APS. Kids with ADHD sometimes qualify for an IEP, which means they need special instruction and accommodations like extra time, and sometimes qualify for a 504 plan, which just grants accommodations.

The Parent Resource Center had a lot of information on the process on their website. I found the Student Support Manual really helpful when my kid was going through the process initially. They also have a ton of archived webinars.

https://www.apsva.us/parent-resource-center/

Extra time is a common accommodation and I have never heard of much push back on that one. There is also a special education class called Instructional Studies that is supposed to teach executive function skills. I think there is a non- special ed version too. My experience with this at the middle school level is that it just completely depends on the teacher and the mix of students. Sometimes it’s been amazing scaffolding for keeping my kid on track and sometimes it’s been essentially a study hall.

My personal experience has been that a private executive function coach has been a lot more effective for this because it’s one on one. Of course, that’s out of pocket and they aren’t cheap, but I think of it as paying to outsource the nagging to keep our relationship intact. A lot offer services online, so that is something you can start now.

Thanks I’ll check out webinars. I’ve kept hearing that public school can provide better accommodation than private school for ADHD, but a group study hall with executive lessons is a little short of what I was expecting?

The only people who say that have non-disabled kids in private school and want to encourage the kids with disabilities to leave.

DP. ADHD combined kid was at a private school and then moved to APS and the support has been so much better.

Some private schools just aren’t interested or capable in supporting kids. Even the ones that sell themselves as SN friendly.

I personally think public + individualized outside support is the best option if you can afford it. But if you are considering private schools I’m assuming that won’t be a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, my kid is also in APS with ADHD. The services are…fine. But down here it is 100% true that public is better than private. The private schools are oversubscribed and the dirty little secret is that they don’t have to deal with any problems they don’t want to. If your kid can’t keep up, they get “counseled out”. APS is rich enough that at a public school that has to provide accommodations that they do so.

However, many of the programs are really focused on kids that also have some level of autism. Instructional Studies in HS is usually paired with Social Skills, and the kids at the HS level are expected to be motivated to accept the relevant support. Some classes are co-taught so there are two teachers in the room to assist kids staying on track. Those classes, however, are not honors AP classes so if you want your kid to be on target for the top schools in the highly competitive APS student cohort, those classes aren’t going to fill the bill. The teachers are good and I’m pleased my kid has access, but I also know my kid is not even close to being on track for a T20 school.

Also, remember, the purpose of the IEP is to make sure that the child can successfully access the curriculum. If your kid is already making As, you’re going to have a harder struggle to prove they need services.

At some point, if your kid is struggling, you need to try the medication. That may just be the sufficient edge to remember to turn stuff in and focus on class. Also some of the things you describe are called being a teenager. And for that one on one work, yes you need to get a private coach.

We are unable to try the meds because of medical limitations.

So if our kid is coming in with As and Bs, but really struggling with juggling it all, and wants to take honors or AP classes — there wil just be a 504, ie more time for tests? The co-taught classes won’t be honors, and without a IEP they won’t get one on one counseling.

Would a private school be better for this range on the ADHD spectrum? How do you find a private counselor?

No there is no 1:1 counseling for ADHD in a public school. The only 1:1 is for counseling for mental health and they are stingy with that. You need to readjust your expectations OP. Maybe stay in private.

There have been sooo many threads saying public schools are better accommodation for ADHD than private schools. Our friends private school has a counselor they can stop by weekly and help get organized.

Which school?

“They can stop by” requires a certain level of exec functioning that some kids don’t have.